Up and Down greeting from Cranleymore

26 April ‘14 Good day to all, Family and friends Those of you who remembers Haas Das se Nuus kas and the weather report will understand when I say that we can experience all four seasons nearly in an hour! We woke up with brilliant sunshine, blue skies a slight breeze and the promise of having a glorious day.Fifteen minutes later the sun was gone the wind came up and blew every cloud that it could find over to Cranleymore and vicinity and within the half hour it rained and became so cold that we had to put something really warm on! By then my washing was on the line and I had to put my knee to the test for the run to get the 90% dry washing off the line. Fortunately it does not take away any of the beauty of spring ,the Cherry blossoms and all the trees in blossom- colours too beautiful to describe- as there are also trees with maroon coloured leaves and they stand between the 40 shades of green and the white of the hawthorn , the deep yellow fur bushes and the silver leave trees. The daffodils are coming to end of their flowering and the tulips are still coming out every few days, another lot with different colours-magnificent and a joy to the eye! We experienced a fairly dry period since just before Easter and even with the odd shower that falls, accompanied with hailstone, it has not rained a lot and the farmers are out in full force doing what they do best ,spreading the slurry as well as ploughing, rolling of the fields and all the cattle are outside . The potatoes are showing leaves and the rhubarb is ready for picking! We will be visiting the garden centre in the near future to get what is needed for the vegetable garden, it is too cold to work outside and the wind is freezing!The baskets will also hang before the end of May! Our dear cat children are lovely except for Patches who must have been hit by a vehicle - he is limping badly and the scars of where the sin was ripped off is starting to heal- but he is just like a baby and can cry like one too! Sits i n front of the back door and cry until you get up and attend to him either a rub ,a talk or may be something to drink or extra to eat! Last night I prepared supper and I know for sure that I switched the oven on -being Friday we have each our own piece of fish, Barry having cod and a piece of salmon for me. I checked the pots on the stove on the 15 minutes - noticed nothing wrong and at our usual time to ea,t I started to dish up and Barry took the fish out of the oven to discover it never cooked! He accused me of not putting on the oven -but I remember clearly that I did . So him being hungry and I never had a change , during the day to eat my ½ meal of the previous evening, as there were just not time-we were treated with some Chinese! Now that is something very rare in our house and is always something of a celebration! This morning we decided to cook the fish and have it ready for the cats- BUT an hour later when I checked the oven it was still as cold as last night ! Hoera- it was not me but the oven! Now the stove is 10 years old and has given us good service and it costs more to have it repaired than to buy a new one! We still have the plates that is working and a George Foreman as well as a fantastic cooking pan in which you can cook anything- so we are not totally dependent on take aways! It has been a very disturbing and unsettling week at work - the receiver arrived with the appointed company to take over the running of the hospital and addressed the staff at 8am on Wednesday morning and they started to work immediately -they interviewed the managers and by 1pm they called a halt realizing that the hospital was running as a risk and it was really just by the grace of God that nothing has gone wrong in the last year or more! The previous owner when he ran out of money did not keep up with safety regulations and the services of essential equipment especially in the operating theatres. The bosses of the company appointed stopped there and then all booked procedures and cancelled the rest of the week! The staff were devastated as they have already used up all their available annual leave with the lack of medications and equipment, and now this! All the consultants had to be informed that their lists have been cancelled until further notice and that in itself caused tremendous unhappiness but they realized that it was for their own good! So the hospital is temporarily closed until all equipment has been serviced , all the necessary drugs and medications made available and all possible risks have been removed! I, working now as administrative staff could go on with my work but felt very threatened as the people from this company called Centric\Health have the best computers-equipment, expertise, the know- how and superb computer programmes that they use and here we are just about at the time of Moses on the Nile in his basket! 40 Years behind- with no backup system if the computers crash as the other oak thought he could get away with it -as the whole system gave way some 18 months ago and was never replaced! Our methodology is archaic and our workforce illiterate when it comes to high felucent computer programming and the use thereof! You can just imagine what a tremendous mental and Psychological shock this brought on the faithful devoted loyal workers of the company! We all thought we are out the door! Yesterday afternoon another meeting was called as the group realized that the staff are emotional more than fragile and finds it hard to function under the circumstances and we were all re-assured that we will get paid and that the hospital will re-open as soon as all the risks has been removed and that we all still have got jobs! what a sigh of relieve! Just discovered that the sun is shining again but the wind is from the north pole. On the political front the people are in uproar and are protesting about everything! The Minister for Education wants the (our old St 8 public exam) to be removed and that the teacher must mark the papers themselves- and also to stop children leaving after that exam.Come election day they forget all about these moments of disgrunt and vote the lot of scoundrels back into power! A mother with 3 children has been living in a car for some time- but the high polite has not the slightest idea what is going on at grassroots! Two men are missing after they supposedly went to collect monies owed-part of a criminal gang - the car they were travelling in was found at a big lake near Mullingar and the police divers and foot patrols are searching now surely for their bodies- here life is cheap! Tomorrow is very special in our church calendar. Since we had a Thanksgiving service some years ago when we had the inauguration of the new organ ,the thanksgiving service stayed- took on a different theme of Songs of Praise and that is happening tomorrow, with an afternoon service and a visiting choir from Cookstown in NI. Looking forward to a very special service! Birthdays! I have no names for this coming week but should there be a Birthday happening out there! Happy Birthday and may the year be good! We also do remember those on my email address list that are going through difficult times, those who are not well, those who are recovering after surgery, those who have lost confidence and those who are tired of fighting Do not be discouraged because the Lord knows what you need and will provide- trust and believe! Thank you to all , I am not going to mention everyone by name as the list is far too long,who so regularly send a note, letter and photos! Be assured that every bit of news is new to us and just to hear about your experiences brings us nearer together! That brings me to the end of this letter that you might have found very boring- tough- you read up here , others might just have understood, what it is to be uncertain of your future! Be careful at all times, lock your doors and make sure that you leave nothing next to you on the seat while you are driving. Drive safely especially those who are daily on the roads and those who are doing long journeys! Up and down greetings, from Cranleymore where we continuously run in and out of the rain! Barry & Christina

Enjoyable sunshine greetings form Cranelymore

12 April 2014 Good day to all, family and friends, it is a lovely day, it started off with rain but through the morning the sun broke through and since then we have been enjoying a marvelous day! I was so enthosiastic that I walked a couple of kilometers quickly before coming to compile the news of the the week! We were also entertained with a good frost yesterday morning -1 degree earlier on and by the time I left for work it was just about 1 degree. the wind was blowing and unpleasant but it turned out to be a sunny afternoon. I have also spent some time in the garden admiring all the seeds that were coming up and the lovely colours of the tulips. The dark purple ones were affected by the torential rain of a week or what ago and had developed rust on the outer petals which is very sad as they were usually my pride and joy. We were also fortunate enough to cut the forest floor down to about 2” Barry did it all by him self as I am not here during the day and if it is dry you have to get on with things. He did it in shifts and survived the enormous task although he complained of pains in his ankles from all the walking. It looks very lovely and the bottom field will still have to be cut and outside in the road, but I forbid him to go out in the road if I am not here- the road is far too busy! The cats are too gorgeous although not white and black anymore but rather light brown- how they got this dirty only they can tell and I do not always understand the words in the choir pieces! They found a new place to sleep and hide from intruders! We have the big (and he is big) brownish ginger cat that continues to visit, although he has been peppered with pieces of turf- he finishes off the food left by them at night. Barry got worried again on Tuesday morning when both were missing! He searched every- where and called continually to no avail! He decided later to tidy up the fireplace and took the wheel barrow with turf back to the shed as we do not lit the stove anymore- if we are cold we switch the small oil heater on for a while- and suddenly from high up near the shed roof, he had a shelf hanging for long pieces of timber and things that he does not use often, the two cats appeared - they came to investigate what he was doing in their ‘house’! When he called they could not hear him as they were inside and he called far away from the turf shed! with gladness they were welcomed and he did not mind scrathing their head for hours there after. At work I gave the 1st 8 hour lecture on Health Safety & Risk with a power point presentation ,with a test afterwards which I am in the process of marking- tedious and time consuming as you have to read through every answer and compare with the information given! Do not know why I do this to myself- but I will persevere and fortunately the second session will only take place after Easter! The hospital has gone into’prepacked receivership’ apparently a legal term- which is used when the banks take over and appoint a receiver to take charge- the receiver then appoint some-one - in this case it will be the new investors, which will put a business plan together for the bank and in the mean time we can keep on functioning! We will know on Wednesday next week who the investors will be and how much they are prepared to invest- we will be able to change the name of the hospital as all strings with the previous owner will be severed. He gave the hospital such a bad name and sunk us into the deep end of the ocean with sinkers on, especially with people that he ordered stock from and never paid! Our wages are for the present not in jeopardy! On the political front- what made the news was that all the people involved in lending millions to investors and brought us to our knees in 2008 stand to walk free and blameless out of this if the jury fall for the defense teams plee! The president Lepricorn Higgins and his wife spent four days in England as the guests of the Queen- they were treated with such awsome admiration that it was sickening! The headline on his return yesterday read: Although small in stature , he is a giant intellectually! He gave 4-5 speeches in all exactly the same, with just the sentences turned around and in a different order! On the other hand it was a wonderful excersize in relation building between the two countries and essential after the troubles in Northern Ireland and the hate between the south and the north! Charity collections and institutions run by different Institutions has received a tremendous knock. the directors and chairmen of some of these place received up to ½ millon as salaries from HSE topped up with the monies collected for the charity work. They have been ordered in front of the investigating committee to please explain but ---they will get out of that as well, in the mean time there are charities that are now really suffering eg. the assistant dog foundation- dogs that are trained to assist people with epilepsy etc. they have no money to continue the training of the dogs because people stopped giving money to the charities learning that most of it went into the pockets of the directors and others! Enough of all the things that are not bringing joy into our hearts! The awakening of nature is much more spectacular in colour and lushness than anything else! Stephen the minister at church was talking about the 40 shades of green we have in Ireland - confirming my experience every day I drive to work! Tomorrow is my turn in the pew and a time to enjoy bringing praise to the Lord! How wonderful it is to start your week with uplifting of the soul. Birthdays: O dear I seemed to have things all mixed up and I have to be careful now! First of all to Gerda who had her Birthday on the 10th. Today Paul van Marle, tomorrow the 13th Mendel my brother who also had a cataract operation on the 9th, Happy Birthday to you , may it be a good and healthy year to you all! Thank you to all who so wonderfully write in answer to my letter and send lovely emails and photos- it is greatly appreciated and enjoyed! I will also forward from my ipad some photos of the tulips and daffoldils. Glad that the visit of Nine to the Cape allowed her to see Mendel and for |Mendel to see the family and grand children and daughter in law as well as Garth & Arnolda! We also think of those who are not well, that has gone through tremendous deep valleys of dispair- Those who have lost loved ones- take your courage from Ps 27:1 The Lord is my light and salvation. Who shall I fear?! That brings me to end of this writing and as always be careful do not drive with your window open -thinking back to the experience of the woman in Durban! Keep the doors locked never have anything of value next to you on the seat, lock the doors when you go inside the house! You are so precious in the sight of the Lord and to us who are far away! Enjoyable sunshine greetings from Cranleymore Barry & Christina

Lente gtoete

Goeie dag aan allemaal, familie en vriende, > Ek skryf op my iPad want my skoot rekenaar wil nie oop maak nie ek sit nou hier voor die ding en wag Maar die tyd gaan verby en die dag is al aan die aanstap. > Ek Moët se dit gaan al beter Maar my lyfhorlosie pas baie swaar aan by al hierdie somer en winter tyd zone. > Ek was nou net mooi aan die gang vir die winter tyd en nou Moët ons weer aanpas by somertyd,ongelooflike metode om deur die jaar getye te kom. > Daar was jou werklik waar 2 dae vol sonskyn van oggend tot laat aan.d Maar ons sal maar stil Bly oor die ander 5 dae. > Dit is gelukkig nie koud nie en so lank die wind nie waai nie kan jy nog die mis reen of die gietende reen verdra, dit wissel a- die reen patrone! Vandag is dit 12 grade gister was dit 15 met heerlike sonskyn gedurende die middag, ander dae begin ons met briljante sonskynmaar later word dit donker en die reen val asof die eiland in die vreeslikste droog verkeer. > Wat wel lekker is ,is die lang aande, dit is heerlik om nog soveel dag oor te hê om dinge in te doen. > Die rekenaar weier nog steeds om oop te maak ek het nou die battery uittehaal, soms help dit Maar bleikbaar nie vandag nie dus ek gaan 'n positive verander moet maak want dis effe kouerig in hierdie binne kamer! > Ek het aan sommige van julle 'n foto van my orgidee in volle blom , gestuur, as Daar nog is wat wil sien laat weet ek wys dit ook vir julle! Dit is nou as julle mooi vra! > Omdat ek Elke dag dieselfde pad werk toe ry sien ek dinge skielik raak. > Ek wag nou al so lank dat daar blaartjies aan die bome Moët kom,Eers isdaar net 'n groenerige skynsel en Maandag > Oggend dag ek ek sien bietjie meer as 'n groen skynsel en jou werklik waar Dinsdag sit honderde bome langs die pad vol nuwe Klein blaartjies ek was so opgewonde ek wou sommer sing en het toe sommer uit volle bors begin Oktober is die mooi ste mooi ste Maand ,ek weet dit moes April wees Maar dit wou nie regtig inpas nie Woensdag oggend is die hele ent pad se bome met ongelooflike skakerings van groen ingekleur, lig groen , geel groen, lemmetjie groen, gras groen, donker groen, olyf groen en tussen in staan rye affodille! Dit is werklik 'n voorreg om dit so stapsgewyse te beleef, > Ek maak nou seker dat ons Elke week vars affodille op kantoor het, dit ruik so heerlik en ek is Elke dag opgewonde oor nog iets in die natuur, die voeltjies sing vir 'n vale ,dit is soos'n simfonise, baie hoog op in 'n denne boom by die hospitaal groet die gesang van 'n black bird? (Afrikaanse naam asb) my, met groot entosiasme en se weer tot diens laat middag as ek ry, ek se Elke more Dankie en weer saans ,sou iemand my dop hou en hoor ek praat met die voels sluit hulle my dadelik op in die groen dakkies =St Lomans . > By ons in die tuin is dit 'n sprokies wereld , affodille by die honderde, tulpe ,blommende korente bos, die wit en geel daisies en ' n graspers met dik groen nat gras wat nou in 'n oerwoud verander. Die rekenaar het sopas besluit om oop temaak dus stuur ek die epos nou deur na die skoot rekenaar en ek kan dan van daarafn verder skryf dis net effe makliker! Kan julle dit glo die helfte van die brief het nou net verdwyn! Miskien moet ek op hou skryf.....? Ek het in die deel wat nou weg is vertel hoe Baryy gedurende die week terwyl die son geksyn het die groente tuin omgespit het en ons eie kompost ingewerk het, ek so trots om die kompost -dit het ons omtrent 5 jaar geneem om dit so ver te kry en nou groei ons aartappels reeds in ons eie gekomposte grond! By die werk gaan dit redelik goed . Na verlede week se kwaai teregwysinge het ek die hele spul Maaandag met rooi gesigte om die tafel gehad - al die base ook , dit was juis hulle wat die raps oor vingers gekry het! Ek wil die heletyd die spul inspuit met entosiasme, soos dit in my opborrel! Die baas dink ek is net die beste ding wat hulle oorgekom het! Hy het dit so aan my bevestig , nou werk ek nog harder! Ek moet so versigtig wees anders verloor ek weer alles , . ek het afspraak by die ortpeet gehad Donderdag oggend maar soos dit gaan loop dinge selde uit soos wat jy dit beplan en iemand rapporteer siek en die Direkteur van Verpleging wat 'n teater suster is moet daar gaan werk vir die dag en sy saal my toe op met haar werk ook, onder- andere die onderhoud met die Beroepsgesondheidsdokter wat ons genader het om ons bytestaan in ons nuut gestigte Beroepsgeosndheidskliniek! My afspraak by die ortopeet was vir 10vm ,ek bel die ontvangsdame en vra om sy my 1/2 later kan inpas . 10vm daag die Dr op Hy het ook jare in SA gewerk maar is nou hier! Hy hou nie op praat nie en gee ons daar en dan 'n lesing in hoe die kliniek beplanning moet gaan en wie wat moet doen en hoe asof ek nie weet nie! teen 1/2 11 raak ek opgewonde . 5 minute later maak ek verskoning en ,gelukkig het ek reeds vroeer die oggend my knie x-strale laat doen en die afspraak is by die kliniek langsaan, ek gryp die Xstrale en ek het letterlik gehardloop om nie my plek by die Dr te verloor nie. Die pasiente in die wagkamer kon my sien kom en toe ek die deur oop maak se een man 'wow but you can run' en ek se 'yes with my new knee' almal was stom van verbasing. 10 minute later is dit my beurt en so met die intrap vertel ek die Dr dat die pasient wat net uitgekom het, my getuie is dat ek gehardloop het, ja se die dokter hy het my ook sien hardloop, vra nie hoe gaan dit nie maar se met groot verbasing" I cannot believe how much weight you have lost" dit was die beste nuus wat hy my kon gee, en eers daarna het hy gevra hoe dit gaan. My knie is nou afgeneem 110 grade buig en met strekking 100% reguit! en ek kan hardloop! dit is met groot dankbaarheid eerste teenoor ons liewe Vader in die hemel wat my die sjirurg gegee het en die vermoee om so te kon herstel 4mnde en 10 dae later . Ek is nou met Cum Laude ontslaan! Liewe land dit word 'n boek , en miskien stel julle nie eers belang in my knie nie!groot ekskuus! More is die beste dag van die week en ek het reeds my Psalme en Gesange ontvang vir more se orgel spelery en natuurlik die skrifuitlegging van Ps 23! Verjaardae, ek het die ou kalender opgeskeur want ek was elke week 'n dag agter en so het ek nagelaat om verlede week vir die volgendes verjaardag wense toe te wens! Ek weet dit is laat maar die wense bly dieselfde! 4 April: Kayla en Devlin! Vandag 5de Gerda Vorster en Nine -Paula ! Veels geluk en mag dit 'n wonderlike jaar vol seeninge vir jul almal wees! Op die politieke front gaan die geveg tussen mense en politici steeds aan, die Kommissaris van die Garda het bedank en 'n mosie van wantroue is gewen deur die Min van Justisie want hy praat nie die waarheid nie en die hele Garda gemors is nou oop en bloot vir almal om te sien en te hoor en hy is soos 'n gans waarvan die water afhardloop - ongelooflik waarmee hulle wegkom! Die waarheid het hier 'n ander baadjie aan en elke nou en dan verander die kleur ook! Ons dink aan almal wat deur baie swaar persoonlike teisteringe gaan, aan die wat siek is, die wat in geestelike verdrukking verkeer, die wat alleen voel, en die wat sommer net moedeloos is ! In Filippense 4:13 Skryf Paulus " Ek is tot alles in staat deur Christus wat my krag gee" Mag dit met julle almal goed gaan , wees altyd versigtig, onthou veiligeheid, tuis , op die paaie en by die werk! Blye lente groete vanuit Cranleymore Barry & Christina > >