Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
God bless you!

My mum very sick

My mum was admitted to the cardiology, she is very sick, her heart beats are not regular, sometimes too fast other times too slow.

Last visit in Mina 1 Mai for 2008

I am posting a few photos of the last visit, and here you can see how is the work now, at the end of 2008. You can see that the tape between the plasterboards is now pulling off just because it is cold there, not warm enought to dry. They hope to have better days as well, but till than they just stopped the work for as little while, due to the weather conditions.

A nice surprise

Today, a stranger arrived to us, saying that he has a gift for us. He has given us a big box wrapped in red. We signed for it and he left. Did not knew what it was, from where it was, anything about it. As we opened it we saw Romanian cholcolates, wafers, sweets, wine, biscuits...in a nice basket.
The box was made in Arad, and delivered to us by a company from Arad.
But I don't know anyone from Arad!

Paying more attention to it, discovered that the box was a gift to us from John and Nona from UK, who are wishing us Merry Christmas.
Well, I don't know how they made it, but it was very nice and it was a great surprise for us!
So Merry Christmas to you John and Nona, and God bless you! Thank you very much for it!

Photos of Christmas gift distribution

Before leaving homeBefore starting the distribution

Their Christmas treeAnd giving out the NNRT gifts

Sorting the cards by each wardReceiving the Christmas cards A friend of us, who is very happy and wishing you Merry Christmas!

NNRT Christmas gifts distributed

Yesterday we distributed all the 150 bags of Christmas gifts for the patients and also we have given the Christmas cards. They were very happy! Photos above.

Christmas gift bags made!

We have purchased from the Metro, all the sweets for the Christmas gift bags, which we will give out to patients. Empty plastic bags we got in the flat. Each bag contains a cocoa cream filled croissant, a 100g chocolate bar, one pack of biscuits, 0.50 l flavoured juice, 2 small Mars bars, one orange. In addition we will give each patients the Christmas card which arrived from Wales. And each bag contains...

Karina was an enormous help for us. She helped at the shopping, but especially at making the bags. We were more than pleased...And towards the end of it...

Various food bougth for the hospital

It is like a tradition now, that a few weeks before Christmas the hospital gets some food and also the patients get their goodie bag. This year is no different. I can tell you that yesterday I went to the Metro Cash and Carry and purchased a lot of food for the hospital. There was Marioara's husband who helped. The charity bought for the hospital: sugar, flour, corn flour, dry beans, pasta, tin fish, tin liver pate, tin tomatoes, cocoa, milk powder, cheese, processed cheese, cooking oil and also shampoo for patients.
We delivered these to the hospital storage, and they were very thankful.
Next week I plan to bring a goodie bag for each patient with sweets and also to deliver them their Christmas cards.

Condolances and congratulations...

As lady Helen's husband died, presented the whole NNRT team's condolances. Garofita will pass it this evening and myself when I meet her next time.

Also congratulations for Garofita's husband and son who both are named Nicolae and now is the St. Nicholas day (Sf. Nicolae) in Romania.

Christmas cards arrived!

The Christmas cards made by the Wesley Youth Club Caerphilly from Wales have arrived today courtesy David Wilkes and John Hexter. These are beautiful cards, and the patients will love them!

For those who are interested

From the 1st of December 2008 EU citizens who travel by plane to Romania are allowed to take back with them gifts up to the value of 430 Euros per person wihout any tax fee. Here we can mention all coffee, tea, cigarettes, alcohol, vine, parfumes and other things in the personal luggage.
I know certain people would be interested in this, so that may be a good news for them.

Parliamentary elections

The result of the Romanian Parliamentary elections, held on Sunday 30 November is:
1. Alliance of Social Decmocratic Party + Conservative Party aprox. 33%
2. Democratic Liberal Party aprox. 32.5 %
3. National Liberal Party aprox. 18.5%
4. Hungarians Democratic Alliance aprox. 6.2%
and that's about it.

1 year on the blog

About 1 year ago I have started to write this blog. It was on the 23 November 2007. Today, at 23 November 2008 I look back at the past year, and I see that many information were posted, also many photos, most of them charity related.
I hope that this was useful, readers appreciate it and I could offer updated information on real time. I would like to continue this in the future too, for the benefit of our charity.

November 22, it's winter

It is snowing, and yes, it is winter over here

Latest update from the village

This is the weather now, cold and rain The front of the the building, after the new double glazed door and windows were fitted
The back of the building

See the building from a side angle And the work continues... Also gave them more money to continue purchasing materials.

November in the village

Still nice autumn in NovemberPhotos made in the interior of the building
See the new holes for the door and windows

And the exterior of the building

In the middle of the road between Brasov and Ghimbav there are now concrete blocks to prevent the U turn

A brief guideline for economical crisis - the monkey story

I believe the next sorry will give you a brief guideline about the present economical crisis:

1. Once upon a time, in a small indian village, a man has informed the local villagers that he is buying monkeys for 10 dollars each.
2. The villagers knew that in the area are plenty of monkeys, so they all went into the forest to catch them.
3. This man has bought thousands of monkeys, paying $10 for each of them. As the monkeys were less and less in the forest, the villagers gave up in catching them. So now, the man decided to pay $20 for each monkey they are about to bring. Now, again they were very enthusiastic, and went into the forest to try to get some more.
4. The villagers reutrned, the monkeys are dissapeared from the forest. Now, our man, said that he is paying $25 for each monkey, but is was extremely difficult to get one.
5. Now the man told all the villagers that he would pay $50 for each monkey from now on, but he has to go elsewhere for a short while and in the meantime his deputy will be in charge.
6. When this man was far away, the deputy told the villagers: "Look at those many monkeys we already have in cages, what my boss have purchased from you. I would sell to you with $35 each, and than when he comes back, you can send him for the promised $50"
7. The villagers agreed and gathered all their savings and they bought all the monkeys with $35 each.
8. After this, the villagers have never seen the man or his deputy, they remained with all those monkeys, just like in the beginning...

So, welcome to Wall Street...

Car is repaired

The car is now repaired, see the below photo.

Car repairing

At the moment the car is in garage for repairing...

End of October

A lovely autumn road

Discussions about the windows

And another window over the existing door...

Way back, the car crash. A big lorry hit me in a big roundabout. It's driver who did not saw me, tried to change lanes. Here's the result for now.

In the meantime the windows and the door, all have been ordered for Mina 1 Mai. I instructed the workers to start cutting the holes in the walls and get ready. The windows will be ready in about 10 days.

I have declared the crash at the police. Received the necessary documents, the insurace will pay for the reparations and than the insurance will claim the money from the lorry driver. In case he will refuse to pay he will be sued...

Running for USA presidency

Please click on the link below to view the video:

http://www.tsgnet.com/pres.php?id=370743&altf=JTUWBO&altl=T8BLBM

Hope I can get all the support from you!

More charity money to the hospital

Visited today the hospital and gave them more money to continue the sewing building project. Informed them about my discussions with Dr. Grigoriu and also informed them about the latest decisions.
Photos were taken at the working site. Even things are going on OK, I seriously doubt that the work will be finished this year. Especially that a new fuse box will soon be required too. Today we measured for a new window and door, which will be ordered soon.
Been at the village surgery as well and met the doctor there. Unfortunately the power goes off immediatly as soon as we start running the panel heaters. Tried several times, the main fuse went down and finally from the inside fusebox I heard like a blowing noise and smoke came out.
I told the doctor that immediatly inform the mayor and this is the local mayor's responsability to arrange for electrician to repair the circuit. Also one tap is broken and the lock on the doctor's inside door would need replacement.

Discussions with Dr. Grigoriu

I was informed that the charity is welcomed to continue the activity in the Vulcan Hospital and use the flat as long as the hospital receives aid investment. Photography of patients allowed only of their back side. All other things, investments, buildings, places can be photographed. Major electrical jobs to be done only by specialized electrical companies (as we did with the fuse boxes).
Only team members allowed inside the hospital, they will have to know in advance the number of team visitors. They can not promise on paper anything but we have the director's word, that until he remains director this will not change. He was thankful for the charity's past activity, and would like you to continue the investment in the sewing room.

Huge salary increase in Romania

Starting from 1 st October this year, all the school teachers will receive a 54% salary increase in Romania. University proffessors also will get a 72% salary increase.
With the new increase an average teacher's monthly salary will be around 1000 Euros, while a University professor will earn up to 2800 Euros per month. The question is now if the Romanian economy allow in a long run these huge salaries?

Karina's first day in school

On September the 15th.