2024 January - February

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 Happy New year my precious girl!

 We had a quiet New Year, with a small family braai at home.  And are now concentrating on our holiday! 

We bought $3000 to take with us and it cost nearly R60 000.   In 1970 the $ was less valuable than the ZAR and we used to pay about R0.75 for $1.  We paid R2 for every £1 when we went to England in 1974.  The South African Rand is like Mickey Mouse money!

Our travel itinerary for our trip to San Diego and return was 41 hours traveling there and 36 hours returning to South Africa.  It was exhausting.  Too many airlines, too many arrivals and departures and too many hours crammed into a small space in the plane.  The food on Delta was awful and we won’t fly on them again. Hopefully one day it will be faster with lower flying times and better airlines! 

But it was all worth it when we saw you at the airport in San Diego and I had a few moments to give you a big hug!  




Your Mom left a box of stuff she wanted but didn’t have space to pack when you left so we brought that with us.  We also brought over two framed tapestries for you.  We also brought over two framed tapestries for you.  They were from the red chairs you had in your house that Finn’s Mom, great-granny Ann, had done in the 1950’s.  Gail wanted the chairs but not the red tapestry so she had them removed and I had 2 framed for you and 2 for Alex.  Something to keep from your great grandmother.





Gumpie soon found his spot to sit in your lounge and I found mine, next to Ruby’s cage on the couch.  


It was great to meet your friends and the lovely couples your folks have made friends with since they’ve been there.

 




Del Norte hosted a Colour (you spell it color) Guard competition and we helped out at the school for a couple of days.  It was lovely to watch you in person, rather than in a small cell phone screen from 10 500 kms away!

 








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