Letters to my Grandchild

Hello my darling Em, Whenever you come to our house we try to go for a walk around the block before playing all sorts of indoor games.  Sometimes we play camping and we have sleeping bags and make a tent using the chairs.  Other times we play dress up games.  You like to put on a sparkly top and a long scarf, an Egyptian green box hat with a chiffon scarf.  I follow you around as your sister or servant! When you came a couple of weeks ago you wanted to paint my face so we did face-painting before going for our walk. September 16 was the Sunflower bandana day.  You looked gorgeous in your purple bandana which you were allowed to wear to school.  The Sunflower Fund raises money and awareness for a bone marrow registry for people suffering from illness like leukemia (a type of blood cancer) so you did your part to help the fund.     Mark works for a company called Derivco.  He's been there for 10 years and on 20th Sept...

Your Junior school had their cross country run in Durban North last month.  You were allowed to run the last 100m with your facilitator, Sarah, and PT teacher holding your hands.  Mark and Tammy said that it was very emotional watching you running onto the field with about 600 people cheering you on!  Its a miracle Emily and we are overjoyed to witness this miracle.  However, I am pleased that I wasn't actually there because I am always saying, 'Don't run, Emily - don't run!"

Hello my darling Em, It was Little John's birthday on the 6th October and you and Mom came with us to his birthday lunch at Circus Circus.  You made John two birthday cards - a big one and a smaller one. And then it was your birthday party on Saturday 11th October.  You had a lovely part at a place called @tap in Durban North.  Your Mom made you a Rapunzel cake and all the children had Rapunzel plaits with flowers.   You and Do-do at the party Your hair looked gorgeous in a double plait, sprayed purple.   Your Aunty Candice also had her face painted  

Hello my darling, Your cousin Richard came to visit from Johannesburg and it was his birthday so you were treated to an outing and shared his big chocolate birthday cake.   Its been quite a cold winter so Mom bought you this lovely, cuddly 'Onesie'   We went to Tala Game Park for a day and you helped Gumpy drive.  You took the photographs of some of the beautiful aloes.  When we stopped for our picnic lunch a whole flock of birds flew into the tree above us and waited for us to share crumbs with them. You wanted to swim in their rock pool which was freezing!     At the end of the month you had your bisphosphonate treatment.  You only have it twice a year now and it is done on an outpatient basis so you don't have to be admitted overnight.  You are very brave and didn't even cry when they port the port into your hand. Gail came to Durban for a few days and you invited her to a braai at 'Tonsil's' house, but we had it a...

Hello my Darling Em, I really missed you while I was in Spain for a month.  Just before I left we watched you swimming at your swimming gala.  You did so well and you were a star and looked great in your two piece costume! While I was away you earned your 15 m swimming badge - clever girl!!  You are like a little fish in the water - just like your daddy!  While I was away I tripped and fell and broke my left arm!  I was very brave while they were taking the x-rays and putting the cast on in the hospital because I kept thinking of you and your Dad and how brave you have been.  This is a photograph of me and my cousin Marlene who came to Spain to walk a part of the Camino with us. You had some nice outings to the Aquarium.  Here you are in front of a giant brindle bass. You were examining the aquarium brochure, upside down and inside out!   You celebrated Father's day wit...

Hello Emily-Ann, The start of this year was sad for us because after losing Jenna-Jay last year, Carling-Darling also went to Doggie Heaven last month.      You were never happy around Carling even though he was a big, gentle Labrador.     Once you got Muffy, you seemed to lose your fear of dogs and you had started patting Jenna and Carling and didn't mind if they were in the same room as you.     When Muffy was a young puppy, she had a sister called Puddles.  I used to take Carling, Muff and Puddles for walks around Patty's complex.  Carling always liked little dogs. Now that Jenna and Carling have gone, we decided not to get any new doggies.  But, Delano and Jacques have adopted two little dogs and Josie (a little girl) and Daxie (a boy) have come to live with them.  We have introduced them to Leo and Oscar next door and they all seem to get on well.  Soon we will have a gate b...

Christmas started with sun downers on our deck on Christmas eve.  You loved having all your family around you and you were so good, never asking for a present even though there were many under the tree.   On Christmas Day we had about 21 people for lunch and the Deme's and the Cadman's visited in the afternoon.  Gail brought a lovely Christmas cake - and a set of drums for you for Christmas!  You were Craig's special helper - handing out the presents to everyone. It was a warm day and you had a lovely time in the pool with mommy, granny Laura, Gail and Sharon.