Letters to my Grandchild

Hello darling Em, This will be your last year at the Oasis Pre-Primary school and as a 'BIG' girl, you now have to wear a uniform. But, you still get a chance to play dress-up and go to school in ordinary clothes from time to time.   Next year you will be going to different school and will need a new uniform, with long socks and a blazer!  I don't think we will recognize you :-(  You will see from the photos that your hair has grown quickly since your haircut.  You are back to wearing ponytails and plaits.    

What a year you've had my darling Em!  At the beginning of the year you were 1m tall and now you are 107cm! In February you had your first haircut. You were in your first swimming gala in March and you won a trophy We celebrated Gumpie's 70th birthday in April In April you went to……. Disney World! You had your treatment in June and December In July you celebrated Madiba’s 95th birthday (sadly he died on 5 December) In September Tammy fetched Muffy (after she’d spent 18 months with Beryl)  so you got your first doggie! In October we all went to the Midlands Saddle and Trout on holiday.   You blew at the candles at Little John's 80th birthday You flew to Johannesburg for Gail’s 50th birthday You got your first pair of glasses! You had your 5th birthday party at the Flying Donkey You were an angel in your Christmas concert    

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.

      You were an angel in your Christmas play - and what a beautiful angel you were!  You all sang and played 'musical sticks' and some of the children were dressed as children from all over the world. Your Mom was given a lovely bunch of flowers for helping with the concert.

WOW!!!  I can't believe that you are FIVE!  I have been writing to you for nearly 6 years.  What a special five years they have been.  You have brought us so much joy little Em.  A ray of sunshine in our lives.  You had a birthday cup-cake at school and then a birthday dinner on your birthday at home and then your real birthday party a week later.   Your Princess Sophia birthday party at the Flying Donkey in Mt Edgecombe for all your friends.  You looked gorgeous in Princess Sophia dress and Mom made you a Princess Sophia cake.     It was raining but that didn't stop you and for friends from going on the pony rides!   You with Courtney  

October was a big month for you.  You got your first glasses.  Lovely pink and lavender frames.  We all thought it might take you time to get used to them but you have worn them with no problems at all!  Here you are with your optician in Durban North. On 11 October we flew to Johannesburg for Gail's 50th Birthday - Finn and me, Greg and Sharon and you, Tam and Mark.  We all stayed at Jeff and Gail's house.  The birthday party was at the Johannesburg Country Club.  You looked like a princess in your long, Burgundy dress and silver slippers - and, you danced all night to Ballyhoo even when there was no-one else on the dance floor! Cara (Richard's girlfriend) and Revonica (an old friend of Gail's from her college days). You and Mark and Tammy stayed on for the weekend.  You went to the river and spent time with the Leaver boys in the pool, on the barge, and on the tube.      ...

Hello Em, Didn't we have a wonderful family weekend at the Midlands Saddle and Trout!  It was so great to have everyone together at this lovely place where Dennis and Rita have Timeshare.   The view from out cottage You and Mark and Tammy shared a cottage with Gumpie and me and Greg and Sharon shared a cottage with Rita and Dennis.   Our cottages were up on the hill.   Your room had an en suite with a jet-whirlpool bath.     You had such a busy weekend , swinging in the playground,  playing giant chess,  Playing pick-up sticks with other children,    going on a pony ride     sitting on the tractor    swimming with Daddy riding on the tractor-trailer with Mommy   playing Putt-putt with Mommy   Molly painted your nails in the Beauty Spa    riding on the Barnie Car while the guys played table tennis ....