Letters to Ann

Dear Ann,

Well what a great Christmas Day we had with all our family together for the first time in twelve years. Not only that, but we joined hands with eight members from Lauren’s family who were also coming for lunch.

Philip, Greg & I were up reasonably early for the big day as we had to distribute all our gifts from under the tree before Lauren’s family arrived. Georgia & Mick had to be elsewhere for lunch as is often the case with families.

So we loaded the car with or gift bags, pavlova, whipped cream & enough fresh berries & fruit to flatten any pavlova. They already had plenty of Christmas pudding, as well as a cheese cake from Georgia, but I fancied a pavlova as I was well into the festive mood.

The pavlova was a hit.

As soon as we arrived, we carried it all in from the car & got settled we were ready for the fun to start. The huge Christmas tree in the corner didn’t look as if it was struggling too much under its load, although it didn’t help with all our goodies to add to the cause.

After a decade of Christmas Days with just Philip, Greg & I, my mind went back to many years ago when I was first married & being the eldest of eight we always had very busy Christmas Days. It took Max a while to realise what had hit him, as he was the youngest of three. With a huge gap between him & his siblings & with a small family it didn’t take long for Christmas gift giving to take place.

I think David started the ball rolling as head of the household & as one person received a gift that person then had to give the next gift & so it went on for at least two hours. The place was strewn with Christmas paper, curling ribbon & gifts. It would be impossible to remember who got what, but I know I got my usual stack of health supplements from Philip & Greg which I appreciate very very much.

David unpacks his bag of goodies from Dawn

I also received the fourteenth volume of Letters to Ann. It was the second time I hadn’t written two volumes in one year. I didn’t quite make a second one. However, the left overs from last year will give me a good start this year. The goal I set myself in the very beginning of this project was to write twenty volumes: I don’t mind if I do more, but that was my original goal.

Lauren, David & Riley gave all us grannies a cute little avocado gadget to put the other half of an avocado into, which keeps it fresh when you don’t use it all. I wondered what it was at first, but could see the advantages when it was shown to me. It really does take time sometimes for the penny to drop!

Charley gave me a very sweet little Christmas card which had the Tree of Life on the front & also inside where it stood upright. On her card she had written:

“Dear Gran, Merry Christmas. I hope there are many more holidays we can spend as a family. Love you heaps, from Charley.”

She must have put a lot of thought into the gift she gave me which I absolutely loved, I put it on as soon as I held it in my hand. It was a gorgeous silver necklace of the Tree of Life & I know I will get a lot of wear from it.

For my family here I gave a medley of gifts to in Christmas bags – for Lauren & David, two books each. I also gave David the cutest little blue Kombi Van, as he has been giving his real one a big face lift which has been uppermost in his mind for months so I figured he would like a miniature one & he did, he loved it.

For Riley a bottle of her favourite perfume which took ages to find. Eventually Philip & Greg tracked it down for me. I might add too that it may well have been gold I was purchasing! She has good taste!

Riley and her expensive perfume.

I thought Charley would like the video Philip, Greg & I always play at Christmas in Burbank & which she saw last Christmas. It’s called ‘The greatest Gift of All’ featuring Stephen Colbert. Is funny * has lots of cameos from well know stars over there. Of course I give the girls other little things that I collect for them over the year. Grans are allowed to spoil their grand children.

For Mick & Georgia I had to get some advice from David & Lauren as I don’t know them well enough yet to know their likes & dislikes.

For Philip & Greg I had already purchased binoculars for both of them, as I thought they might get a lot of pleasure looking further over the canyon at the wild life which they both love. Their email to us telling us not to give them presents as they were travelling very lightly came too late for me, but they managed to get it into their bags without too much trouble & as plan two, there was the postman!

Greg admires the new binoculars.

The funny thing is I also had for them two ceramic knives that advertised that they never needed to be sharpened & the boys were absolutely thrilled with them. They are the best knives they have ever had & far superior to the electric knife for many things!

After all the unwrapping, shuffling, ooing & ahring we settled down as Lauren’s family arrived, namely… Chris, Lauren’s sister & her husband, Peter, Ian, Lauren’s brother & wife, Virginia, also Virginia’s Dad out from England for a visit.

Then there was Lara & gorgeous baby, Hugo only a few months old, plus of course, Pat, Lauren’s Mum. We all gelled together really well before we sat down to the table.

The lunch was more than delightful. Although the pavlova was not really needed it did look grand taking centre stage on the table where it was also well patronised!!

After lunch us three outsiders didn’t know there was going to be a secret Santa, so Philip and Greg filled in (temporarily) for Georgia and Mick, while magically there was one for me. The rules were that anyone could swap from anyone until the end of the game.

When my number was called I picked a big parcel, funny shape & wrapped in brown paper. It was a medley of gifts inside, but the main one was a white china Santa which looked like a gnome & I love gnomes for my garden. Then when Veronica’s father, David had his pick he decided to change & came straight for my gnome.

He was dead sure going to take my gnome, but I must have glared at him because he suddenly veered away when he was about to swop, grinned as he said that he wouldn’t dare!

It was the most wonderful day with David & Lauren as the greatest hosts & the two families joining in as if they had known each other forever. Christmas is not only about gifts, it’s also about families & we can count ourselves very rich indeed to have the loving families we have.

I love my family very deeply & I also love you Ann. You are as vivid in my mind now as when I first met you. My love always, Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

I have been attending Prime Timers for more than the past decade & yet this was the first Christmas I have been able to attend the special luncheon & share in the fun & the pleasure. Since I joined this great organisation, I have spent Christmas with Philip & Greg in LA.

I was looking forward to the occasion as I had never been there to see all the members receive their little Christmas Pudding & the babies proudly put their cellophane heads up making them look good as they were placed around all the tables.

Prior to this, Cheryl was picking up Sandra & myself to attend the luncheon & we had arranged to go for coffee at Micheles’ after the event. Luckily I had my gift packages all arranged when they arrived early, to say our gift giving would need to be held beforehand because of other things which had eventuated.

So I sat them down, or at least Sandra sat, but bubbly Cheryl had too much on her mind to sit. I always have a few little gifts in the bags so I knew it would take a little time. To save time I simply took a photo of each with their bags rather than a myriad of snaps. Even though a little hurried, all went well with us all enjoying our surprises.

Christmas gift giving: Cheryl displays her bag

Cheryl had for me a calendar with very old pictures of Newcastle in its young day: very historical & very interesting. Sandra had a wrapped gift for me for a surprise, plus a $50 note that I had great pleasure in spending.

I receive a catalogue called Innovations & they had some new things which greatly interested me, particularly for the garden. When people give me money I like to purchase something specific so that it reminds me of the giver.

My new garden is predominantly sporting the colour blue amongst the greenery – blue cushions on the little seat, a blue Hydrangea & a number of tall & stately blue Agapanthus. The catalogue showed a blue Peacock with showy feathers of green & blue & his blue round tummy was a glass bowl with solar powered lights which changed colours to green, blue & red.

Likewise I was also able to purchase a set of three blue lights on a pole that are also solar powered & change colours as well. These are now showing their power to all & sundry that come to my house in the darkness of night & they are so pretty. I love them & they will always remind me of Sandra.

I can’t remember all that I gave to Sandra for Christmas, but among the gifts was a very nice bracelet that matched a necklace & ear ring set I had given her on her birthday. The predominant gift I remember giving to Cheryl was a matching pair of little gardening pots to put in her garden that she appeared to love.

With all that excitement over, we hurried off to the RSL Club where several round tables were set up with the sixty baby Christmas Puddings taking pride of place & a delicious meal awaiting us. We could go back for seconds & eat all that we could eat, although I find my intake these days to be a little limiting to what they used to be.

That is, until it comes to the Pavlova! I must admit then to a feeling of liking more! There wasn’t one person there who did not take full advantage of the repast put in front of us & enjoy it.

Also I always find that round tables are the best when it comes to a large group & we chatted away among ourselves around the table.

Sandra, Dawn and Cheryl at Prime Timer’s Dec 2016

Joan, our leader, mentioned several things including the Christmas puddings with the mention that “our Dawn made them all for us.” which was a lovely accolade. I know all the members appreciate them.

One member came up to me afterwards introducing herself & saying how she had often wished I had been there in recent years so that she had the opportunity of thanking me personally for such a delightful pudding. Apparently she is not able to attend the monthly meetings & I appreciated the fact that she made it a point to voice her appreciation at the Christmas party.

Our luncheon had the air of festivity & I enjoyed being part of the festivities.

My years associated with Prime Timers have for sure been very happy years & I am proud to be associated with the Salvation Army in this way.

All my love always, Dawn XOXO

Dear Ann,

The first two weeks Philip & Greg were with me were just great. When they wanted to go & explore the changes made in Newcastle in recent years or go off & have a lunch on their own I made sure I had my car free.

The two weeks went by far too quickly & then I lost the two of them. Philip had organised to visit Peter, Beth & family in Brisbane, Queensland & left one Friday for the weekend. There are 13 family members in the Brisbane area, and Philip added another six interviews to his family history project.

Peter, Beth and Philip

Greg & I had one night here together & took the opportunity to sit out in the garden on my new seat where we thoroughly enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine prior to our dinner. I must say it was very pleasant but I am not so sure I would enjoy it on my own!

Then the following day Greg left with his niece, Neika to fly to Kalgoolie in Western Australia to visit his sister, Laraine who has been working at the mines there for the past three of four years. This was once mined for its gold in the gold rush era and they are still mining gold and other minerals now.

Kalgoorlie is not the greatest of places for an average family to live even though the city has expanded a great deal in past years it lacks family-friendly stores and services. The jobs, however, pay well for those who wish to live there & save for the future.

So that meant I was on my own again for a week. I went to the airport to collect Philip when he returned from his weekend away that he had really enjoyed.

From the airport we went straight to David’s place for our fortnightly dinner with family. Philip was staying with David that week to spend some time with his brother.

Neika had kindly lent the boys her car as she was going to be away for some weeks, so Philip went to collect Greg when he returned & they came back to say with me on Christmas Eve.

Charley’s 24th birthday at The Parry Street Garage

Before they settled back in again they had arranged to take all the family out to celebrate Charley’s twenty fourth birthday. It’s tough having your birthday on Christmas Eve, but it was a rule from the day Charley was born, seven weeks prematurely, that she would have a birthday as well as Christmas so that’s the way it has been.

Philip gave her the choice of where she would like to go & she chose Parry Street Garage, which is very popular with the young people. It is huge & it used to be a garage, but today it plays host to heaps of young people who love the noise & the buzz. The food is excellent & you would have to be hard pressed not to enjoy it.

It was not possible for me to take Charley’s birthday gift with me as it was a huge parcel, starting with a travelling bag inside that had a rather big handbag inside. Inside that was a lovely green feathery hair ornament that she wears very well with her lovely red hair.  There were also a few more this & thats.

She did get a laugh out of the black top I bought for her with a huge golden pineapple on the front. Charley dresses mainly in black & looked very elegant on the night of her birthday with a gorgeous skirt & a very attractive black beaded jacket.

Charley unpacked her birthday box on Christmas Day.

I commented on it & she reminded me that I wanted it for myself. I had forgotten that we saw it in Ross (a discount department store) the day before we left Burbank. We both tried it on, but when Charley modelled it I knew it was for her as she looked so gorgeous in it.

So even though it was Christmas Day that’s when Charley got to peek into her birthday gift, which took a while to unpack!

I felt one of the highlights for her birthday was that her Uncles Philip & Greg wanted to take her to dinner as well as the family. These three gelled together almost as soon as they met when Charley & I went to Burbank last year.  A great bond was born between them which is lovely to see in families & I don’t think this will be the last birthday they will share together. Also Charley & I are planning on another trip to California.

My very fondest love. Dawn X O X O