Letters to Ann

Dear Ann,

It was a special date in September when we recognise all the Dad’s in the world on Father’s Day. Riley came to the fore by inviting her Dad to a brunch. It was at a place called ‘The brewery’ situated on the foreshore of Newcastle overlooking the ocean.

While all of us have been to the foreshore dining at other venues there, none of us had been to ‘The Brewery’ & I was lucky enough to be added to the list of invites. Well I guess I was an important person for the celebration for supplying the wonderful man himself!

The day dawned clear, bright & I warm. I felt good as I drove up to David’s place en-route to the foreshore thinking along the way how David had turned out to be such a great Dad when he was such a daredevil as a youngster.

As I have aged & look back at the decades which have passed by, I realise how good life can be & how differently it turns out to what you expect. There are many changes as you travel through life. I think one of the most significant is when you hold your new born baby & realise how wonderful that bundle of humanity is. Then as you look at that dear little face looking up at you trying to focus, reality sets in a very strong bond & along the way you start to comprehend the task in font of you as a parent.

As I sat down to enjoy our brunch at the Brewery, seeing my granddaughters as adults, although different as chalk is from cheese, I could not help but think what a great Dad my son, David, turned out to be. I am proud of the whole three of them, as the girl’s early life it was far from easy. Throughout the adversities their Dad turned out to be a Dad to be proud of.

He worked hard at the task in front of him as a single Dad, & taught his daughters the important lesson of integrity. When, at times, he had to say ‘no’ to something they wanted, which was important to them, he would then go on to explain to them the reason behind his refusal to help them understand his decision.

David has brought his daughters up to be strong & reliable & can be justly proud of them both.

When David made it possible for Charley & I to go to America after my sojourn in hospital a couple of years ago, I was so impressed with her & the way she could communicate with anyone she met. I felt she could take her place very adequately with anyone in the world & she was immensely popular.

She left home when quite young; experienced quite severe hardships & has been able to overcome them all. She knows what it is like to be very poor, but has proved she is made of strong stuff & can survive working as a checkout chick at one of our popular stores for some years while renting a home. In some respects she is quite amazing & her Dad can be proud of the fact that he taught her so well.

Riley, David, Charley at The Brewery on Father’s Day, 2017

And no less amazing is her little sister, Riley who has her feet firmly planted on terra firma. Quite a long time ago she stated that she was going to: get her University degree; stay at home until she has achieved that; & has a job. Only then will she flee the nest to take her place in the outside world.

She is very set on what she wants to do. All through her uni years has held a job at Subway, built a nest egg for herself with a view to buying an apartment when the time comes to move. She achieved her University Degree in Communications majoring in Public Relations & received her diploma in Melbourne at a huge venue just recently. Like Charey, she is outgoing, can achieve whatever she sets herself to do & will succeed in life.

David deserves all the accolades as a good Dad & he can be justly proud of his wonderful girls.

So, on Father’s Day it was nice to be part of the celebration. As we drove to the foreshore my mind was going over all these things I have mentioned. The Brewery proved to be all it was renowned for.

I was lucky enough to get a photo of Dad & his girls after the distribution of gifts & before we enjoyed the delicious food placed before us.

When we walked out I stopped to take a photo of the delightful surroundings; the good country we were fortunate to be born in, thinking how wonderful to be with a truly good Dad & his wonderful daughters. Life is good.

My love to you dear heart. Dawn X X O