Letters to Ann

Dear Ann,

The New Year was heralded in & after all the anticipation, excitement, love & fireworks that we had experienced there is often a feeling of ‘it’s all over’ & we settle down to a much quieter scene on the horizon.

I didn’t make one definite New Year resolution, maybe because I find it difficult to live them through! I intend to do it all right, but I look upon myself as a dismal failure on this score so maybe this year I will just read my almanac prayers each day & see if that makes a difference.

Charley & I settled down to making our Curried Zucchini Relish, giving us something positive to do. Instead of going to our local super market for ingredients we went for a look at the Harris Farm produce store. This was only in a nearby suburb, but we had heard a lot about it, so went to investigate.

At this point in time I was without a car, as my car was a complete wirte off due to the Christmas Day accident. Charley, now over the twenty five year age where this insurance clause affects who can & who can’t drive your car, was our capable driver. Knowing she had been taught by her Dad who was by the time he taught her a faultless driver I was happy to let her take the wheel.

We found Harris Farm all it was cracked up to be. Charley was all set to pick up the produce we needed in a carry basket. I had to say, “Charley we are going to need fourteen kilos of tomatoes alone” so she then took charge of a huge trolley.

As we surveyed it all I swear our profits went up by fifty percent! Almost everything was cheaper than what we had been paying. Plus huge, & I mean huge. trays of fresh strawberries for $7 for the whole tray. In the supermarket they were $3.50 for a small punnet.

I had to have a tray of those & also a tray of luscious mangoes to share, which had nothing to do with making relish! When we arrived at the frozen produce stall & saw the price of one kilo of Smoked Salmon, which we both have a strong yen for, caution was thrown to the winds: we had to have that too!

By the time we finished shopping there was no way I could even push that trolley as it was loaded with everything we needed. Plus everything we wanted & didn’t need, other than to satisfy our love for good food.

We came home, unloaded the car, sorted, chopped & weighed for the next four hours until we had enough done to make fourteen batches of relish. Charley then went home as the vegetables for our chutney has to marinate in salted water for several hours before it goes further. It was pointless Charley hanging around when she still had a lot to do in her own place after her move.

For the next two days I boiled, bottled, labelled & priced approximately 150 jars of Relish, which has been stored very compactly in my tiny laundry so that I can still get in there myself to do what one does in the laundry.

In due course this will finally be packed into the car ready for our first market at Warners Bay on the third Saturday of January. This market was held just over the road from our shopping area to The Esplanade & foreshore where the boating regatta was held last October.

After all the work, the chutney goes on sale.

I am wondering if this will be a good move or not as it does mean that thie public have to cross The Esplanade to get to the stalls. It proved to be excellent in October but that was a special event so I am looking at the positive & hoping it will be a move in the right direction as this is one of our best markets.

We are learning by experience where to shop. Also little things about marketing: what to do with our displays to make one it more alluring etc.& also where to get involved in more good markets.

We are experiencing a very hot summer so I am just hoping that the intense heat of the day will not keep our customers away. We are keeping our fingers crossed.

The other great thing that happened soon into the New Year was that David acquired a vehicle for me. He actually found it on the net on Boxing Day, contacted the owner & organised for me to take delivery as soon as I received the insurance for my other car.

I now have in my garage a beautiful white 2008 Holden Astra which has been kept in pristine condition & I am truly thrilled with it.

I was so nervous when David & I went to pick up the car you would not believe. I have always considered myself a very courteous driver, but now I am letting anything with more than two wheels go past me before I act.

Heaps of love. Dawn O X O X.

Dear Ann,

It is Christmas Night & for the past two hours I have been watching one of my very famourite programmes: The Edinburgh Tattoo, which I watch every year when I am home. I don’t know if you have ever heard of it or ever watched it, but it is certainly worth viewing. The marching is carried out with military precision, which always takes me back to when I was a schoolgirl.

I don’t remember being in the kindergarten classes when I was a little girl, but when I was in primary class I remember it well. I did not enjoy those school years at all as I was a very meek soul in those days & had to contend with a lot of bullying which is nothing new, it still happens.

King of Norway’s Guard Band and Drill team

Also I had a headmaster who was mentally cruel & I would not be the only one to admit that. His name was Mr. Bartram. I have often been noted for my comment over the years that I don’t hate many people, but I did admit to hating Adolph Hitler & Mr. Bartram. He almost crucified me & also the girl friends I made at school in those years.

If he appeared in my school room I would freeze because I knew he would pick on me; have me out in front of the whole class while I held my arms out at his command to be caned. If if I cried I would get caned again. I could not learn a thing when he took a class.

Likewise at singing, when we were practicing for a combined school Eisteddfod with the local High School. He would sit us in rows across the auditorium. Those pupils whom he held in disdain would still be humiliated.

He would come along as we were all practicing our songs & hold his head to your mouth & woe betide you if you were not in tune. Of course I was one of the unfortunate ones whom he would pick to take out front of the whole group & cane because he said I was singing out of tune.

He hated me & the feeling was mutual. The humiliation & embarrassment was terrible.

When the latter happened to me I decided to trick him so next time when he went past I would simply mouth the words without sound. Didn’t matter, out the front & get caned for that too.

So if I am giving off that my school years at Burnie Primary School were not happy years you would not be wrong. I really did detest that man.

I may have already told you that when my Mum told me one day, when we were holidaying in Hobart, Tasmania that Mr Bartram had died, I let out a very mild ‘whoopee’ saying how pleased I was that he was at last dead.

My Mum explained that you should not be like that when speaking of the dead. I assured my Mum that I truly meant it!

I remember the Eisteddfod very well. We practiced so hard & it was a great success. It was held in the Burnie theatre with Mr. Bartrum as the conductor dressed up in long tails, white shirt, black tie & looked absolutely so different & immaculate I could not believe it.

He conducted us well with Primary & High School singing together. He must have trained us well as he received accolades in the local paper next day. I guess I have mellowed towards him in my advanced years forgiving him for his cruelty (I have only told you a little of that) deciding that that was the way it was in those days.

Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Band

The songs we sang at that Eisteddfod were very old & very different. They have lived in my memory ever since & I have a great fondness for them. They were songs like Trees & The Floral Dance: very old fashioned melodies.

However, I have deviated at length on what I started to tell you about. Watching the Edinburgh Tattoo  brought back memories of the precision marching we would practice out in the vast school yard, led by our Physical Education teacher.

There were two huge classes for every grade, which would number around one hundred in all. These exercises were carried out while other classes were still in the school room. Each two classes were given PE at different times.

I knew the teacher, Roy Collins, as he was a much older cousin who would not have had a clue that the little lass holding her back straight, picking up her feet & marching like a born soldier was his little cousin! I just loved all that PE stuff, which is why I love watching the Edinburgh Tattoo. I wouldn’t miss it for worlds.

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has been given that name by HM Queen Elizabeth II after she personally viewed it. The whole thing is an annual series of military tattoos performed by Commonwealth & International Bands & artistic teams on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle in the capital of Scotland.

The event is held each August as part of the Edinburgh Festival. The annual attendance at the Tattoo is around 217,000 in person at the Tattoo with several millions more people watching it via television around the world.

Over the years several millions of dollars have also been outlaid to provide the necessary grand stands to hold them all so that they can be erected & dissembled within a month.

Tattoo Fireworks Finale and grandstands.

Several countries throughout the world take part. Those who are selected to play in the bands, dancing, singing & marching are no doubt the best in the world.

The bands play while they march, forming different patterns like hexagons, rectangles that sort of thing. Never is a step out of place nor one foot or arm lifted or swung higher than it should be. I really do get mesmerised by it all.

The dancing is the same. It is magnificent to watch. Not only all the actions, but also the uniforms & beautiful dancing garments & the dancers always are smiling. I doubt there is one speck of dust on a military shoe or boot either!

It must be such an honour to perform at the Tattoos & one can’t help but admire the magnificent performances given, which are different every year.

Always at the end of the Tattoo the Lone Piper stands from the top of Edinburgh Castle to render a fitting piece of music on his bugle when it’s not unusual to get goosebumps!

Before this takes place all the military bands take part en masse, every single dancer & singer come altogether on the Esplanade for the final performance. Then after the Lone Piper concludes his rendition the fireworks bring it all to a close & there’s something of a sadness because it is all over for another year.

Many years ago when Max & I were touring around Europe we were actually in attendance at a Military Tattoo. Our friends there had organised to take us to this event two nights after we arrived in Holland one time & yes, it was well worth it. We were very thrilled as It truly is amazing.

Lots of love, Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

We arrived back at David’s place mid afternoon to their giant Christmas tree laden with gifts under, over, beside & beneath the tree. I had probably taken approximately forty gifts up there before Christmas Day mostly for Charley & Riley.

After being so organised in early November in having it all wrapped, the shops kept putting new things out that I kept thinking great for Riley or great for Charley!

Charley is easy to buy for, as I know what she enjoys & needs especially as she moved into a granny flat in Christmas week. A move always brings to the fore new things you need in a different place of abode & especially her new place, as it will be a melting pot with the heat in our summers.

I had recently become enamoured with a tall trim revolving fan, which would fit in any small corner that I mentioned in a previous letter. As a matter of fact I was so enamoured with it that I eded up ordering two more, as they took up little space & were very effective. I thought they would be perfect for Charley’s hot new granny flat.

Even though she will probably use her birthday money to buy a portable air conditioner, she will no doubt use the two fans as well. So it has been easy to pick up little things like that for her new home, but I also had some other nice things for her: more new clothes & plenty of accessories to go with them.

Riley is not so easy to buy for, but I managed roughly the same number of gifts as I did for Charley for her. Gran’s can’t have favourites!

I am a great catalogue shopper these days as I really don’t enjoy window shopping, unless it’s with another female, so I make good use of various catalogues. One of them by name of Innovations have a very good array of all types of things from indoors to outdoors to apparel & jewelery & it’s from there that I orderd the fans for Charley.

For Riley I saw a really nice beach towel in colours she likes & was lucky enough to find a beach bag to match in my local pharmacy that she loved. Dainty jewellery, perfumes & accessories are also a good stand by for my young granddaughter, as are jewellery accessories for Charley, but they both like opposites. Riley with contemporary & Charley for the unusual.

I also find a lot of gifts in our local Post Office as they have some very different, but very good gifts, at the right prices from time to time. I have purchased a lot of cookery books for the girls there.

One day they had some small hard cover cook books, all favouring different things to cook. There was about fourteen different books, so I bought the lot & wrapped them up in the one parcel for the girls to take it in turn to select.

They should both become excellent cooks with all the recipe books they have received over the years.

I try to think of gifts that can sometimes be a little different. One day I had a brain wave. Charley is having difficulty at present in making ends meet & one day in the Newsagent I saw a gorgeous Christmas Card which read ‘From your cat’ & bought it.

One of Charley’s greatest loves is Wesley her cat, which she purchased from an acquaintance because she felt it needed lots of TLC. Poor Wesley had indeed not had a good start to life & was very much a ‘scaredy cat’.

Charley brought Wesley out to my villa a while back & he was so scared. He would have nothing to do with me; hid under a chair & glared at Charley for bringing him here. If I attempted to stroke him he would hide in another place.

So when I saw that card I knew what I would do. Firstly, I concocted a letter to Charley from Wesley which read:

“Dear Mum from your cat. We’ll spend the purr-fect Christmas, You need never worry about taking me to your Gran’s place again as I have got to know her now.

She is an amazing person & I have quite got to like her. I wanted so much to give you something special for Christmas because you are so special to me & you love me more than anyone in the whole world.

So I consulted with your Gran as to what i could give you that would be so special to you. After lots of serious & secret chats we came up with something I know you will like as it benefits us both.

Never doubt my love for you. Wesley.’

I found out from my chats with Wesley’s owner what Wesley liked most which was chicken, turkey, & fish, so I bought every variety I could of the former & a dozen cans of the latter. I wrapped them all up in two huge parcels for Charley.

Christmas Day 2017 Card & Cat food.

When it came to that gift from the tree, Charley had to read the card to all, then unwrap the parcels. Now would you believe that it was her very favourite gift from under the tree?

Not only that, but I had ascertained somewhere along the line that Charley ran out of toilet paper, so I also got her a special from the supermarket sporting no less than 32 rolls of the ‘can’t do without commodity’ for $12 & gave that to her too.

She was quite emotional when she said, “Oh Gran these are the two best gifts you have ever given me as Wesley & I use so much toilet paper.” My Mum didn’t teach me any adage for that!

So we all l had a grand time with what Santa left under, over & everywhere near the Christmas tree & with special gifts well chosen. I must say that Charley was on the ball at our markets, as she would suss out anything to do with Kombi Vans: especially blue ones as David’s is blue. He loves his Kombi van!

She found a white dish with a blue van in the bottom at our Twilight Market that we attended. David was delighted with it, as he was with his blue Kombi tee shirt.

David with his Kombi Christmas gifts.

In the matter of gifts I scored pretty well myself, even though I don’t need anything. Charley had ascertained that I had fallen in love with a necklace in the newsagency where I live. She doubled back one day when she found this out, asking the sales girl in a hurry to please keep it for her until she came out to Warners Bay again.

I was truly delighted with it, as it was too expensive for me to warrant me spending such a sum for myself & now I wear it on special occasions.

Riley had also excelled herself, buying me a gorgeous ring surrounded with ‘diamonds’ which she heard me say was not unlike my beautiful emerald & diamond ring that was stolen. I also have the ear rings that match perfectly, although they came from a different jeweller!

I loved them all. The girls certainly know my love for jewellery.

There are also things I don’t need, but can either bring me joy or can be useful. I admire the thought put into these gifts from my family.

Christmas Day 2017 Riley and Madison go at the packages.

I had been asking David through the year if he knew some marinades that I could use for fish as I love fish, but wanted a bit more variety in flavours. I was given the neatest little pack of marinades you ever did see & – as well received – a wonderful pack of boxed exclusive Mustards & Chutneys imaginable.

On a more serious note though, I also received a lovely almanac which has a prayer for each month. This now hangs on my dining room wall where i can read it every day & would like to share with you the prayer for January

‘Oh Lord my God teach my heart this day where & how to find you.
You have made me & remade me & you have given me all the good things I possess & still I do not know you.
I have not yet done that for which I was made.
Teach me to seek you for I cannot seek you unless you teach me or find you unless you show myself to me.
Let me seek you in my desire, let me desire you in my seeking.
Let me find you by loving you, let me love you when I find you.

Amen

On writing this I think I need to phone my illusive friend, Sarah whom I have told you about.

After all this delightful excitement with so many secrets & thoughtful gifts coming to the fore we had a very simple meal with some good wine.

The day had been wrought with unexpected things & guess what? Charley was putting me to bed in one of the spare rooms, which is really a vague recollection. It had been a long & eventful day!

I was fast asleep when neighbours of Charley’s rang to tell her that Wesley had pulled the window screen back & let himself out…somewhere! Poor Charley.

She evidently raced home sobbing all the way & for sure she would send a prayer up to heaven when she found Wesley cowering under the house safe & sound!

What an eventful Christmas Day! I don’t think I will forget it as now I didn’t have a car…again!

May God Bless you always as He does me. Love you, Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

I love Christmas. I love the planning. I love the cards; the excitement; being with family; the carols & just everything about it. I also love why we celebrate Christmas, which is why I never leave Christ out of Christmas even when I am writing about puddings!

This Christmas was to be a little different as we were going to a little township called Medowie, which is about half an hour’s travel further out into the country. This is where David’s stepdaughter, Georgia lives with husband, Mick & six month old baby Elsie. All of Georgia’s relatives were also joining us there for the first Christmas to be held in their lovely home.

David had arranged with me to be at his place around 9 a.m. on Christmas morning when we would leave; call & pick up Charley at her flat; & be at our destination early by 10 a.m.

I was totally organised & left home just after 8.30 a.m. to allow myself plenty of time. There are very few cars on the road at that time along my usual route to David’s place. I travelled to where I was to turn off, & there was only one car in sight travelling towards me.

At that particular time they were the only cars in sight. The other driver had pulled over a long way from me & was on the phone, but as this was illegal she pulled out again with her left hand blinker on all along the road.

However, she didn’t turn & crashed into me with great force!

My head was over the steering wheel & I remember thinking ‘I can’t believe this.’ For me to have an accident on Christmas Day was unthinkable, apart from what the accident entailed. So many things can cross your mind in seconds even though I was in shock.

An unfortunate start to Christmas Day

Someone came to see if I was okay. Of course people living on the corner where it happened came out & I was taken to sit on their verandah.

The ambulance was called & I was checked over thoroughly, after which I was asked if I would like to go to hospital. I was gratefu,l but declined as it was after all Christmas Day!

My main worry was that I would upset everyone’s plans for the day. I would worry about the soreness later.

Then David, Lauren & Riley arrived. I was so glad to see them. Although David was upset he took over & organised what had to be done.

There was something unusual of note that I thought should go in the Guinness Book of Records. Immediately after the accident happened the other lady driving came over, put her arms around me asking if I was okay.

Later I saw her sitting on the verandah in tears, so I went over & put my arms around her asking if she was okay. Later I thought how strange that two women should cuddle each other when they had just had a bad accident!

David managed to drive my car up to his place even though it was a write off. I was in David’s car with the rest of the family when we met him up there, after which we all took off to pick up Charley & continue on.

I was quiet all the way & hardly spoke a word. I was still in shock!

When we arrived at Georgia’s she was out to greet us in a flash as they had phoned to tell her we were on our way & what had happened. She was goodness herself, got me a couple of tablets which I asked for to settle me down & thankfully she had some.

I might add, as we pulled up outside Riley showed her watch & we were only five minutes late, which was great after all that had happened.

I got over it as I didn’t want to spoil Christmas Day for everyone else or for myself. The huge mug of coffee Mick made for me was ‘sooo’ good & just what the doctor ordered.

David said to me later that he had never seen me enjoy a coffee as much as I did that day & he was spot on. I needed it & enjoyed it so much so that it perked me up no end.

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole time we were there. We had gift giving time with Georgia, Mick, little Elsie, David, Lauren & Pat, (Lauren’s Mum) before Pat’s other children arrived namely, son Ian & wife, Veronica, daughter Chris & husband Peter as well as nephew, Tristen.

This was followed by lunch that was delightful as everyone took a plate of prepared food for the feast. There was plenty of food, wine & chatter. There were fifteen of us in all as a niece arrived later with her young son.

Then we enjoyed Secret Santa & a lot of fun was had by us all, with my accident all forgotten in the enjoyment of the special day it was. I had even exchanged my gift of a cricket bat & ball for an attractive coffee mug as you are permitted one exchange in Secret Santa.

Virginia who I have got to know quite well had some nice strong looking gardening gloves & was eyeing my coffee mug in a sinister kind of way, so I told her to ‘buggar off Virginia.’ Proving that I was just fine again as to use a word like that is not protocol, but everyone laughed.

Including Virginia as she took my coffee mug from me! I will never be using gardening gloves agai,n but I have plans for a recipient later!

Georgia & Mick were great hosts & did a mammoth job as, after we left early in the afternoon, they were then hosts to Mick’s family for the remainder of the day.

In addition to gardening gloves I left with a lovely pot plant from Georgia & Mick, which now sits inside one of my front windows where it will thrive in the light.

I was pleased with the gift I had for Georgia & Mick too as they are fortunate enough to have pretty well everything they need even though they are very young, but Georgia seemed to love the LED light white & gold Gardenia Tree & as for Mick.

I knew he loved my Roasted Almond Slices, so I made a double batch for him. I was busy telling him I had made so many because they would keep in the freezer, but as he raced off with them I heard him say “No way they are going into the freezer’. Which goes to prove the old adage that my Mum taught me, “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach!”

God Bless, Much love. Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

Christmas Eve is a very special time of year as we all know, but in our family we have another reason to celebrate. It is Charley’s birthday. Even though it all comes together at one time for her, we have always celebrated her birthday before we go on to Christmas Day.

This year was no different other, than on this birthday it was her 25th: she was a quarter of a century old. Her Dad asked what she would like to do & where she would like to go to celebrate the event. She chose a Korean Restaurant, but prior to us all leaving for that venue we were to meet at David’s place at 5.30 p.m., which would give us all time to present her with her gifts.

I had been planning what to give her for months & she is very easy for me to buy for. When I saw anything that screamed out to me ‘that looks like Charley’, I bought it on the spot.

It’s marvellous what pharmacies stock up on these days & my pharmacy is no exception. One day they had this gorgeous black material & lace wrap on a model that took my eye immediately. I was feeling pretty sure she would like it but was a little’ iffy’ about it as it was quite expensive.

All the staff know me in there, as I have often given their thirty employees a little Christmas pudding each to thank them for their service all year, so I feel I am rather special to those who know me well, which led me to ask a special request. I told the sales girls that I wanted to buy the wrap for my grand daughter, but if she didn’t like it would they refund my money after Christmas as this was early in November.

They smiled & did say “we will do it for you!” So I got the girls to wrap it in a lovely gold box & carry bag (it looked very special having previously held chocolates). I was pleased with my purchase.

The following week Charley & I had lunch together at Micheles Patisserie in our very small shopping mall & I had to go to the pharmacy. As we walked in Charley saw the wrap across the other side of the shop, made her way over to it saying “Look at this Gran, isn’t it beautiful?”

I was a bit in doubt as to whether she would think the lace too old fashioned as it was quite a heavy lace. However, I sauntered over to it & said how nice it was & when Charley was not watching I said to the staff “I won’t be bringing it back!’

When she unwrapped it & was thanking me she said how she had been thinking at the time that she had hoped I would buy it for her. I told her at that point of time I already had!

I also bought at the time all the jewellery accessories to go with it, which amounted to a whole package in itself. Then I kept on buying her very lovely black wraps. She wears mostly black, which makes it easy.

Her favourite wrap.

I ended up with about four of them, but the first one is the favourite by a mile Although one smaller one just for the bust line was a neat little thing that came from Wesley, her cat. She thought that was ‘THE’ special present amongst her birthday loot! She absolutely loves her cat!

Another day I had taken some Christmas puddings into a little boutique we have in our small shopping mall where they know me very well.  I had finished my business there & on the way out saw a magnificent jump suit hanging in the racks, which prompted me immediately to say to Narelle, the shop assistant “You didn’t tell me about this Narelle, my Granddaughter would love it.”

It was slacks attached to the top of the garment with a flowing wrap around it & only  one wide sequined strap over one shoulder.  It looked so elegant & smart . I think I am correct in calling it a jump suit.  They are a problem when you need to go to the toilet, but they can look good!

However, be that as it may, Narelle gave me a good discount on it & I bought it on the spot.  Charley needed no bidding when she opened the package, fell in love with it  at first sight & dashed up the stairs to immediately wear it. She looked very glamorous as she walked down the stairs so I ticked that off as a good choice too.

I had a special birthday card for her of course from Gran to Granddaughter that read:

Happy Birthday Grand Daughter.
Sunshine in overalls Smiles in pigtails,
Grace in sneakers & jeans,
Light in your life,
Love in your heart that’s what Granddaughter means.

From the time you were born you’ve added so much joy to life with your sweet smiles & happy laughter & watching you grow has brought so much pride.
From the day you were born you have been loved more than you can ever guess.

Then I added my own comments at the end of the card:

“And I have been truly Blessed to have had you in my life for 25 years.
You have made such a difference to my life.
God Bless you always because I do & I love you heaps.
Gran X O X O

The last words brought a tear to her eye. We have always had a special bond.

So as we sat up on the kitchen stools at the kitchen bench Charley opened all the cards & all the gifts I had kept one until very last as I had kept all $2 coins over quite a few months putting them in a not too large jar. I stacked them in until not one more little one would go in.

I wrapped the jar up in a small kitchen towel & tied it up in a little box. It was as heavy as lead. I really don’t know how, in the old Western films, the cowboys used to throw bags of gold onto their horse & gallop off with it! The poor horse would never be able to carry the load!

Counting the $2 coins.

I told Charley the package was as heavy as concrete & maybe it was an ornament for the garden, but I doubt I was very convincing.

I wasn’t sure just how many coins were in the jar, but when it was all disclosed & tipped out onto the towel Charley counted four hundred $2 coins. As she had only just moved into a Granny Flat, which will be very hot in summer she thinks she will get herself a good portable cooling fan which would be sensible.

So after the Happy Hour we drove off to our Korean Restaurant which was an excellent choice on Charley’s part as the meal was absolutely delicious. All the plates were clean as a whistle, so it seems the food must have been as Colonel Sanders said.. ‘finger lickin good’!

Love you heaps. Dawn X O X