Letters to Ann

Dear Ann,

I was so glad I got up early on my birthday to unwrap all the gifts & read the beautiful cards. I am very old fashioned & love my cards!

Actually though, my birthday started three days before when I received a fat letter in the post. Real true lovely friendly newsy letters in the post are almost a thing of the past. When I saw who it was from I was more than elated & couldn’t wait to get inside to read it. I will share a little of it with you.

The first thing I read in nice big black print was:

Thursday, 18th Oct ,2017

Hello Miss. Dawn. Surprise…it’s me, Daryll!!

(Daryll always calls me Miss or Missy Dawn). He started off by saying:

“I am sitting at work in the shop on a slow day catching up on boring things like paperwork & making a mental note of things to do when I get home tonight. One of them was to phone U, which has been on my mind for ages to call & have a catch up on all your news. Then, as I was thinking about you, it occurred to me, it’s almost your birthday & that I should remember to send you a ‘Happy Birthday Card’ soon, but wait..why not send you a little letter instead! I thought if I started writing to you today I might just get it completed, posted & delivered into your letterbox by November 2nd. And I will be posting it too because I don’t think I have your email address anymore. So if it is..or close to November 2nd

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU DEAR DAWN.

Then Daryll continued:

Sunday, 22nd Oct. As I write to you today, I remember sitting in your little office behind the dining room at Christine Close & typing out letters to you & Max during your European trips & sending them off to some advanced destination on your itinerary & hoping they would eventually find you some place along your travels. How old fashioned does that seem now’?

That was just the opening lines bringing back some nostalgia & there was a lot more to come. I remember writing to you such a long time ago telling you about Daryll & the important role he played in my life as Philip’s partner after Philip came & told us he was gay.

That loving relationship has been there for over a quarter of a century & we do have a very special bond. His loving letter went on for four newsy pages, some parts very nostalgic & in other parts I learnt more about Daryll’s family.

I truly can’t express in words how much his letter meant to me. So you can imagine what a lovely start I had to my 88th birthday!

After my early morning start on the day itself, I went off to my hairdresser for my weekly hairdo, leaving home at 9.30 a.m. When I walked into the salon there was a customer in the chair & Felicity, my hair dresser, was doing her hair.

As I walked in the door I heard a duet wishing me a happy birthday loud & clear. I knew in an instant it was my friend Pat in the chair who would have known I would walk in the door at my appointed time, but it was very nice to be greeted like that. We all laughed & enjoyed the moment.

From there I had an appointment with my GP at the new medical centre, which is the recent amalgamation of three medical centres & a bit like Pitt St., Sydney which we use as a ‘saying.’

My GP, Dr. Syd Bourke, is more than a general practitioner, he treats me like a friend. I think he has a lot of respect for me because I didn’t succumb to cancer & am now out doing markets with my granddaughter, feeling great. There are a few other things too that I know he respects me for & I am fortunate to have him look after me so well.

So, when I went in he asked how I was & I told him that I was really good. Then I told him I would let him into a secret which was that when I woke up at DAWN that morning I realised I had been on this planet for 88 years. He grinned & shook my hand.

We then got over the little bit of a bother for which I was there to see him & then I told him I had recruited my eldest granddaughter, Charley into the marketing business with me.

I explained that she had learnt to make the Christmas Puddings & also the Relish & was taking samples of both to restaurants & stores in affluent areas & returning to collect the orders. I also said she was as ‘keen as mustard’ – another old saying we have.

You would not believe the reaction I had. He left doing what he was doing on his computer & gave me his whole attention. He was stoked to hear this news. I have to say he was ecstatic as it is the only word in the English language that I know to describe his reaction.

He then spent minutes of his busy time to say “Dawn you know what you have done? You have created what is like a little corner shop with your home made products & you & Charley are taking them out to the whole community. Charley has the world at her feet, she can do wonders, she will build up a great clientele as time goes on & will be another generation of the Pudding Lady. ‘Congratulations’, he said, ‘I am just so thrilled about this’.

Well I didn’t think that was too bad a response from my general practitioner. I walked out of that surgery feeling like a million dollars. Could hardly wait to tell David & Charley. You know the more I thought about it the more I think he was right in visualising the future of Christmas Puds & Curried Zucchini Relish!

I started to see it through his eyes & I have to remain well & healthy to assist Charley as much as I can at markets etc. in the next few years so that when I leave planet earth she will know everything to know that I can teach her.  She also has approaches of her own which attracts the attention of customers at our stall.

Just to give you an example of this: I quite often mention to people that the Christmas Pudding they are tasting is the same as the one sent to HM Queen Elizabeth by request on two occasions. Most people are very impressed & Charley pipes up off her own bat & says “And Gran is probably the only person in Australia who gets communication from the Queen as she has already had two letters from Buckingham Palace.” Life is good.

Dear heart I haven’t really got far with the story of my 88th birthday yet, but you are the one I want to share such a happy birthday with so Chapter 3 will be on its way soon.

I love you so much. Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

On this day , the 2nd November 2017, I woke up with my eyes wide shut. I knew somehow it was a special day & as I wakened more to the reality of life I realised that of course it was a special day: it was my birthday.

As the first lights of day dawned I realised I had been on this planet for 88 years. I laid in bed just thinking.

Firstly I though how nice that my Mum called me Dawn because I was born at that time & therefore I am the start of every new day! People can never forget me! I love my name & I love my Mum for giving birth to me & in so doing giving me the very special gift of life. Only my very much loved Mother could give me that most important gift of all.

Then as I continued to lie there, I pondered on my life & how I felt about it. It was not all good & it wasn’t all bad. It was full of the highs & the lows; the sadness & the happy things as life has to be.

If it was all one way we would not learn to appreciate the goodness of life. If it was all good we would not learn how to cope with the sad times.

Dawn 18

I was a very shy & timid little girl who felt extremely unconfident, but when I went out into the big world my life changed. It started when I went to work as a private secretary in an Insurance firm.

I was so timid & extremely nervous, but I had a wonderful boss, Mr. Wood, who was very understanding & kind. He directed me in my work. When I took down the letters he dictated to me in shorthand he would say that if I wasn’t sure of a word to just ask him.

I feel sure that with his guidance, kindness & the confidence he placed in me gave me the confidence I needed. I have always felt very grateful to Mr. Wood.

I worked there for a decade & enjoyed my work. Then I went on to marriage & motherhood.

I certainly had no training for that, not like it is today. We were very naive Mothers & could have done with some training. Looking back I guess I am not the only Mum that says “I could have done so much better,” but it’s too late as it was all learnt from experience.

I loved being a Mum & I loved my two boys to the depths of my soul as only a Mother can. For all the mistakes I made I hope I will be forgiven.

Max, Philip, David and Dawn at David’s Christening 3/16/1958

As I continued to lay in bed with my thoughts of course went to Tupperware. What that did for my confidence & morale was unbelievable when I look back.

My confidence grew. I learnt to love myself. I realised by using the gift of determination I had been given I could conquer the world & I did. I can’t thank that company enough for what it did for me & what it did for my family.

When I made the decision to leave Tasmania for a new life in Newcastle, a whole new world opened up for Max & I & also for Philip & David. We had very little money, but I had plenty of confidence & determination.

I worked hard, really hard. I did things I never thought I could ever do. I climbed mountains & overcame what seemed impossible & built a business almost from scratch that the Tupperware World was proud of, and so was I.

I loved Tupperware for giving me the opportunity & I didn’t want to let them down.

Dawn and Max receive yet another award from Tupperware.

Both my sons became Tupperware Dealers as teenagers. It is very gratifying for me to hear Philip, at times, telling our Burbank friends that it was the easiest job he ever had as a young man. And to hear David say very recently how he bought his first car – a brand new Mazda – with his earnings from Tupperware.

So as I laid in bed thinking about my life & what 88 years had done for me I felt happy & proud of myself & my achievements. Of course it wasn’t all plain sailing.

Along the way I had a couple of breakdowns, but with medical help I got over it the same as I did with cancer over two years ago. Life has taught me to be strong & to maintain a positive attitude. In other words, I don’t want the mountains fall on top of me.

While still in Tupperware, the Christmas pudding business entered my life. Wow, what a story that turned out to be! Building another business from scratch; supplying something like 40 – 50 tonnes of puddings around the nation on an annual basis; & putting Newcastle on the map as the Christmas Pudding capital of Australia as advertised by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The  Adamstown Pudding Kitchen has raised over a million dollars for charity since I gave them the business more than three decades ago. And today, at 88 years I am up & about with my granddaughter, Charley at weekends going to markets with our Relish & Christmas Puddings: sharing not only a great relationship together, but also with the public. We are so much enjoying what we are doing. Goodness known where that will end up.

Dawn with one of the larger puddings, and the variety of decorations used by Newcastle’s Pudding Lady.

Of course all this stuff went through my head like a bullet train, so much to ponder on. I thought of what my little sister, Jill, said to me not so many years ago: “You have had a very interesting life Dawn.” I think she put it in a nutshell.

But of course having said all this I had a hair appointment early a.m. My whole idea in waking up early was to open parcels that had been sitting on my table for three days. I love parcels & surprises, but I never open them until the day itself DAWNS!

Firstly, a birthday card from my little brother, Leon. You haven’t heard much about Leon. He is very quiet, very caring & very loving. He is now over 60 & very lovable. When I am around Leon I always feel like hugging him like all get out. His card read:

“There is no better time than your birthday to tell you how special you are & how often you are thought of.
There is no better time than your birthday to wish you life’s very best not just for today but for always.
To Dawn sending you Happy Birthday wishes & lots of love from Leon.”

I then opened up my sister, Cheryl’s card. It was so very pretty, quite different & the words were so nice too:

“For someone very special.
As long as there are people like you who care, the world is still a place of possibility & hope.
As long as there are people like you life will be happier because people like you are caring & giving, who reach out to others in warmth, honesty & understanding & makes people feel so lucky to know you.
To Dear Dawn, wishing you a birthday as wonderful as you are. My thoughts are often with you.
Wishing you every happiness. Love & hugs, Cheryl xoxo.
PS Just a small something to say I love you.”

And as I held that small something (a gorgeous notepad & pen) in my hand I thought ‘And I love you too my dearest Cheryl’.

I probably haven’t told you Ann that Leon & Cheryl are my half brother & sister, but that doesn’t matter as we both had the same Mother. Len, their Father was the nicest & gentlest of gentlemen. He was so very special to every one of my sisters & other brother. We loved him dearly & mourned when he passed from us.

So now it was third littlest sister’s gift to open from Trixie. She had said on the phone that she had sent a lot of little things. I have to say though that those ‘things’ had been chosen carefully & thoughtfully.

There was a portable wine cooler which you can freeze & then carry the wine to another venue. There was a little sign to say ‘Wine is not a beverage, it’s a Lifestyle. There was a magnifying glass on a stand as Trixie is aware how serious my eye condition is. That will certainly get a lot of use from me in the future.

Talk about nostalgia! She had evidently kept a screen printed bag that we had made & used to hold a pudding for special stores when we had the Pudding Lady business. And of course the card told volumes:

“Birthday Wishes to a Wonderful Sister.
A sister is someone who is very special to you, someone who is dearly thought of each day & the whole year through.
A sister is someone who makes you smile day & after day, time after time.
A sister is someone who truly cares & is never too busy to have a listening ear.
Whatever life brings, a sister will always be there to give a helping hand or simply to be near.
With lots of devotion a sister shows compassion to help you along life’s way.
Through ups & downs through highs & lows a sister’s tender care always shows.
A sister is thoughtful & true, a sister is invaluable.
It’s good to have a friend like you. You’re a sister who is simply wonderful.

Dear Dawn, Wishing you a very special day.

Hugs & kisses with love from Trixie & Bob.

Trixie & I have certainly had a beautiful relationship. For a time she did my housework for me when I got so busy in Tupperware. I shall never forget the day I broke the news to her that Max & I were leaving Tasmania to live in Newcastle. She was down on her hands & knees cleaning my back hallway, she looked up in tears saying “I knew this was going to happen.”

I tell you Ann, that was the hardest decision I ever had to make: to leave my wonderful family in Tasmania.

I was so glad I got up early to open all these surprise packages from my loving sisters & now it was Kim’s turn. Inside the parcel was a most beautiful shopping bag that Kim had made herself from material & added some gorgeous flowers to the outside. It’s really too nice to use, but use I I will as it is too lovely not to use.

Along with that was the neatest little neck scarf with a matching brooche made from the same material. Just the thing to use when wearing a low necked top. I was thrilled with both.

But oh golly, I was a bit emotional after all this love from my sisters & when I read Kim’s card I was crying out right as we have become very close in recent years. She said:

I love the way we have grown closer & closer over the years. Being sisters has been wonderful, but I am so grateful for the way our relationship has deepened & grown into a very special friendship – one that means more to me than I could ever tell you.

I love the way we’re always there for each other , the way we can share everything from memories to dreams, from laughter to tears. I love the way even when we are not together we’re with one another in ways that are unique only to sisters, only to us.

Thank you for simply being you – for being a wonderful sister & friend. To my Dear Sister, What more could I say.

Love you heaps & more, Kim XX

And I received Kim’s message of love loud & clear.

What a trip down memory lane to start my special day, but there was more that really tugged at my heart strings. In the very first letter I wrote to you, I told you about Kim & her family & how we lost Lisa, her eldest child, tragically. It was the saddest thing that ever happened to our family.

Years later, Karen, Kim’s third daughter gave birth to a little girl whom she named after her big sister. At the family reunion before this last one, we were having a picnic in the huge park in Burnie as we normally do & little Lisa climbed up on my lap & cuddled into me without saying a word. She was, by nature, a very shy child & very quiet.

She stayed on my lap almost the whole afternoon & of course I felt nostalgic as her Auntie Lisa & I were very close. I treasured this gesture from Lisa’s niece & a photo was taken.

Kim had included this in a birthday card little Lisa had written to me with a drawing she had done of a garden with her & I holding hands in it. She had captions: “ME,” “YOU.” She wrote:

Dear Aunty Dawn, I wish you a Happy Birthday.
I love you soooooo much & I really love the bells that you sent me.
I hope you enjoy your birthday.
I loved seeing you & I hope that I can come & see you once again.
PS I love your garden.
Love you heaps. Lisa’.

She included a whole line of kisses & cuddles.

This beautiful sentimental start that morning was the beginning of a very special birthday which will take a long time for me to write to you about.

I don’t know why it was so special, but it went on for a whole fortnight. All the love showered on me from all my family & friends was overwhelming & was truly a birthday which will stay with me for the rest of my life.

I love you heaps. Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

Two months ago it was announced at Prime Timers that there was to be an outing by bus to Chichester Dam, which supplies Newcastle with some of our water. At various intervals outings are arranged, but I have never felt inclined to take part in them.

However, when told of this one for some reason I made a snap decision to take advantage of the offer. One of our members, Terry, a lovely lass, was in charge of the bookings that could be paid in two installments, but I was flush with money in my wallet, so I went up to Terry & paid outright on the spot. Whereupon Terry announced to all & sundry that Dawn was the first one to pay in full & therefore I get the front seat!

So on the 31st October we were all assembled at our venue when Joan marched us down to the corner where the bus was to pick us up. The driver, Paul, pulled up right on time & we were underway by 8.30 a.m.

I must admit that the night before I really didn’t feel like going, but by the time I was on the bus I felt very relaxed & looking forward to what the day might bring.

It was a cloudy morning, not very warm & I actually did have the front seat. Maybe after Terry’s fun announcement that’s why everyone passed it by! Sandra came to sit beside me & away we went.

We travelled through the closer country towns that I had frequented quite often, but we were soon out in the more rural towns, passing by Tocal Agricultural College where David spent a couple of years until he decided it was not for him. Although he did manage to mow down the Headmasters Mulberry Bush before he left, which did not endear him in anyway to the Headmaster!

Dawn at Chichester Dam

We drove on to a lovely little old township called Paterson where Paul pulled into a park where we all alighted. Paul then set about making us tea & coffee from the urn stored in the baggage department under the bus. Within ten minute he had everything ready for us: a hot drink & home made cup cakes. We thoroughly enjoyed our morning tea.

Back onto the bus & I thoroughly enjoyed all the small towns we passed through as I had never been that way before. It really was interesting seeing all the old buildings built many moons ago & still in use. A lot of them heritage listed.

Paul gave us a commentary along the way, until we reached a cute little old fashioned town called Dungog, which is extremely popular as it is a great tourist spot. It was here where Paul let us off the bus  – the whole 47 of us – & gave permission to shop till we dropped!

We had one hour. Our first point of call was an op shop that sells used goods passed on to them when their owners have finished with the goods or had left the planet. I have never been in an op shop before even though they are very popular. I have seen some of the things that Charley has bought there & been quite impressed.

I didn’t let the grass grow under my feet as I soon found two delightful little Santa Claus dresses to fit little Elsie who is my great granddaughter by marriage & now six months old.

Then I saw in the decorated window a delightful Santa skirt in red fluffy tulle with a black buckled belt like Santa wears so I purchased that also for Elsie.

Then I wandered to where the jewellery was on display & was thrilled to get a lovely black filagree necklace which I could see sitting on Charleys beautiful bosom, plus a bulky purple & black one which also will suit Charley.

To top it off I found a lovely very fine wine glass for myself. The six items cost $8! What bargains!

It was a different story just two doors down the street where Cheryl saw hats & was inside in a flash. I thought it looked interesting so followed her in & my eyes set on such a pretty ‘diamond’ necklace & I loved the shape.

It only took two minutes & the proprietor had it on my neck complete with ear rings. I didn’t take it off, the credit card came out of hiding & I wore it all for the rest of the day. I thought I was worth it & word soon got around my pals that I had bought the crown jewels!

Yvonne, Ila, Dawn, Nola at Chichester Dam

Then it was time for the bus again with out next stop Chichester Dam. I remember Max took the boys camping there for a weekend when they were quite young, but I had never seen it. It is a huge dam with a depth of 121 feet, with the wall being 834 feet long including the spillway of 285 feet.

It has an area of 455 acres & holds 5,000 million gallons. It has to be a very hot summer before we are on water restrictions & when the central coast gets short of water it is pumped through 53 miles of huge piping to help them out. It was very impressive.

Paul had let us alight at the top of the dam where we took photos & then walked down to the park below. Paul had everything organised: buttered bread rolls, coleslaw, sausages on the barbie with the aroma of juicy fried onions. He did it all by himself & it was very much enjoyed by all his passengers.

All the while, as we ate our delightful picnic lunch we were carefully watched by a kookaburra who had two favourite spots from where he kept his eyes on us, flitting from one spot to the other waiting to pounce on any little titbits we might happen to drop.

The picnic at Chichester Dam

We arrived back home around 4.30 p.m. All the way home in the bus I couldn’t help thinking of Mother Nature as the serenity of the bush that surrounded us at the dam was absolutely unbelievable, we all felt it.

And I loved the front seat – anymore tours like this. I will be first again to book again & I don’t really mind if I don’t get awarded the front seat!!

God Bless & Much Love. Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

I am so much into this market thing that you wouldn’t believe. I have gone along with my Curried Zucchini every month to the two markets I have become knows as a ‘permanent’. That is Warners Bay & Fennels Bay. One is on my doorstep & the other only a fifteen minute drive away.

All through this year I have attended both these monthly markets unless they have been waterlogged or had to be cancelled for some other serious weather condition. I only started with the relish to fill in the year until the Christmas Pudding season came around again. I was truly amazed at how popular this product has been.

The sales have been so good with many people remarking that they could eat it straight from the jar. Then it came down to those who had purchased it are now coming back for repeats & looking for me at the markets.

This posed a bit of a problem, but a nice one. How was I going to handle both products as I could see it would be necessary to take relish along as well as Christmas Puddings, so that I wouldn’t let my customers down.

My granddaughter Charley, was uppermost in my mind to help me out ,as she had indicated earlier in the year that she would be interested in markets where the Christmas Puddings were sold.

It was jointly decided that profit from this venture would wholly & solely be used for us both to return to America together when Philip & Greg have their home ready for visitors. During the year Charley also learnt to make the famous Christmas Puddings.

So September came around & it was time to make some decisions. Charley was, at that time, unemployed. As a suggestion she came along to Warners Bay Market to listen to my sales approach with the relish knowing she will develop her own spiel when she was on her own.

The idea was for us both to have different sites at the markets as we would both be giving out tasting samples of both products, but we didn’t want to be too far apart.

With this in mind we went the following week to Fennels Bay where I now have a permanent site. Charley was near to me as I was doing my thing with Christmas Puddings. For September we both did well & by now the bug had bitten both of us as thoughts kept mulling over in my head.

Charley and Dawn at Fennel’s Bay Market, September 2017

When we had the pudding business I used to go to a market held at Maitland about a half hour’s drive further up country & these markets were always excellent. I wanted Charley & I to get into that market.

During the week after Fennels Bay I was in touch with the coordinator, Kathryn. It turned out she was the daughter of the lady who did the job thirty years ago & had inherited the position.

Like her Mother, Kathryn could not do enough to help me. Before the next Sunday dawned it was all organised for us both to have a site under cover. The markets are held at the Maitland showground so we found ourselves under the grandstand pavilion, which was excellent.

We both had a very good day with the public wanting to know when we would be back again. In the three months prior to Christmas the markets are held fortnightly.

We had to miss the next fortnight as we were already booked, but were able to return fortnightly in November & December. Since then I have made a permanent booking at Maitland for every market they hold with the intention that Charley & I will go together.

In the interim our Warners Bay market for October was to be a two day event & quite a big one. It was to be held on the foreshore where the annual boat racing championships are held.

As it was to be a two day event it was a more expensive outlay, which is fair so I only booked one site. Then the angst started, decision making time: should I just take Christmas Puddings or should I take relish as well.

Charley holds the fort at Fennel’s Bay.

Being an astute sales girl I decided not to miss as opportunity. Charley & I would sell both doing it together. I made eight batches of relish which yielded 73 jars of the ‘to die for’ relish!

My printer had broken down so Riley did the stickers & Charley stuck them on. We used jars that were much the same size and priced them all at $10 per jar to keep it simple.

It was a huge success. We only brought home nineteen jars! Miss Charley was very much delighted as I had told her that all the sales were hers up until Christmas, after expenses.

I was not disappointed with the Christmas Puddings either, but what was really good is the way we worked together. The outcome of this was that we decided to keep it going that way as it is working so well.

We have now booked permanent sites at markets for all year round. This will mean relish only for nine months & we will share the costs & the profits.

Apart from all the serious stuff though we are really having a ball enjoying ourselves immensely. At the foreshore our site was facing the lake & we were very close to the outskirts of it.

The boat racing was amplified of course & people lined the shore about six feet deep all along the Lake. It’s a huge lake reputed to measure 365 miles in & out of every cove, a mile for every day of the year.

We could hear the boats revving up for the start of each race across the other side of the lake & as they neared our side, even though they were a long way out, the thundering noise of jet boats was so exciting.

I absolutely loved it & it was wonderful watching the amount of spray that went up as the boats jetted past. It was beautiful. All selling practically stopped while the races were on, but Charley & I had a captured audience when the races finished!

Puddings in waiting!

One thing leads to another & now we are into this marketing we are both getting involved more & more. Tomorrow we are going to a Halloween event at Cardiff, which is a few minutes away on the other side of me where David lives, with more events like this still to come.

From now until Christmas we are booked into ten definite markets but I have been told there are a few more yet that I have not yet been told about.

This is good as, apart from what’s stacked around the spare double bed in cartons, there are currently still 200 puddings sitting on the bed that Philip & Greg will need if they visit for Christmas.

Leading up to spring I made 550 puddings (some are for gifts). I am glad that I did them in the cooler weather as, if spring is any indication, it looks as if we are in for a very hot & dry summer. However, if I need to make more I will rise to the occasion – on the label it states “Puddings made with love” & they are.

And there is always love for you my dear friend. Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

It was over a decade ago when I was having lunch with my good friends, Pat & Judy &, I think it was Pat, who said she had noticed an advertisement in our local paper for line dancing tuition at Belmont Neighbourhood Centre. That wasn’t too far away from where we lived, so we decided to ring up & enrol.

I had had a yen to do line dancing for quite some time, but had never really given it much thought. We were told the classes commenced at 12.30 p.m. every Friday.

By the following Friday, the day it was held, we had made our plans & found a little cafe along the way where we could have lunch before continuing on.

After a couple of wrong turns we arrived at the hall & learnt that our dancing teacher was Jean who had two helpers: a friend by name of Joyce & Jean’s daughter Robyn. The class took two hours with three five minute intervals to have a spell.

Line dancing had always looked easy to me & so I was in for a bit of a shock as it is not as easy as it looks. As Jean told us, it requires a lot of concentration. You are not supposed to watch those near you, as you needed to remember the steps yourself, which all had a name.

We were also to learn that you needed a lot of stamina as some were very lively, far from the slow waltzes & we soon learnt to embrace the five minute intervals.

The very first dance we were taught was ‘The Bartender Stomp’. Jean took us very slowly through the dance steps until we had learnt them, then we had to dance it to faster music. I may have forgotten dances we learnt along the way, but that one I learnt off by heart & could do blind folded. I could even let my mind wander!

We learnt many new dances along the way: waltzes, chachas, etc. & a lot of really lively ones too. The three of us picked it up quite well.

In the early days Pat & I used to meet & go walking a lot, so along the way on a quiet road we would do a little practice of the last dance we learnt. I guess we were often seen doing our fancy little steps together.

So the three of us went for three or four years until Pat & Judy decided to give it up for various reasons. I didn’t. I loved the activity & the exercise, the companionship with the class & everything attached to it.

On the second Friday of the month we had what we called our ‘social’. This was when we wrote down our favourite dances the week before, to dance on that day. On these days we were not shown anything at all. It was expected that we would know them.

Over the years we learnt over one hundred different dances. Some people can do them all. I am not that clever, as often I have to wait for the music to start before my little feet could take off.

Line dancing class in full swing (Dec 2016)

Sometimes I had to get started to give of my best, but there were some I did learnt off by heart. I loved the lively ones like The River of Babylon, Don’t Stop, one of Michael Jackson’s, Crazy Foot Mambo (very lively & I loved it) but my very favourite was the Rock & Roll Waltz.

I would put a few down for social day & never failed to have that waltz down. I could just float away doing that dance & live in my own little world.

Then in August this year the shock came. Jean advised us that she & Robyn were going on a trip to South Africa for five weeks & after she came home she would make a decision as to whether she would keep on teaching. So we didn’t have any dancing for five weeks as Joyce had also retired.

We all felt down in the dumps as some had been dancing with Jean for twenty years. It was a bit like a death knell as we tend to take things for granted, but change is inevitable.

When the holiday hens returned it was announced that they would retire.

So at our last social I had to halt the tears as I kept thinking it might be the last time I ever do the Rock & Roll Waltz!

There was nothing for it, but to accept this change in our life, which shows how much we take for granted. On our second last day we put down all our dances we liked.

On the last day – 29th September – Jean & Robyn had all their favourite dances. After we had danced out little hearts out we then had a party where everyone brought along all the vital necessities to farewell our wonderful teachers.

Despite the feeling of sadness, it was a joyous occasion as we gave Jean & Robyn our gifts of thanks where we all had to hold back our tears, particularly Jean.

The staff at the hall also joined us giving Jean a very well thought up gift. It was a framed Diploma with little drawings of boots & cowboy hats with some very well orgnised written words.

As well as this they had managed to get two huge round chocolates wrapped in gold foil which they had attached to long ribbons to represent their ‘Olympic’ Gold Medals!

Jean and Robyn with their gold medals.

The whole party ended in lots of fun with Terry, our only male pupil, making it fun. He was always saying funny things at our classes like one day when he asked me what was the next dance that Jean announced so I told him ‘Falling for You’. As quick as a flash he replied “I think you are a bit young.” Terry is thirty or more years younger than I am!

I was truly enjoying a delicious sponge cake as light as a feather that someone had brought along to the party & went to get my third piece (I was only eating that), so Terry made an announcement holding three fingers up while he told everyone!!

We were all sad & happy at the same time. I think Jean is now going to another class where she can just dance & not be the teacher, which is good as she loves it too & has been doing it all her life.

I also have been given the name of three different classes, but have decided I have enough on my plate with markets, puddings & relish until the end of the year & will make a decision in the New Year.

Line dancing class, last day.

I really would like to attend a class that dance the dances I already know. I know over a hundred, which is a small drop in the ocean as there are over ten thousand line dances!

Jean made it nice for us all though, as before we left she gave us a printed note to say ‘Let’s catch up for old times sake & meet on the first Friday of every second month for lunch at one of our nearby Clubs.” This we will all look forward to.

I really am missing my line dancing. I am thinking that, as I enjoy the dancing so much, it makes sense to take it up again & I don’t fancy going to a gym!

Love always my dear friend. Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

In my life there are a lot of birthdays happening in the last half of the year. I guess the most important of all up to date this year is David’s 60th.

It is surprising how many birthdays in our family are celebrating a big one ending in ‘0’, which is always a reason for celebration. Trixie’s husband Bob, celebrated his 80th the same time as David was celebrating his 60th.

Then in December David’s cousin, Kassandra, celebrates her 60th also being just three months younger than David. They grew up together for the first few years until we came from Tasmania to live in New South Wales.

Also our little brother, Peter, who survived more than one war when in the army will also celebrate his 70th birthday in December.

And from where I sit & the experiences I have had, I don’t think males really like these advanced birthdays.  While Philip ignores his age completely, David was not looking forward to his recent 60th & I recall Peter wasn’t looking forward ten years ago to his 60th either.

The idea was, the less fuss the better while us females like to make a little fuss! (Editor’s note: perhaps it’s the fuss that makes us men not like birthdays.) David was quite down in the dumps when his birthday was approaching, but when the time arrived he had warmed to the occasion & it was quite a joyous one.

Like the other males in the family he didn’t want a party so it was decided to celebrate it at our usual fortnightly family dinner. It was really nice with just Lauren, David, Charley, Riley myself.

David usually cooks the dinner on family nights,but Lauren let him off the hook offering to do it for him instead. She made the cake complete with candles & David lapped it all up as he should. The cake was beautiful & David took care in cutting the right sized portions for everybody after successfully blowing all the candles out in one puff so that his wish will come true!

David’s birthday cake

With his birthday being a few days after Father’s Day it certainly is a problem to know what to get a man who has everything, or if he doesn’t have everything & sees something he likes can afford to buy it for himself before anyone else gets the chance. Our brains get a bit rattly trying to think of something different.

I took my problem to Dan Murphy’s famous liquor store as I think you can get every kind of wine from any country in that place. I love going there. I have a bit of a passion for that type of store,with so much to choose from.

I elected to get one of Dan’s employees to give me some advice & ended up getting a carton of crisp white wine, showing that it had earned a few gold labels. It originates from New Zealand & I was informed it was very similar to David’s favourite wine that he scarcely ever deviates from. So I bought a full carton!

Dawn and David with the wrapped case of wine.

While in the store I saw some very attractive little gadgets which you put onto glasses when having a party, so that everyone knows there own wine glass. They are to be seen everywhere, but I took a liking to the ones I purchased. I thought them to be a good idea with David’s mid year Christmas Party in mind, which he holds for the street annually.

I had really wanted to get him something cute for his Kombi, which he is very proud of & very wrapped up in, but hadn’t had much luck until one day when I walked into my own pharmacy I saw a book which was titled How to drink WINE out of fish heads while cooking LOBSTER in a VOLKSWAGEN HUB CAP. I couldn’t have found anything better & felt very pleased with myself.

When it came time for the gift giving after dinner I told him to unwrap from the largest gift to the smallest gift, as I knew the cook book would take the cake. But first he had to read his birthday card which took me ages to select & this is what it said:

My son you are a gift & a blessing. Your birth was a joy & a blessing!

Having you in my life has provided me with my greatest opportunity for growth & for that I am grateful.

I have come to understand & accept that love has brought us together for a reason.

I have learned so much about myself from loving you & learning to accept you as you are.

Watching you grow & develop has provided me with some of my greatest joys

Watching you learn from your journey has taught me how to let go.

Your talents & potential are extraordinary & I give thanks for the gift of being your Mother.

Thank you for all that is uniquely you.

I love you Happy 60th birthday. Mum

I think he loved his card, but sure enough when he opened up his parcel with his cook book in front of him he really did have a chuckle.

David unwraps his cookbook.

One of the reasons of why it appealed to me so much was that some months ago, when David was arranging for his Kombi to have a face lift, he was at a place chatting to somebody about Kombis who had two sons close to the same ages of about 10 & 12 years old. These two boys had built a business of making clocks out of old Komi hub caps.

Now who would have thought of that so David bought one, which hangs in his kitchen & looks very smart. So that’s why I thought he would enjoy his cook book even though I doubt if he will ever use it!

But anyway, who cares, it’s just a little something to show the fellow Kombi owners when they have their next bus stop which I think is going to be in Queensland.

So now my two little boys are over the hill advancing towards another decade & another big birthday ending in 0. You cannot stop old Father Time as he still marches on regardless.

A decade seems to go so fast & life goes on. What is gratifying to me though is that even though Philip & David are as different as chalk is from cheese they are now very much enjoying each other by keeping in touch regularly & enjoying seeing each other again as time permits.

I think the important thing with birthdays is to embrace them & for myself, I am old enough to be grateful that I am still here to celebrate birthdays & enjoy them. But then I am at the age where I embrace each day I am on planet earth!!

Love you dear heart. Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

Birthdays come around every year. All I can say is that I am very glad to be here to celebrate the happy occasions. However, it was a bit of a shock when I realised that Jean’s birthday was upon us in August & I hadn’t seen her at all throughout this year.

Jean has not enjoyed the best of health in recent years & never knows how she is going to be each morning, so in her positive way she just takes each day as it comes dealing with it as best she can. Therefore it is not wise for friends to arrive on her doorstep as a surprise & Ursula & I needed to plan Jean’s birthday with the lass herself.

Jean moved out into the country a couple of years ago to get as much of the good clean country air as possible & it takes a little time to get there. Also it takes a little bit of good navigating!. So when we conferred with Jean, it was decided that her friends would arrive on the happy day complete with the lunch to save her the trouble.

This wasn’t as easy as it sounded as, even though we made the trip without fault last year it was the opposite this year in making wrong turns. I was the driver & completely out of my comfort zone. Between Ursula & I, we took no less than four wrong turns.

The first of these was the funniest. As I pulled up in a quiet country street where a lady was putting out some unwanted goods for what we call Council Pickup. This occurs twice a year when we are permitted to put out anything on hand that we no longer deem necessary & is too large for the ordinary weekly collection. This is all left on the side of the road & could possibly be there for a couple of weeks prior to the Council getting to that particular area.

So when I stopped the car & alighted, I started to cross the road to where the lady was. She immediately thought I was coming to check over what she was putting out to be taken. Lots of of people drive by to see if there is anything worth having , mostly people looking for something worthwhile to either sell or reuse themselves – it is a common practice.

I was half way across the road when she told me there was absolutely nothing that could be reused, it was all moth eaten etc! I assured her I wasn’t looking for anything as all I needed was directions to get to the Retirement Village looking out onto the golf course. She apologised profusely (I told her not to worry) & she was a real doll & gave me some helpful directions.

We had a few more stops & starts until we arrived at our destination. It had got quite late for lunch & Jean was out the front of her delightful little house to greet us so we, & the lunch, got taken inside pronto.

It didn’t take many minuted to display the heap of sandwiches that Ursula brought, plus the slices of Christmas pudding that I brought. Jean had the kettle boiling for our hot beverage. A friend of Jean’s from three doors up the road arrived to keep us company.

It became quite a joyous occasion as we placed our birthday bags in front of our hostess to open. It’s always difficult to know what to give to senior citizens, so this year I gave Jean a nice set of cosmetic stuff that she can use like special perfumed soap, body creams etc. which she seemed to like. But I think more so when she opened up a pack of 3 little jars I put together of my Curried Zucchini Relish. I do find that older people enjoy getting some home made produce that I usually pop into the gift bag.

The trip home was uneventful, which I was thankful for because at that time winter was not over & I am not keen on driving after dark. We needed to leave early as night time was closing in around 5 p.m. It had been a very enjoyable day, seeing as we hadn’t seen Jean all year.

Ursula, Jean and Dawn on Ursula’s Birthday.

Then a month went by & it was 7th September & Ursula’s birthday, although she calls all her birthdays her 24th! I made sure there was a pack of relish for Ursula too as she let it be known that she rather liked Jean’s pack.

She & I had arranged to meet at Micheles Patisserie for the occasion. On the day I found I was out of birthday bags. Ursula likes unusual things, so I had a brain wave. Some years before Richard had given me a vibrant shopping bag with many scenes printed on it from Burbank. I think it was made available for their centenary celebration. I decided to use that for a birthday bag hoping that Richard would not mind. Ursula loved it.

Anyway to get back to the beginning of the celebration! I was waiting for Ursula to arrive & who should come walking in but Jean. We were not expecting her as she hadn’t been too well, so this was quite a surprise & nice for Ursula to have her long time friend in attendance unexpectedly.

So we had our lunch & got busy with the birthday giving, once everything was cleared away. Believe me when I say that no one I know takes more time to undo birthday gifts than Ursula. She has been known to take hours. I think it is something inherited from her native country, Germany.

She seems to prefer taking them home to unwrap, which may be the German custom, but we Australians like seeing the reaction when our gifts are opened.

Next to the pack of relish her favourite gift was a soft scarf I had purchased to match the evening bag I had for her. The bag went by the board as she fell in love with the scarf & wrapped it around her neck where it stayed until we were about to leave.

As for the Burbank Birthday Bag, she said that was going to be hung on the wall in her home where she can see it every day. Richard should not be disappointed at me regifting it.

We had almost finished unpacking the gifts when I had another tremendous surprise. I think I had hold you before about my friend, Sarah, turning up at a party when only four days prior I had prayed I would see her soon & couldn’t contact her as I had no details about her.

You could have knocked me over with a feather when I looked up & saw her smiling beside our table. It was a shock as I never expected to see her so soon after my prayer. I jumped up & gave her such a hug before introducing her to my friends.

It made the day all the more special especially as she was soon into deep conversation with Ursula & from the story Sarah told us how she came to be directed to Micheles, I think she was directed there for more than one reason. Apparently Ursula was looking for some advice about a problem she had & to be able to talk it over with Sarah was of great comfort I gathered.

It was a fitting end to a very lovely day which we all enjoyed.

My Fondest Love Always. Dawn X O X O

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

Dear Ann,

Approximately three years ago I was enjoying my coffee at Michele’s when a very unassuming lady came & sat next to me. We exchanged greetings & then somehow went on talking to each other.

She explained that she had been to a meeting where they do craft work in a suburb a little further over from me. She then decided she would catch a bus to Warners Bay, as the route to her home was better if she came to that destination rather than from where she had been.

I might have that mixed up a bit, but in any case she knew of the patisserie & I assume decided the coffee was good! We had a nice little chat & I also assumed when she left to catch her bus that I probably would never see her again.

Over a year later she came into the cafe again while I was there. I was not altogether sure that it was her until she came & sat next to me. I said “I know you don’t I?” She smiled & nodded in the affirmative, so we got chatting again just about things in general, nothing personal. I was very much warming towards this lady & I think she also felt very friendly towards me too.

I ascertained along the way that she was indeed a very committed Christian who had a great faith as she would mention the fact that the Lord told her to do this or that as she travelled along life’s path.

It was at this second meeting that I mentioned my interest in Emma, the little girl suffering from cancer, & that I was trying to get a prayer group going for her asking if she would like to participate. I think I have mentioned to you the fact that she simply said at this point “Why don’t we say a prayer for Emma right now?”
I am not used to saying my prayers in coffee shops, but there we were with heads bowed & this nice lady saying a beautiful & simple prayer for Emma. It somehow seemed seemed quite natural doing that together on the spot.

So we parted yet again & all I knew about her really was that she had a good old fashioned biblical name of Sarah & that she lived almost right into the heart of Newcastle city, which takes quite a time travelling on a bus to go & do craft work to where she goes plus a bus trip to my neck of the woods. However, this seems to be her pattern & I like it when we run into each other.

Then one night I was laying in bed thinking how I would like to tell Sarah what happened for Emma & Disney on Ice as it’s such a lovely & quite amazing story. However, I had no idea what her surname was or her telephone number so had absolutely no way of getting in touch with her.

So I phoned straight to heaven & as I said my prayers I asked that the good Lord would send her to Micheles patisserie again soon. I hadn’t seen Sarah for several months.

Four days later & I was at Micheles celebrating a friend’s birthday when I looked up & saw Sara standing at our table. I received such a lovely surprise at seeing her there that I jumped up & was quite emotional. We gave each other a great meaningful hug.

I think my amazement at seeing her in front of me was because Sarah was a long way from my mind at that moment & I wasn’t expecting my prayer to be answered so soon. I suppose I had in my mind that somehow she would walk in when I was on my own.

Ursula, Jean, Dawn & Sarah in Micheles Patisserie.

However, as the saying goes, “God works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform.” While this was not a wonder or in any way mysterious I think I was just so elated that my simple prayer had been important enough to be answered so soon. It didn’t take me long to understand why it was so.

I introduced Sarah to my friends, Ursula & Jean, who were at the table with me & explained we were just celebrating Ursula’s birthday. When Sarah sat & we all settled down again, Ursula continued to unwrap her gifts & I then heard the story of how Sarah came to be there.

Without going into details, I ascertained that Sarah had plans to catch another bus from where she had been but she told me the Lord said He wanted her to catch a bus to Warner’s Bay as she was wanted there.

Sarah says these things frequently when I am with her & makes it sound like it is so natural that the Lord speaks to her. I had to ask the question “Sarah is it an actual voice that you hear or is it some inner sense or something like that?”

From my own experience in life I do have an inner voice that I don’t hear directing me lots of times. It’s more of an inner sense. However, it is something that I have learnt from experience to take notice of as it is always right.

Sarah simply replied that no, it is a definite voice,  so(oh ye if little faith) I have to really believe it. Only once in my life did I actually hear a real voice in my head, which I told you about. When it happened I got such a shock that it reduced me to tears. My shock was evident to the person I was with at the time.

I therefore understand that some people do actually hear voices. I must say that Sarah talks about the Lord speaking to her as if it’s an every day happening & is very matter-of-fact about it.

The scriptures says that the Lord spoke to people on earth – Moses & Noah & many others – so I guess He can still make Himself heard in two thousand & seventeen.

Sara did tell me that as a younger person she told a group about the Lord speaking to her & someone said “Well, He doesn’t talk to me” to which Sarah replied in a matter of fact manner ‘Maybe you are not listening.” I expect that could be true.

I made sure as soon as Sarah sat down & I had told her about Emma that we exchanged surnames & phone numbers. Apparently the reason she had been directed to Warners Bay was two fold as it wasn’t long before Sarah & Ursula were doing some serious talking.

Apparently Ursula was carrying a heavy load about her granddaughter & was wanting some advice. I have no idea what it was about until later when Sarah rang me to let me know she arrived home safely. That phone call was only sponsored by the fact that I was getting so concerned when Sarah waa talking with Ursula so deeply that I prompted her, afraid that she would miss her bus when I had no need, she was already in the best of hands.

I have a lot to learn!

Love you. Dawn X O X O

Dear Ann,

I told you about my little friend, Emma, whom I have never met, but because of the cancer she has endured I have felt an infinity with her; praying for her constantly that she will have a full recovery so that she can go to school & have some little girl friends.

Because of her illness, which has been in & out of hospital all of her young life & little contact with the outside world she has not been able to mix with people at all. She, therefore has never known what it is like to play with other little girls & their dolls.

I never realised what this non contact has meant to her until her Auntie Trudy actually mentioned the fact that she has been robbed of this in her early years. I had not realised the magnitude of what little contact with the outside world really meant.

Because of the strong feeling I have for Emma I believe that some close friends of mine are also praying for her, as I am.

A few months ago Emma’s Mum took her to a shopping centre very early in the morning hoping her condition had improved a little. Not many others were really about, but little Emma was violently ill & ended up in hospital again.

I only mention this incident to illustrate how her life has been. Even young cousins her own age will not go near her for fear of making her ill. They all understand so I am praying with faith that our prayer group will make a difference.

Three weeks ago (as I write this) Emma had her sixth birthday. My friend, Pat who frequents the same hair salon, told me that she had seen Emma on video singing a special song she loved & how sad it was at the end.

Needless to say when I got to the hair salon later that week the first thing I asked Trudy if she have that video of Emma that I had heard about. Indeed she did & explained to me before she played it what transpired on Emma’s birthday.

She couldn’t have anyone to the celebration of her special day, but she had a birthday cake. Trudy showed me photos of Emma with her cake. All little girls these days want to be famous & Emma is no different so her parents gave her a really upmarket microphone.

Emma

I saw the video of Emma laying on her side as she sang one of her favourite songs right through. She knew all the words. It is called ‘The Climb’ & is about problems placed in front of us which appear like mountains to climb & how difficult the climb is. This is what Emma sang:

I can almost see it, that dream I am dreaming but there’s a voice inside my head saying “You will never make it.”
Every step I’m takin’, Every move I’m makin’ seems lost with no direction, my faith is shakin’.
But I, I gotta keep tryin’ Gotta keep my head held high.

There’s always gonna be another mountain, I’m always gonna want to make it move,
Always gonna be an uphill battle, Sometimes I gonna have to lose.
Ain’t about how fast I get there, Ain’t about what’s on the other side , It’s the climb.

The struggles I’m facing, the chances I’m talkin’ sometimes might knock me down
But no, I’m not breakin,
I may not know it but these are the moments that I’m gonna remember most, yeah.,
just gotta keep goin’ And I, I gotta be strong, I gotta be just pushin’ on. Cause….

There’s always goona be another mountain, I’m always gonna want to make it move,
Always gonna be an uphill battle, Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose.
Ain’t about how fast I get there, Ain’t abut what’s on the other side. It’s the climb. Yeah.

There’s always gonna be another mountain, I am always gonna want to make it move.
Always gonna be an uphill battle, Somebody’s gonna have to lose.
Ain’t about how fast I get there, Ain’t about what’s on the other side. It’s the climb.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Keep on movin, keep climbin’ Keep the faith baby,
It’s all about, it’s all about the climb.
Keep the faith, keep your faith, Whoah, whoah, Oh.

Emma knew every word to this song & what is more important she is old enough to understand the meaning of it all. What was so touching in the video is that when she finished singing it & she sang it beautifully, with her two index fingers she wiped away two tears from her eyes. I think anyone watching her would do the same, including me.

So her Mum & Dad told her on her birthday that they are putting her performance on YouTube & she will be famous!

I walked away from the salon after watching this with a heart full of love for that little girl. Then a little miracle happened. I heard Trudy calling me urgently as I walked down to my car & I turned around wondering. Trudy said ‘It’s Emma, she’s here.”

My heart leapt & I raced back. You will never guess my first words, “Oh I can have my photo taken with her?” Stupid me, I realised what I had said immediately & no way that could happen so Trudy’s daughter, Courtney, took my camera & took some photos of Emma for me.

I was so grateful as I was so emotional at actually seeing & meeting Emma that I am sure I would not have done them justice.

What had happened immediately after I left the salon was that Emma’s grandma arrived taking her for a short walk complete with mask over her mouth so she would not pick up germs. Emma did pull the mask off for a couple of moments as she was sitting on the seat on the footpath & later donned it to take her dollies for a walk in their pram.

Emma takes her dollies for a walk.

Would you believe that I almost didn’t need the car to drive home as I was almost floating on air & at that point the whole world was bright & beautiful.

I heard later that Emma was very tired after her outing, but did not have any side effects to put her in hospital again.

And more good news came when I had my hairdo yesterday. The doctors have said that Emma can have a little party & ask two guests to be present. She has now progressed to being able to walk into a cake shop to purchase a cake & things like that.

Her Mum took her into a florist’s shop in the past week & Emma immediately asked the florist “Have you been sick?” She is so used to the fact that she can’t get near anyone who may have germs.

My little prayer group are very happy with this great step forward where little Emma is concerned & all I can think of is that faith can remove mountains!

God Bless you. My love always, Dawn X O X O