Letter from Granny

Letter from Granny-in-Zimbabwe-(who-now-lives-with-Aunty-Darryl-in-Durban) - Gee we really have to find new names for the Grandparents - it is getting very complicated differentiating one from the other these days ....

"The main purpose of this is to send along, what may appear silly, a little theme that wafted around my head at the time. Since sleep has been dodging me so successfully - as to appear the norm and almost to be a thing tangible that I should be able to get a hold of, decided it would lighten my heart to transfer it onto a bit of space:

Once upon many months and a few days ago there were two beautiful little princesses that visited a house in Zimbabwe where their Granny and Grandpa lived. They brought their parents with them.

At this house there was quite a big pond with big fish and little fish and flowers and frogs. There were baby frogs too – some that had only tails, called tadpoles, some that had tails with little legs, called tadfrogs, and others that only little legs, called little frogs.

Now these little princesses - whose names are Amber and Sarah – were very kind and sweet and thoughtful to the baby frogs (those with only tails – tadpoles, and those with tails with little legs – tadfrogs) They scooped them out of the deep water of the ponds and put them into their own tubs where they would be safe and grow up to be big frogs. They gave them their own food from the ponds so that they would have their lunch and supper. So these were super spoilt frogs-to-be. And they did grow up. And they jumped back into the big pond and croaked nicely for Granny and Grandpa.

(And I must tell you a little secret – Gran and Grumps loved the sound and will always remember that Amber and Sarah gave it to them)


Also at that time – many months and a few days ago – there was not a lot of water. None came out of the taps. Only out of the borehole. Into a little paddle pool for playing in, and into a bucket, which went into a bath, for bathing in.

Now, one day Amber and Sarah (because they were kind and sweet and thoughtful) to save their Mum & Dad the bother of bathing them, and save using the bath, and save using soap, decided that they would short circuit the routine and bath in the bucket. So they climbed into the full bucket and splashed and splashed and cleaned themselves so well. And their Mum and Dad were so happy.

Sarah and Amber loved Arthur the parrot and they gave him all his bestest food and they talked to him and made him happy.

And they loved Maxi, the little dog. They stroked her gently and tickled her tummy and gave her lunch and they made her very happy.

And they came to stay with their Gran and Grandpa and gave them hugs and sat on their laps and had breakfast with them and climbed into bed with them and brought their parents with them and made them exceeding happy.

They are true little princesses.

(And I must tell you a little secret – your Gran and Grandpa love you both very much)"