Wednesday, 1 March 2017

From Howick 12.10.86

From Howick
12.10.86


Dear Alan,

Today we had the nicest weather since we have been here. I fetched Nicky and Paul from Maritzburg and we went out to the dam and had a braai there. My mom and dad and Debbie and Lionel also came. It was the first time that I have swam since you left. Apart from going for a walk every day I don’t seem to be getting any exercise so I really enjoyed my swim. On Friday, it was a public holiday, I asked my dad if he wanted to walk to Merrivale tea room with me and the girls. He was worried that Melissa and Jolene wouldn’t be able to keep up with us because he said he liked a “brisk” walk. That was a joke because Lionel came with and we could have walked rings around them the way they dawdled along. We have been laughing at Stacey tonight because she is trying to crawl.  She goes up on her hands and legs, but the legs are stiff, and she takes without moving her hands and then she bombs down on her nose. She was very excited at the dam when she saw the water. Everybody has had to watch her swimming in the bath. Everytime someone comes to visit, I have to bath in my costume so that everybody can see Stacey swim.  She really seems to enjoy showing off too. The girls have all been fairly well behaved and   Melissa and Jolene don’t seem to be having any problems at school. Jolene tells me she has got a boyfriend at school. Melissa went to a party on Saturday and won nearly all the prizes in the games they played. Jolene was quite jealous when she came home with all her prizes. Yesterday I got the video of Amadeus which I really enjoyed. We watched half in the afternoon and half last night. Debbie spends quite a lot of time here and Jonathon plays quite nicely with Melissa and Jolene and he cries when he has to go home.

This Saturday is going to be the big family reunion and my mother is expecting at least 70 people and she has volunteered to do all the catering. I expect this place is going to be like a mad house for the next week but it is normally quite alright except when Debbie is here. She just gets here and after 5 minutes there is havoc in the house. I have been doing quite a bit of cooking and a little bit of sewing. There always seems to be something that needs doing and sometimes the kitchen is such a mess that I can’t resist cleaning it. All in all it has been quite pleasant staying here except that sometimes I feel as if I need a little space and order in my life.

No one is horrible or nasty and everyone speaks quite openly about my going to Australia which makes it quite easy for me.

As for studying. I did a bit the first week that I was here and nothing since and I really don’t feel as if I know enough to write my exams. I really have cold feet and the thought of writing with the multitudes at the royal show grounds makes me feel even more nervous. I’m sure you must think I am making excuses, but please don’t be disappointed if I don’t write any exams. I think I have lost confidence in myself because I have been sitting at home for so long.

How are you enjoying work. Do you think that I will be able to get a job in Camperdown or is it too small? Do you think I could work for you? Melissa says I must tell you that she is missing you so much that she feels sick every night. She calls it Daddy sickness. She has been feeling sick lately and has been complaining about a pain in her cheek. They were playing hide and seek this afternoon and Clinton threw a stone which accidently hit Melissa in the mouth and made it bleed. He got into trouble for throwing stones even though it hit Melissa accidently.

As for Lesley there is absolutely no hope for her.  All day long she complains about how much work she has to do and how untidy her house is and if you ask her if she wants to go anywhere with you she says she can’t go because she has too much work to do. I don’t know what she does because Besselina does her ironing. Talking about Besselina, she loves Stacey so much that she fights me to take Stacey away from me. My mother laughed the other day and said she wished she could have a photograph of Besselina with Stacey tied on her back and walking outside with her under the umbrella.

You should have seen Jolene today trying to get Paul away from Melissa.  I feel quite sorry for her because she really seems to be quite jealous of Melissa but they seem to be getting on quite well at the moment and certainly don’t fight with each other like Sherry and Clinton. They frequently come to blows.

I must go to bed now. Stacey has been going through until 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning but last night she woke up quite a lot so I think that other tooth must be worrying her  so I am feeling quite tired now.

I am missing you more and more and it still seems so long until we see you again. Anyway that’s all for now, all my love,

                                                                                                                                                                                                                Lorna XXXXXXXXXXXX







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