From Howick 7.3.87

From Howick

7.3.87

Dear Allan, Lorna & Girls,

There is a storm going on outside – we have had a lot of storms lately & lots of rain it hailed quite heavily  yesterday afternoon.

 Well! Can you believe it we went to the Midmar Dam for the weekend in the Campervan and it was a huge success. I wanted to sleep another night, but Dad wasn’t paying another R10:00 to sleep out – so we came home & just as well, as it hailed & has been overcast all day today – so imagine how Dad would have gone on if had insisted on staying. Debbie Lionel & kids came everyday, but wouldn’t sleep as Fay is a bad traveler – Johnathon was fed up & cried all the way home. He caught 2 carp but in my haste to get it ashore let one go, but the one that didn’t get away was all of 3 lbs, so when we got home last night he had to phone Sheila to tell her all about his fish he caught – I think that Sheila’s phone has been cut off today, as she hadn’t paid the account.

The Durban gang came last weekend they are skiing mad & come just about every other weekend now. They push off to the dam as soon as they arrive which is about 6:30 am and usually stay all day or until the petrol runs out. This weekend we are going to Durban for Garrett’s birthday party and the following one to Jenny’s for Tam-lyn’s. Fay had a big party for her birthday with most of her cousins & lots of friends – Debbie made her a Miss Piggy cake.

Jenny, Jim and Tara came for 3 days, Tam-lyn & Regan stayed with friends. Jenny was writing a music exam. They are all well.

 Poor Molly was to have left for Australia on Friday morning and her Visa only arrived in the afternoon – anyway she is now flying this coming Friday – we went to see then last week & Molly gave Jenny a lot of music.

I am still busy sewing & knitting I have made Garrett shorts and shirt for his birthday, plus I have nearly finished a stripped knitted shirt for him. For Tam-lyn I have made a modern dress, which I copied from one Lesley bought for Sherry for her birthday with a long waist, plus an apron. I have made   Jenna a dress & teddy bear and I am making Johnathon a long sleeved, bell bottom sailor suit. I have started taking money out of your auto teller, I can only get R200 at a  time & there is R950 in it so that’s a stack , I’ll explain on the phone about my paying your tuition fees for the next 2 years  to give me lots of spending money over with you.

Are you at the surgery all day as I would hate to phone & find you are at the house.

…………….

Well must close now as it is time for Dad to get up and go to work. Glad to hear there is nothing wrong with the children’s ears  I was very worried about them & I miss them so much.  ………..it is teeming down so Dad will get wet. Hope the light doesn’t go off. Tons of love. Dad, Mum &family

 Well I had this letter sealed & ready to post & disaster has struck the Smith household. Daddy has been retrenched as from the end of this month so I don’t know what we are going to do as you know we have no pension, insurance or any money put by – so I can see my trip to Australia fading away too, anyway I am going to sell everything I can lay my hands on some of the cars, also the Campervan will have to go – Daddy will get 6 months unemployment and then he will be entitled to a pension and if I can get   a disability on the grounds of my osteo-arthritis I might be able to get a pension as well – then we will be able to live. We are going to have a long holiday with the Hayes & also do the Cape trip as well – then we can go & stay with Neal for a while also go to Jenny & help her too, so maybe things won’t be so bad in fact I am starting to see quite a rosy future for us. Well writing it down has cheered me up – so bye for now.

Love and kisses to everyone. Mom

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