A Double Anniversary ...

The Monk today celebrates his son's birthday. Once again he is shocked at how the time has flown by since the morning he first saw him in the Universitas Hospital in Bloemfontein shortly after his arrival. The intervening years have been a roller coaster ride in many ways, but full of fun and laughter along the way. The Monk and Mausi wish him a great day, and a fabulous year to come.

The Monk was also somewhat shocked to realise that today also marks the date, fifty years ago, that he was confirmed in the Church of England by the Bishop of Grahamstown. A double celebration then.

Anniversaries ...

Today is the Monk's youngest daughters birthday, tomorrow is his son's and suddenly he's reminded of the passage of the years. All three of his children are now adults and doing very well for themselves. He and Mausi spent the weekend in London visiting his family and attending youngest daughters something-th birthday. It was great to meet so many of her friends and to meet her partner's family as well.

The Monk and Mausi would like to wish Allison a great year, ahead, hoping that there are many more to come and that each simply gets better and better for her.

Birthday remembrances

Today would have been my grandmother's 109th birthday. She died in 1977, confined to a wheelchair and all but unable to speak though her mind was still sharp and alert. In many ways she provided my brother and I with the mothering her daughter couldn't as the demands of earning a living and a marriage that needed constant work to keep it together militated against her.

Hector Mary Heron was a woman of great faith and tremendous patience. She never once complained as her disablities increased and the love she gave my brother and I, her husband and her family, was without limit. May she rest in peace.