Emma Alpha Plus

                                                                                     Grand daughter Emma

 Dear Reader,  

       Having grand children is one of life's great joys and brings such happiness.  I have loved and cherished and looked after mine since they were born and it has always been such a treat.  Grand children are not the same at all as your own children.  Somehow the gap  between us and them is just right, not too near and not too far, but grand parents are family and allowed to praise when necessary or punish if necessary too. And in my fifty's when they were little I really enjoyed playing with them, going to the swings, getting up at six in the morning so as not to wake Geoffrey, and going to the playground where we ate crisps and chocolate bars. I loved the afternoons when they were with me.  We liked watching ' Maisy the Mouse', and in particular watching 'The Sound of Music.' I couldn't possibly remember how many times we watched it, singing the songs along with Maria and the children.  My granddaughter Emma has got a beautiful voice and I still ask her to sing to me when she visits.

                                                                                 *

From Jane Austen in Kent 1796   September 18th

'What dreadful hot weather we have! - It keeps one in a continual state of inelegance'.

From Richard Hayes, 1766 in Hampshire   September 21st

'A robin sang all his note during Divine Service in the body of the church'.

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Emma Alpha Plus 

Emma
the little one
frightened to be left
at night
shared my bed
snuggled up with me
listened to nursery rhymes
on an old tape recorder

we went to the swings
sat on a bench
ate crisps

she grew and we went to
the Wildlife Park
stared at the monkeys

we watched Maisy Mouse
over and over again
and in her teens
The Sound of Music

she worked hard at school
had problems with her
heart over beating and never
complained

she went to college
got a distinction
will go to Brighton to study
in September next year

she is helpful, enthusiastic
puts her all into everything
is engaging and funny

she is alpha plus

I loved her and looked after her
and now she looks after me

                                                                                  *

With very best wishes, Patricia

P.S. Emma now works in the film world for Warner Bros.