Forget Beatrix Potter, this was the favourite children's book

"The Cow who Fell in the Canal (195o) is a charming story set in the countryside of Holland.  Phyllis Krasilovsky tells the story of Hendrika the cow, who although she loves her owner Mr. Hofstra, she longs to visit Amsterdam where Mr. Hofstra sells her milk at the market.  If Krasilovsky's text isn't humorous enough, Peter Spier's intricate illustrations lend further description."

Books have always been special to me and reading a joy in my life. It started very early too. 

My grandfather, Pa van der Veen, Mom's Dad, made me a wrought-iron bookshelf when I was a little girl. Dad hung it in my bedroom in Gillespie Street, Vanderbijlpark and I would play 'library, library' with my neighbour Ilse Tamsen. 

I had a wonderful collection of books, Beatrix Potter and all the Enid Blyton series like Famous Five and Secret Seven. Some of these books survived the years and Shawni has them.

The bookcase is still one of my treasures. It was used for Shawni and Barry's books and is now in it's next reincarnation as the bookshelf in my studio.

It is no surprise to me to read my letter to Mom about buying books for Shawni. "The Cow who fell in the Canal" about Hendrika the cow enthralled Shawni after her visit to Holland in the summer of 1987, she 'could relate to the windmills, flower fields etc, so when we got to the farm she could not contain her excitement about meeting Mr Hofstra, the owner of Hendrika!' 

Fred and I were just as enthralled with "The Cow who fell in the Canal". This fading photo in my album from the August 1987, of the Magere Brug across the Amstel River in Amsterdam is titled, 'Hendrika's Bridge'.

When we get to Wellington later in the year to visit Shawni and Criag I am going to dig out her book and reread it. It is a gem.

The Magere Bridge over the Amstel that Fred and I called 'Hendrika's Bridge'