My siblings in the September of 1987

 I went looking at Mom's letter this morning to see what my sisters, Inel and Doreen, were doing in the September of 1987.

Mom had organised Inel to come back to Howick from St Johns' in Pietermaritsburg and 'babysit' Doreen. Like all good mothers she prepared and froze dinners for the girls, like she wrote: "Spoilt eh!"

Further on in the letter she writes about getting back after a weekend in Harrismith with their special friends, Bill and Jill. Inel is packed and ready to leave: "I'm sick and tired of cooking, sick and tired of housework, sick and tired of playing chauffeur". 

Makes me laugh too.

This was a good dry run for Inel, a few years later I asked her to babysit Shawni and Barry while we did a return trip to Europe. She must have been frazzled after weeks with two small children and Barry still in nappies. Nothing like the shower hose in the bath to wash down offending 'bits' and smells. Thanks again Inel, not sure how you did it!

In the September of 1987, Inel had completed her Master's thesis and she was getting ready for her final exams. Mom writes that she thinks the thesis is very good, she must have loved the theme, an in-depth study of six houses in Pietermaritzburg, "all in one street and has lovely sketches, all with the view of restoring them to Victorian charm and becoming monuments." 

Historical houses and sketching, the thesis would definitely have ticked all Mom's interests.

Meanwhile, Doreen is 16, at school in Howick and very involved on the Standard 9 school dance Committee. The theme is Alice in Wonderland and Doreen is doing the decor, Mom sketches the side of the hall to show me how the theme is coming to life, 'large playing cards' on the walls and stage.

Once again she is very involved, as she did for all the 25 years that she had children at school, it was always a lot of work for her, but art, decor and crafts were Mom's passions. This time it will be help with the dinner too. As she wrote; 'here I go again.' But she also wrote; "should all be great fun."

The travel to the conference in Klerksdorp gave the folks an opportunity to stay with Clive and Sabine in Johannesburg.

I was curious to see what she wrote, and it seems Clive was making use of the lovely spring rains that year to lay instant lawn and he was busy as usual; "Clive has started on his carport". 

He loved pottering, working on his homes and making things, so I am not surprised to read about his busyness around the house!

How special this letter is, Mom is well, happy with her 11 pages of news, taking pleasure in her adventures, pleasure in her children's lives and achievements, all this before the return of her cancer.

She died 6 years later.