Dear Liam and Francesca,

It’s Saturday morning now. What are you two up to today? It’s been raining a bit here, hope the weather’s better where you are.

I hope that it’s better in Dorset. That’s where we’re playing today, at a festival called Frankstock, with the Trans-Siberian March Band. It’s only a small festival but it’s a long drive to get there. We played there last year and they seemed to like us so we’re playing there again. Last year it rained a bit while we were playing so I hope that we get some better weather this year.

I’d love to see you two one day at one of our gigs. Do you think it will ever happen? I can’t keep playing for ever so I hope that it will be soon.

Anyway, wish us luck today, I’m off to start packing,

Have a lovely day,
Bye, from,
grandma and Grandad xxxx

Dear Francesca and Liam,

It’s a bit later tonight when I write so I guess that you’ll be in bed, Liam but you might still be up Francesca. I hope that you’re having a nice holiday. I wonder where you are. Are you still at home or have you gone away somewhere? You might even be in Cato Ridge as far as we know. Wherever you are, we hope that you’re having a good time.

I picked a few more tomatoes from your garden today. don’t know if I told you but something knocked the cucumber off which was growing. I’d guess that it was a squirrel. It’s a bit annoying really but there’s a couple more growing. How’s your vegetable garden going? I hope that you’ve got lots of things in it and that you’ve already had something nice to eat from it.

I’ve done a little bit on my novel today but mainly been tidying things up after finishing the paper for Italy. Now I’m going to pack up for the night, so,
Night, night from us and all our love,
Grandma and Grandad xxxx

Dear Liam and Francesca,

We’ve not been back long from Thomas’ home. Grandma and I took him to Paradise Animal Park today. Do you two remember going there with us? You probably won’t Liam because you were very young. You might not even remember us any more. If not, I hope that you will tell your brother about us, Francesca and how much we love you both – we still do.

Thomas’ favourite animals at the moment are meercats and the next one penguins. We saw the meercats being fed and we bought Thomas one as a present, along with a meercat mug. We also bought one for Lucy but I think that she’s still a bit young to appreciate it.

We stayed at Uncle Joachim and Auntie Juliet’s house for a bit and it was nice to play a little with Lucy. I’m sure that you will love her just as much as you did Thomas when you used to see him.

I’m off to bed now, it was a great day but tiring, so,
Night night you two and we’ll talk tomorrow,
All our love,
Grandma and Grandad xxxx

Dear Francesca and Liam,

I’ve just got back in from a rehearsal. I know it’s Wednesday but the rehearsal was with the TSMB. Barnet Band’s on holiday for the summer. It’s quite a long trek out to Stratford where we rehearsed tonight and I’m really tired when I get home.

Just want to hope that you’re both tucked up safely and to wish you sweet dreams,
Night night,
from,
Grandma and Grandad xxxx

Hello there, Liam and Francesca,

Hope you’ve had a good start to the holidays.

Today, I actually finished my paper for Italy and walked up to Colindale to post it. I walked past the Video Shop and saw your friend’s Dad in there, Francesca. I didn’t see if Devan was in there. Do you remember him still. There’s lots of memories of you two around here.

I always remember you also, Liam when I go up there. I walked past you one day when you were getting out of your car with your Daddy and I had to walk past. All I wanted to do was to stop and say Hello. That’s what I want to do now but can’t.

Ah well, hope you keep having a great Summer, we’ll think of you all the way through it,

Bye my dears,
Grandma and Grandad xxxx

Dear Francesca and Liam,

It’s the start of your first week of holidays today, Francesca. What about you, Liam? Are you still at nursery? We’d so like to know about your lives at the moment but can only guess.

Today I’m making a real effort to finish my paper for Italy although I’ve just spent half an hour or so adding a bit to my novel. I have to write it when the ideas come, you know. What about you, what are you doing today?

Whatever you do, have a nice time, we’ll be thinking about you, as always,
Bye for now, my dears,
Love, Grandma and Grandad xxxx

Dear Liam and Francesca,

I started to write this letter at half-past eight this morning and now it’s half-past eight in the evening. I wasn’t able to get onto the internet earlier today and it’s been really annoying that I couldn’t write to you when I wanted. Anyway, here I am now.

I just remembered to do something that your Daddy told me about and, when I tried it, the internet worked. You know, when this happened in the past, we would just ring up and ask your Daddy what to do. We can’t do that anymore, can we? It’s a great shame.

Well, I hope that you’ve had a good day and you’re probably ready for bed or already in bed. Do have a good evening if you’re still up and sleep tight if you’re n bed. We’ll talk tomorrow,
Night, night,
Grandma and Grandad xxxx

Dear Francesca and Liam,

How are you today? We hope that you’ve got something exciting planned for the weekend.

We’re both really tired after all our travelling. However, it was a great visit to Germany. We wonder if we’ll ever get to take you two there. You know, everyone over there asks about you and wants to see you. You’ve got a lot of people in Germany who love you too.

I guess that we have to get on with getting everything back to normal today. Grandma’s already unpacking the big case and we need to try to get everything sorted. It’s so sad that, at the moment ‘normal’ doesn’t include you two in our lives but we can only hope.

Well, have a nice day today, whatever you’re doing. We’re wishing you every happiness, as always,

Bye for now, Lots and lots of love,
from, Grandma and Grandad xxxx

Dear Liam and Francesca,

Today we spent the morning in Karlsruhe and did some looking around and a bit of shopping. We went on the tram fro the first time as well.

Did you know that your Tante Else was born in Karlsruhe. Your Great-Grandma and Great-Grandad lived there at the time. Later they moved to Ludwigshafen and that was where Grandma was born.

In the afternoon, we set off back to the airport. It was quite a long journey, really but we could see some of the German countryside on the way. After the flight home, we caught a coach from Stansted to Golders Green and then got a taxi home. It all went quite smoothly.

Our next letter will be from home as we get back to normal.

So, night, night and we’ll write tomorrow,
Lots and lots of love from,
Grandma and Grandad xxxx

Dear Francesca and Liam,

Today we were in Karlsruhe and we went to the museum which is in the old castle. In the morning, we had a look around the museum and then had something to eat at the restaurant there. It started raining while we were in the museum so we had to run to the restaurant.

In the afternoon, we went to see an archaeologist in the museum and she let me examine the instrument there. It is part of an Etruscan lituus. It’s not a big piece but it was really interesting to look at it. I made a lot of measurements and took a lot of photos. Afterwards, she asked us if we wanted to see the Music Exhibition in the museum and gave us two tickets to get in for free. That was interesting too. There were instruments from all over Germany and quite a lot of music written by people like Mozart. It was starnge to see the actual pages which he had written himself.

Altogether, it was a very interesting day.

Well hope you two are OK, we’ll keep you in touch,
Night, night and lots of love,
Grandma and Grandad xxxx