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

Dear Liam and Francesca,

Hope that you had a good day at school and nursery today. Wonder what you did? We wonder a lot about how you’re getting on. Hope you’re both OK. We hope that your Mum and Dad are OK too.

It’s been a pretty miserable day here, drizzling with rain quite a bit. I worked at home today and gave another friend a copy of my novel. I gave one to Sally at the TSMB last night so that’s quite a few people who are reading it now.

You know I told you that I started to play the soprano sax, well a teacher rang me back today and I’m having my first lesson on Thursday. It’s quite exciting to start learning something again. The last time I started was when I was 15 and that’s a whopping 55 years ago. I’m sure that you would wish me well if you could.

Ah, well, sleep tight my sweet pair of Grandchildren, have lovely dreams and feel loved, loved, loved by your
Grandma and Grandad xxxx
Night, night

Dear Francesca and Liam,

Guess what! One of the tomatoes is very nearly ripe. It’s not one of those which I expected to ripen, though. It’s a little tiny one on the plant near to the shed door. The others are a sort of yellow colour. You see you need Grandmas and Grandads to tell you about things, don’t you. We wish you were around so that we could talk about things.

I played at a festival today with the Trans-Siberian March Band, it was called Lovebox. During one of the pieces we played, a mum came up with her little boy. He was a bit younger than you are now, Liam. He just stood there and watched the band without taking his eyes of us. I walked over to him and gave him a tambourine and, with a bit of help from his mother, he bashed away at it quite happily. He was there for about five pieces that we played and seemed to really enjoy our show.

When I told Grandma, she reminded me about one time when you came with her to one of our Barnet Band gigs, Francesca. You were about Liam’s age and sat in your pushchair. Grandma said that you just sat there and watched the band just like this little boy did, never taking your eyes off the players.

Do you think that you would like to come to one of our gigs, Liam? I’d love you to. I’d like you both to come and see TSMB while I’m still playing with it. I’m getting on for playing with such an energetic band and don’t know how long I can keep it up. I hope that we see each other again before I have to give up.

Well, you two look after each other. I know that brothers can be quite a challenge at times, Francesca but we’re really quite nice, aren’t we Liam? I guess that you’d have to ask your Aunties Janet and Anne to find out what it was like having Grandad as a brother. I’m sure they’d love to tell you.

So, love from Lovebox and from Grandma and Grandad,
Bye,
Grandma and Grandad xxxx

Dear Francesca and Liam,

I’m writing this a bit earlier today as I’ve just got back in from the hospital. My friend Mary just had to go there because she hurt her leg and she asked me if I’d go and look after her son Jac for her. It reminded me of all those times when we’d been there with you two for various things. It also reminded me of the last time your Great Grandma stayed for Christmas and she had a bad leg and we took her there to get it looked after. Anyway, Mary is all patched up now and back at home with Jac.

Jac is just a bit younger than you, Liam and he came to our house one day when you were here, Liam. You played with him for quite a bit with your railway. Do you remember that?

I’m pretty tired this afternoon. We went out to see a band called Orkestra del Sol last night and it was quite late when we got back. It is a great band, it plays a few numbers like our band the TSMB. You’ve never actually seen our band, have you? You have danced to the band though, Francesca. Can you remember the CD which sits near the CD player. You used to put it in and dance for us. I’ve written a scene in my book where someone’s Grand-daughter does that. I knew how to write it because I’d seen you do it for us and will never forget.

I guess you probably never will see the actual band while I’m playing in it as I will probably be too old to still play in it by the time both of you are able to get along. I’m sure you’d both like the band and I hope that you want to play in a band one day.

Here’s a link to the band so you can hear it and see where we’re playing

When we got back in from the concert, your Grandma played a recorded message on the answerphone which someone had left. I thought that it was you, Francesca on the phone and ran into the room. Of course, it wasn’t! It was a bit upsetting because that was all I really wanted to hear, you two. I’ll have to wait.

Well, I hope that you’re having a nice day and I’ll be off now,
Grandma and I send our love,
We’re always thinking of you,
Grandma and Grandad xxxx