h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My nephew Christiaan came to visit us this weekend; his mom Maryke and her husband Jakobus also tagged along. They are all very concerned about my Dad's illness. At any rate the visit was pleasant. As usual Christiaan and I did lots of stuff together. Not so much reading this time, but we did throw a ball at each other outside for a while; we went to the little park where we played on the swings and the climbing-frame ... for the first time Christiaan was large enough to make some use of it. I showed him how to operate a digital camera and he took some fine photos of his own! I drew lots of little pictures for him and scanned them, and showed him how from there to print them out, so he printed out several pictures. He coloured in some of the pictures I drew for him. I'm sure he'll soon be able to draw pictures of his own as well.

Got some time to speak with my sister as well. In case you don't know, she's a medical doctor and she's actually started specialising in oncology this year! But she doesn't know much about the kind of chemotherapy my father is getting. I do hope some of her suggestions will help him anyways.

Just an aside ... my mom also has health problems! She's got pancreatitis and also, a hernia that has been bothering her for a long time. But we didn't know it was a hernia until a recent scan of her abdomen ... she thought it had something to do with her irritable colon. But now that we know it's a hernia, we can get it fixed ... and she would need much less medication because many of the pills she's been taking was for the pain we now know was caused by the hernia. At any rate we will get it fixed now.

I really hope my dad will be around for a few more such visits. One of the worst aspects of this disease of his, is the possibility that Christiaan would soon lose his grandpa. I never knew my father's father ... he died at age 48 well before I was born. My mother's father died when I was about eight or nine, so I didn't know him much either.

Here are photos of the visit - start at the linked photo, and then just click 'Next' and go forward from there until the final 'Christiaavreetosaurus' photo:

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2840483040103203115NIKwmw

That's good news for you mother, really good news. You guys need some. It sounds like the family's drawing together, that's good too.

That's pretty neat colouring for his age isn't it?

I remember very clearly things my aunt did with me as a child, making things, like little roses out of ribbon. We only lived near enough to visit for a a few months when I was six, and a year and a half when I was 10/11. But I've never forgotten - she was a big influence. I'm sure you are now with Christiaan and your Dad will be too.

One of my grandfathers died when I was two, I didn't know him at all, the other I last saw at 11. But because I always saw him in a mix with other kids (my cousins) and he never did anything particular with us, I don't feel I know him either. He died, in Glasgow, not that long after while we were living in Zimbabwe.

Nice pics, I like that hornbill. Have you come across tinga-tinga paintings? They go in for very joyous hornbills!

Hello Waz! How are you doing these days?

Yes I think Christiaan colours very well! I hope he starts drawing soon. At his age I was already drawing lots of real and imaginary animals.

At any rate I hope I will still be around for Christiaan for a long while!

My dad is actually doing better the past few days. He's at least capable of reading ... currently reading a novel about the Boer War period. And he's fairly talkative as well! Not suffering as much pain and discomfort as before.

I didn't know my mother's father that well either, but I did know him and I do remember many incidents involving him. By all accounts he was quite a brilliant man. He farmed and went into business and designed an aeroplane and when I was young he was the superintendent for an apartment building. He and my grandmother lived there, quite close to my parents' apartment, and we visited them often. In those days my grandpa was into radio ... speaking with his radio set to people from all over. I think he would have loved the internet! Back in those days (the seventies!) he also knew about computers and he brought me reams of computer-printout paper he got for free so I could draw and paint on the other side. I think it was a bank or something that owned the computer. The printouts were basically just masses of numbers and I have no idea what they were about.

He and my grandma were also among the few people in South Africa in those days to have a colour television. TV only started in our country in the mid seventies. I remember watching all sorts of TV shows in my grandparents' apartment in those days. I still remember vividly some ancient shows such as 'Alpha 1999' (it's called Space: 1999 in the original). Back then our guys dubbed lots of shows from overseas into Afrikaans. There was a show about jet fighter pilots from France, and the detective 'Derrick' from Germany.

I was quite sad when my grandpa died. I remember going to look at him when he was lying in the coffin. He looked like a statue or a doll, not like a person.

I wonder what Christiaan will remember about my dad? Well I hope my dad *will* be around for quite a while longer!

Anyways ... I looked up tingatinga paintings on the 'net ... very joyous yes! That comes from a bit farther up North ... I'll see about getting some photos of some of the South African traditional-style art. My recent paintings, including those hornbills, will soon go up on Webshots.

Well thanks for reading and all the best Waz!

Willem

Willem, I am sure your Dad has made a big impact on Christiaan, and you will too. I remember my aunt, who encouraged me to take an interest in wildlife, and I have some of her books since she passed away.

It is strange the unexpected things we remember from childhood. I have the haziest of recollections of my two grandfathers, who died when I was very small. I remember the sad phone call that came when my paternal grandfather died, just by the serious tone of the conversation though I was told nothing till a long while afterwards. Children were seen and not heard then, and this was 'adult' stuff.

Stay positive Willem, and take care of yourself, your mother too. Thinking of you all.

Just off to look at the photos.

websailor