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

This weekend Christiaan and his mom my sister Maryke and her husband Jakobus again came for a visit. It was a very quick one! My sister of course is quite concerned about my dad (who's doing quite well these days by the way).

Before their visit, I sent a few email photos to Maryke, showing my Dad without his hair. He was concerned that Christiaan might not recognise him as his grandfather the way he looks now! At any rate, Maryke showed Christiaan the photos and he didn't have any 'problems' with them! When he arrived he said to my father he wouldn't call him 'Grandpa Monster' because of how he looked! He said his head felt funny and at the back he said it looked like the skin on a hand!

Anyways I spent most of the time with Christiaan as usual. My dad helped a bit! In fact we came quite close to teaching Christiaan how to write! We wrote a few words for him and he copied them quite well and was also able to read back a few words after some time had passed, so he did remember well. If we had him for a while longer we'd have had him reading and writing for sure! Only two or three days and he would have done it. He's quite 'ripe' for it! He also seemed very proud of being able to read and write some letters and words. He copied the word 'guano' from a comic book and then took it to my father to read but spoiled it all by telling my dad it said 'guano' as he showed it to him!

Anyways ... we read the Tintin book 'Temple of the Sun' in its entirey, and a few pages out of an old Richard Scarry book. I also had him working on our computer, maneuvering the mouse and pointing and clicking in the right places so as to print out a few pictures; I also showed my sister Maryke the Commodore 64 emulator and a few games and of course Christiaan wanted to play but they're a bit difficult for him! When he's older I'm sure he'll enjoy them a lot and I can also explain to him the history behind them.

Christiaan also coloured in pictures I drew for him, and painted some himself, in watercolours!

We also listened to some 'eighties' music and danced like maniacs!

Well it was a brief visit, but a lot of fun!

Hi Willem,

Lovely account of the visit. Hy is baie slim!!(He is very clever)

It is good that Maryke warned Christiaan about the loss of hair. In this way he was not shocked.

Incidentally did you know that Tin Tin is a french comic? I did not know about it, and so neither I nor my children have read it.Perhaps it is a recent comic. !!

Great to hear your news. Hope you have read my reply to you which I wrote early this afternoon.

It is a lovely day in England. The sun is shining and the waves on the Channel look most beautifully sparkling. Just now I am going to sit down and have Sunday lunch. K. went by himself to Kerk this morning and came back a very happy chap.

With much affection

Christiane.

Hello again Christiane!

Yes, I did read your other posting, and I responded to it as well in the thread.

I love the Tintin comics and so does Christiaan! Yes, I know they're originally in French. They were actually written in Belgium! What's interesting is that, in the comic, when people speak 'fictional' languages like Syldavian or Bordurian, this fictional language is actually based on Belgian Flemish, which sometimes almost sounds like it could be Afrikaans!

The Tintin comics actually go over a large span of time: the first one, Tintin in the Land of the Soviets, started in 1929; the last complete one, Tintin and the Picaros, was published in the late 1970's. We have every Tintin adventure!

You know Christiane those books can be enjoyed by young and old alike. If you want to, ask K. to go and buy one - any one! in a store and then you can both read it!

Over here those books are still sold in the book stores. Many of them have also been translated into Afrikaans! But most of mine are in English. When I read it to Christiaan I translate it into Afrikaans as I read!

He's actually learnt a few English words as well, already!

I would love to have all the Tintin books in the original French. My friend prof. Gigi Gottwald have some French ones which I've borrowed ... but I'd like to have my own French ones.

Sounds like a lovely day you had yesterday! Hope today is fine as well.

Affectionately yours,

Willem