Happy New Year

dear Simon and everyone,

Happy New Year and thankyou for my Xmas hoodie. We had new year before you did because we are on the other side of the planet or something like that.

Yesterday I went on a walk wearing a halter. Every now and again I would sit down but I would be pulled up again by the harness strap. I walked 1.3km. I exercised my lungs the whole way in protest. You could hear me all around the valley. I don't know why nobody came to my rescue. In fact a couple of people who walked past just smiled at my persecutor.

love

Mctosie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Nearing the end of 2008

dear Helene,

We are here on the Island for the whole of Summer. We have been here a week now and lots of people have been to visit.

Yesterday Hope came with her family and we played in the paddling pool, went to the beach and the park.

The first day I went to the beach I had a great time in the surf but the best bit was being wrapped in towels after the swim and lying in the sun. I have now decided to forego the swim and go straight for the towel wrapping. My strategy is I start to cry when I am being taken towards the sea and I don't stop until mummy gives up and takes me back up to the shore again and wraps me up. I think it is a winning strategy.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

love

Rosie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Christmas Day

dear Eleanor,

Merry Christmas. Thankyou for my christmas gift- 8 hours with you having adventures is a really wonderful idea. I might steal it. I could give vouchers to people to spend time with me, having all sorts of fun.

On Christmas day we opened all our presents and then I had a long sleep. In the afternoon I played in the paddling pool and I even had to have my lesson for the day there. We did naming body parts and used new soap and flannels and a scrunchie that mummy had got for Christmas.

I had nice food to eat but I do have one complaint. Daddy made a roast chicken and it didn't come out of the oven till I was in bed and I am sure I heard a champagne cork as well. I don't really think that is fair.

This is my new tunnel I got from Hope. It is a little bit different than the ones on the Brooklyn Hill. It has a tent at one end and a house at the other. I can go inside and play my harmonica and my recorder.

lots of love

Rosiepo xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I am a city girl...

dear Grandma and Grandad,



I am a city girl- I do not walk on stones barefeet. Let me repeat this so that all caregivers can really understand- I DO NOT WALK ON STONES WITH MY BAREFEET.



Yesterday my cousin, Alexandria came to stay. We went swimming and she tried out on the boogie board. She had one good ride but then it was wipe-out and she got dunked big time.



After we sat between mummy's legs, both of us shivering and wrapped in towels. Then it was sausage sizzle time though it was raining by then.



Merry Christmas,



Rosie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wellington to Waiheke

dear Nicola,

I did meet you, didn't I? When I was very small, at the park in Oxford. Yesterday I spent all day in the car travelling from the city to the island. Our country is very beautiful and best of all when I looked out the window at it, I could also see my reflection in the window.

We stopped in Taihape at the Brown Sugar Cafe for breakfast, then Taupo to see my uncle and cousin and dog for lunch, and then Whakamaru for icecream. We travelled on the car ferry to the Island and the whole trip took 12 hours. It is summer here.

Have a merry Christmas,

love

Rosie

Waiting fro Christmas

Dear Fatima,

This is a lovely shalwar kameez you and Aunty gave me last year for Eid. It fits me now and I am wearing it to school today.

This is the second to last day of school for the year. These days we do a lot of eating

of sweets and lots of going swimming at the pool and santa comes to visit the school. It is Summer now and the garden is full of flowers. How was Haj?

lots of love

Rosie XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxx

Shaving cream is not toothpaste

Dear Grandma Stella,

Today I was so clever I brushed my own teeth. I got the toothbrush out of the holder and turned on the tap (the water was a bit hot) and I put the white stuff on the toothbrush.

But it tasted very bad. I ran into the kitchen to show mummy and she didn't really understand at first. She just kept saying 'good girl' 'clever girl- cleaning your teeth'. Then she came to the bathroom and had to explain to me that the nice green round pot is daddy's shaving soap. Even though he isn't meant to shave upstairs anymore since I shaved my tongue last month. So she turned off the hot tap, washed my mouth out with lots of cold water and gave me lemonade.

lots of love

Rosie XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Coming up to Christmas

dear Aunty Tehzeeb,

Are you back from Haj yet? Soon it will be Christmas at my place. Each day at school we are preparing. Today our whole class went to the shopping mall on the train and I bought a present for mummy and daddy. Then I wrapped it and brought it home to put under the tree.

Tomorrow there is another Christmas party that our school is having. And on Friday we finish for the Summer and I will go to the island. And then very soon after it will be Christmas day and I will have presents to open.

Lots of love

Rosie

Warm Summer Rain

dear Kelly,

Today the Girls High School holds a christmas party for all the kids at my school. I have dressed up for it in my beautiful pakistani dress.

Did you know that last week Melody came and looked after me for the whole week? And her mother came and stayed as well for a couple of nights. We had lots of fun. We went downtown and listened to music and saw entertainers. Then we just hung out in the sun at home and I got to play in the swimming pool on the deck.

How is Belgravia?

lots of love

Rose xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx