In rememberance

Hi,

This is mummy's mom from when she was 17 and went on AFS to Francesville in Indiana. Her name was Carolyn. She has died after a long period of ill health.

This is her making pies in 1976 around at her friend's Bet's place and doing the hair of her friend, Peg.

lots of love

Rose Hélène

Gutwein Popcorn

dear Chelle, Roger, Cassie and Elijah,

Thankyou for the amazing box of goodies. I took the Dora Explorer 'MP3' player to school today and played it heaps at school. It is so cool. And loads of popcorn which I can make in the microwave. Maybe now I will be allowed to turn it on and off. And another pink cuddly pig...

Today mummy got told that if I increase my attention span I might be allowed to join the school band next year. Wouldn't that be soooo awesome.

lots of love

Rosie XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tramping in the rain

dear Kelly,

Mummy said you have been examined and now only have four papers left to do to get your degree. I get examined all the time but I don't think I am getting a degree at all.

Mummy is looking at the special needs education discussion document. You know there are some options that would close my school down! Can you believe it! I looked at the photos in this report and there were no photos of any of my friends from my school at all. There were no wheelchairs or walkers.

lots of love

Rose Helene XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Don't look if you are squeamish

dear A. Jess,

These are the chairs at the children's outpatients at Wellington Hospital. I use a remote to make it go backwards and forwards. This is the nurse taking some blood from my arm. I have to have four lots taken every 15 minutes and then two lots every half hour.

This was the morning and in the afternoon I had to have a big needle put in my leg by the nurse at the Medical Center.

In between I went to school, and rode the bike, and played at the playground and sang some songs.

You must come and see us.

love

Rose Helene

Testing 123

dear Glenda,

I am working hard on my driving skills. This morning I had to go to the hospital for more blood tests (six of them over two hours) .Every ten weeks I am having to go there! The children's outpatients have moved and now rather than having to sit on a bed they have big comfy chairs with remote controls.

Daddy has arrived at Camp Adare. The crew are having to chip ice off the deck.

lots of love

Ro-po XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Happy Valentines Day

dear Daddy,

Be my valentine?

We made a picnic hamper for M to take M on a valentines day surprise picnic. We used the silver pail, put cellophane in it, hung hearts with ribbon. then we put in plates, cutlery and champagne glasses. The M bought food and champagne.

But the weather was very bad. However, you can put the beetle back seat down and put a nice cover on the floor and have big cushions and have a picnic in the car!! Awesome.

And you are crossing the circle into Antarctica tonight!

lots of love and cuddles

Rose Hélène

Greater Independence

dear Grandma and Grandad,

This week I got an award at school for showing 'greater independence.' Each week, one student is selected- so I am very proud. This video is on the island, and shows me being independent. Just ignore mummy's voice over!

love

Rose Hélène

Making a sandwich

To Room 3,

Maybe you can see this? This is lunchtime

on the island. There is home-made chunky bread and

tomatoes and I was trying to improve my sandwich making skills,

love Rosie

Reduction in Tegretol

dear A. Tehzeeb,

I am back at school for the year. I am the oldest kid in the class and so I am showing the others what to do. I eat my morning tea and lunch without help and I help with bouncing other kids on the trampoline, when they can't bounce.

I am still having slumps and the paediatrician says it might be because of the tegretol. I have been on tegretol since I was two years old. Now it is being reduced in dosage and it is a bit scary as since I have been on it I have only ever had one long convulsion. But the doctor says that topiramate, which I am also on, should stop those.

I hope your pilgrimage was good.

love and hugs

Rose Hélène XXXXXXXXXXX

p.s. this is Mel and Matt when they came for dinner . They brought back presents from Italy and France for me.

Snares Island

Dear Margaret,

I don't think this ship is like the one that you are captain of. There are no big boxes on it at all and you probably don't have a lecture theatre.

This is the link that shows the inside of the ship. http://www.heritage-expeditions.com/travel/shipinfo/ Apparently Daddy is in room 509, so he can call on the captain if he needs to :) And today they are heading for Snares Island (I got my secretary to call Heritage and ask where they are).

I had a really cool day yesterday. M&Ms and their friend, Scott, took me to a gorge in the Hutt Valley and there was heaps of kids and a river to play in.

love

Rose Hélène

p.s. another photo of Billy and me

Addressing the Southerly

Hi,

Yesterday my daddy left to go to Antarctica on what he says is 'the trip of his lifetime'. His mission is to talk to the Southerly and say that it doesn't need to come to Wellington anymore.

Today he went from Invercargill to Bluff and got on the Spirit of Enderby, along with 50 other passengers. There was no one for him to share a room with and so he is in a room all by himself. I don't know who will look after him when he gets sea sick but he said he is very happy to be on his own. Hehas these special pills, Kawau Kalmers. Margaret who drives big ships out of Hong Kong told him to take these. This morning he had two and felt wonky. But that was when he was no land and so maybe they make you wonky on land and not wonky at sea.

Last night he was told that they are going to go straight to Antarctica and visit the sub-Antarctic islands on the way back as the ice in the Ross sea is welcoming at the moment.

It will be a month until I see him again.

lots of love

Rose Helene XXXXXXXXXXXXX

p.s. this is daddy and I opening a present from A. Judy

Driving down to Wellington

dear Joni,

We drove all the way from Waiheke to Wellington in one day. There was the boat, then McDonalds at Matamata, cup of tea at Johnny's and cup of coffee at Greta's and Mowgli's.

Greta has a slide and a trampoline. So that was the most fun.

I am really missing my walks. Yesterday I decided to go on one on my own. Fortunately the gate was open. I made it to the main road but a neighbour, Ingrid saw me on the road and made me come home again.

love and hugs

Rosie XXXXXXXXXXXXX