Happy Birthday in Islamabad

dear double M's,

I am sorry I didn't make it to cocktails, daddy was sick with fever and I had to look after him. However in Islamabad, there was a party for me. Tehzeeb, and Zulfi, and five nephews and nieces and Fatima took mummy to a restaurant to celebrate. Happy birthday was even played over the loud speaker. Then U. Zulfi had to take everyone home in two trips and so mummy and Tehzeeb came later . And guess what! When mummy walked into the drawing room, there were fairy lights and all the kids and a cake with candles saying 'Rosie's Birthday'.. Can you believe it.

Everyone yelled out 'surprise' and the niece who was 8, Ailya, she got to blow out the candles for me and then there was cake cutting and eating.

lots of love

Rosie XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Now I am 8!!!

Hi,

It is my birthday but I am going to wait to have a birthday party for a month, when everyone will be there.

I have a cake to take to school and in the evening I am going for cocktails.
Eight years ago I was born in a hospital. Most people in pakistan are not born in hospitals. It is just as well because I didn't breathe for quite a few minutes and they had to put me on oxygen- or at least threaten to.. then I started breathing.

That night my grandmother kept me with her and the next night. But I wasn't eating and I wasn't in very good shape. So they took me as arranged to the hospice to the nuns. Then mummy and Tehzeeb came and picked me up and rushed me to a paediatrician who then said that we had to go to the hospital for a while. I was very very cold but it must have been over 40 degrees outside and quite hot in the hospital as well.

After three days Daddy arrived from Paris and we all stayed at the guest house.
lots of love

Rosie XXXXXXXXXXX

Bhurban

dear Mummy

Thankyou for the photos of hills in Kashmir. They are very blue. You can't see the snow on the far ones very well. I would like to be there with you and listening to the pakistani music in the sound shell in the evening and see the men dancing to it. And I would like the playground and the cakes and all the coin-cars in the downstairs which I am sure I would still fit in.

Everything is fine here. Daddy is home and he has planted lots of flowers in the garden that he says will all come up in a few months time.

lots of love and hugs

Rosie XXXXXXXXXXXXX

From Islamabad

dear Rosie,

I am sure you have everything under control. The malaysian restaurant with the roti and satay sauces sound yummy.

I am sitting here outside in the early morning with my laptop on my lap :) writing to you. It is 7.00am and getting warmer by the minute. In a few hours time will be 39 degrees. The only time you can be outside is early morning after the sun has come up, which is around 5.00am.

Tehzeeb's home has a small front lawn and tall fences round it but you can see out onto the street a little because the top half of the fence is railing with plants growing over it. There are big white gates with spikes on top, covered with gold paint.

Lots of crows are sqwarking but there are also some pretty little birds that come and hop around the lawn. Some people are on the street- they maybe going for an early morning walk, or be staff going to work in the homes in the neighbourhood, or security guards who are outside many of the homes. They have plastic chairs they can rest on and read the morning newspaper and enjoying the early morning temperatures. Unlike me, they will have to remain outside all day.

Maybe you will have some sun this week in Wellington?

lots of hugs and kisses and see you soon on skype

Mummy XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Home Alone

dear Grandma,

This is a belated happy birthday for the 2nd June. Nobody tells me anything around here and now I have been left to manage the house on my own with just Mel and Matt to help and when they get busy, Briony comes and stays. And on top of that I have to go to school.

Parents are in Uganda and Pakistan enjoying hot weather while we have hailstones that turn into snow.

I hope you had a really nice birthday

love

Rosie XXXXXXXXXXXX

Snug as a bug in a rust orange rug

dear Glenda

It is so beautiful and soft and I look gorgeous in it even if I say so myself. Thankyou for bringing the twins and Issy and Janine Aunty to visit.

lots of love

Rosie XXXXXXXXXXXX