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Today was the birthday tea for my Granny's 90th Birthday.

It was really a great success without much family drama.

Daddy, being the oldest son present, read a speech as did I being the representative of the Israeli family and my cousin (Daddy's brother's son) also read a speech representing the family in Cape Town.

The amount of old people was phenomenal. I was actually concerned that no one would be able to hear me when I spoke because you know, old people, they get hard of hearing. But the acoustics of the Mount Nelson (a very posh hotel, a vestige of the peak of British Colonialism) tea room was surprisingly good. I was very nervous and unsurprisingly began to cry in the middle of my speech, which is irritating for me, but adds something for the audience as many of the old ladies and gents came to me and complimented me on a very nice speech.


Hi everyone.
Hi Granny, Happy Birthday.
I've come, along with Daddy, to represent the Israeli contingent of this far flung family.
I remember coming to South Africa as a little girl, I'd swim in Granny's pool, play with Milo the dog, drink tea with milk and sugar and eat teigalach as I watched Granny knit something.
Granny you taught to me to knit. I still do.
Granny came to Israel a lot and I would always be the one to give my room for her, gladly, because for me and the rest of us in Israel, seeing Granny was the most special kind of treat.
No, it's more than that.
It was a privilege.
It was a privilege because I couldn't just hop on bus and see Granny whenever I liked, I couldn't just go shopping or see a movie with her whenever I felt like it.
I live half a world away from her but that doesn't change the way I feel.
Leigh, Jade and Robbie, and of course my Mother sent many instructions on what I should say to Granny on their behalf. However, in a nutshell, it is actually their best and dearest love that they send with me.
Every time I hug and kiss Granny I am doing it for all of us and so the hugs are the strongest and the kisses are the sweetest in all the world.
The great grandchildren; Amos, Shaul, Shvo and even Libby already know and love Granny Avis from photos and stories.
I must end with Shvo's words, as they are very apt: Granny Avis, I can't believe you're 90 – you don't look so old!


Yesterday wasn't a very busy day. Daddy and I had a bit of a lie in and picked up Granny after breakfast. We then went to my uncle's house and had some tea there and then went to the Irma Stern museum - Irma Stern is a famous South African artist, she painted and sculpted with themes ranging from portraits of her friends, various tribe people (mainly women) and sculpting busts of African people (again, mainly women). Apparently she was a shy person and never painted a self-portrait.

I also went to the Waterfront, which is Cape Town's shopping center with my "auntie's" (she's actually just a old friend of the family) daughter where I bought a couple of books while everyone went to watch rugby (boooooring!) and had a late supper.

So far, so good I'll say.

Date: 2008-05-11 12:55 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lilacsigil.livejournal.com
Your speech is lovely! It reminds me of my grandmother (who only lived two hours away) visiting - my parents always asked me if I minded giving up my room for her and sharing with my brother, but I never minded because I was so happy to see her. She died 16 years ago, in my last year of high school, but I still miss her. Happy birthday to your Granny!

Date: 2008-05-11 01:15 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] eumelia.livejournal.com
Thank you! It was a lovely day all in all.

Date: 2008-05-11 03:23 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] aesiron.livejournal.com
That was a beautiful speech.

Date: 2008-05-11 07:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] eumelia.livejournal.com
Thank you.
I started to cry and then didn't stop for about ten minutes.

Date: 2008-05-11 04:53 pm (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
A lovely speech, Melly. I'm sure everyone thought your tears were wonderfully moving - and very Israeli (South Africans are less emotional, usually). On another note - eat a Peppermint Crisp for me!

Love,
Leigh

Date: 2008-05-11 07:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] eumelia.livejournal.com
Thanks you, as I said the tears were irritating for me, though I'm sure they gave a great affect :D

What's a peppermint crisp?

Date: 2008-05-11 08:33 pm (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
A chocolate bar with hollow crystals of green peppermint inside. Ask Daddy or Lynne (send her my love, BTW, and to Elisha also), but I imagine it should be available more or less everywhere. As I remember it had a silver and red or blur striped wrapping, which said "Peppermint Crisp."

Date: 2008-05-11 07:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] eumelia.livejournal.com
What were you going to say?
Your comment is empty.

Date: 2008-05-11 07:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hemlock-sholes.livejournal.com
Very strange that it vanished...

My comment was a very tasteful expression of my feelings towards you, my sister, regarding my feelings towards both your abilities in general and the excellent way your expressed them today.

I'll let your imagination fill in the details of the missing comment, but the gist of it is that I'm proud of you :)

Love,
Robbie

Date: 2008-05-11 07:40 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] eumelia.livejournal.com
*sniffles*

I love you too.

from shira

Date: 2008-05-15 12:34 am (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
miss you already! Hope they are treating you like a queen for your birthday. Bet it's great to be there so far away and yet feeling at home.
if u have any free time- write me a long e-mail
don't do the avoidy thing
hugs!

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Eumelia

January 2020

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V and Justice

V: Ah, I was forgetting that we are not properly introduced. I do not have a name. You can call me V. Madam Justice...this is V. V... this is Madam Justice. hello, Madam Justice.

Justice: Good evening, V.

V: There. Now we know each other. Actually, I've been a fan of yours for quite some time. Oh, I know what you're thinking...

Justice: The poor boy has a crush on me...an adolescent fatuation.

V: I beg your pardon, Madam. It isn't like that at all. I've long admired you...albeit only from a distance. I used to stare at you from the streets below when I was a child. I'd say to my father, "Who is that lady?" And he'd say "That's Madam Justice." And I'd say "Isn't she pretty."

V: Please don't think it was merely physical. I know you're not that sort of girl. No, I loved you as a person. As an ideal.

Justice: What? V! For shame! You have betrayed me for some harlot, some vain and pouting hussy with painted lips and a knowing smile!

V: I, Madam? I beg to differ! It was your infidelity that drove me to her arms!

V: Ah-ha! That surprised you, didn't it? You thought I didn't know about your little fling. But I do. I know everything! Frankly, I wasn't surprised when I found out. You always did have an eye for a man in uniform.

Justice: Uniform? Why I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about. It was always you, V. You were the only one...

V: Liar! Slut! Whore! Deny that you let him have his way with you, him with his armbands and jackboots!

V: Well? Cat got your tongue? I though as much.

V: Very well. So you stand revealed at last. you are no longer my justice. You are his justice now. You have bedded another.

Justice: Sob! Choke! Wh-who is she, V? What is her name?

V: Her name is Anarchy. And she has taught me more as a mistress than you ever did! She has taught me that justice is meaningless without freedom. She is honest. She makes no promises and breaks none. Unlike you, Jezebel. I used to wonder why you could never look me in the eye. Now I know. So good bye, dear lady. I would be saddened by our parting even now, save that you are no longer the woman I once loved.

*KABOOM!*

-"V for Vendetta"

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