Gaiwhe says it all…

Welcome to Gaiwhe’s blog. In this blog you will find lots of interesting information on my different pages.  This page will be devoted to my class’s exciting Senior Citizen’s project which we started earlier this year. Please continue reading to the bottom of this page. I hope you enjoy my blog.

Before the project we made some delicious treasts in the Domestic Science room with the class.

We had lots of fun baking for the tea.

On one of these occasions the class made hot cross buns.

Some of the class prepared little talks for the tea to which a number of senior citizens had been invited.

Gaiwhe interviewed Leanor. This is what I found out about my Senior Citizen who is also my granny. When you have read about my project, please fill in the comment box and tell me about a senior citizen or grandparent that you know. I would love to know about it. Thanks

This is a slideshow of some of the pictures taken of my granny and I during the senior citizens project.

Leanor as a small child
There were three children in my family and we lived in Markham Road, Claremont. My mother stayed at home and looked after children, and my father worked in the motor industry. I remember that when I was a small child people liked to work on the railways. Some people liked to become teachers and many people preferred to work in shops and offices. When I was a small child I loved walking to the shops with my mom who pushed my little sister in a pram. My favourite toys were dolls, especially paper dolls.

Leanor’s Primary School Days
My primary school was a fun place. I went to Rondebosch Girls’ School so there no boys there. In good weather we had lots of lessons outside under the leafy trees. I liked that. I went to school by bus. We did the ssame kinds ofsubjectsas nowadays except we didn’t have computers then. At primary school we always wrote in pencil, and then when we got to Grade 6 (called Standard Four in those days) we were allowed to use dipping pens. We had little inkwells that we dipped the pens into. We had to write carefully and neatly so that we didn’t make a mess. If any of the girls were naughty in class they had to stand outside in the passages. We had homework most nights. On the playground we played skipping games, marbles and hopscotch.

Leanor as a teenager
When I was a teenager I liked to wear dresses with socks and shoes! That waspopular then. We didn’t have cell phones. Our schools didn’t offer extra-murals, so in my spare time I played with my firneds in the garden, baked for my mom and read books. Those days families like to read books or the newspaper in the evenings, and they listened to the radio because there was no TV. If you want to get into contact with family and friends in other towns you wrote a letter by hand and posted it. We often wrote little notes to our friends and took them to the friend’s house. I went on my first date when I was 16. Teenagers liked to go to the bioscope and to parties in each other’s houses. A perfect date was going to a friend’s party, and listening to all the latest tunes. I liked to watch cowboy films as they were very popular in those days. My family liked to eat soups and stews. We used to clean our own home – we didn’t have servants.

How has South Africa changed since Leanor was a child?
South Africa has grown a lot. It has become much busier on the roads. There are many more cars than when I was a child. Now there is television and computers and internet

Does Leanar have any interesting information about her own grandparents?
I remember that my grandparents were very loving and kind, and they always gave us very special gifts.

What advice can your senior citizen give to help us in our lives?
I think that for children of your age it is very important to listen to your mums and dads!

Any herbs and remedies that were popular when your senior citizen was a child?
We had to take cod liver oil in winter for colds and my mom also gave us garlic.

Any other interesting stories you could tell us?
I remember once when we were on holiday in Robinson. It was my mom, dad, sister, brother and me. We went walking. My mum was pushing my sister’s pram. Suddenly a very long snake crossed the road in front of the pram and gave us all a huge scare.

Another interesting time I remember was when we went camping in Kommetjie. We had to set up our own campsite and put up the tent. Then we would gofor a long beach walk, investigating all the rock pools and watching the sea birds. At night we would enjoy sitting around the camp fire.

I helped Granny learn to blog

It was sad having to say goodbye to the senior citizens. We all enjoyed the project so much. I know the grandparents and senior citizens will look at our blogs and we will look at theirs.