I am still reeling with shock - and absolute pleasure - from an email I received today from someone in England who somehow got hold of an electronic copy of my first life story book - Gift to My Daughter.  It was a very old friend who remembers so much more than I did. She said that I claimed the full name of my dog Binker (pictured here 58 years ago!) was Binker Boo Hercules Sampson Wilson Winker Watson!!!! She remembers: "He was so talented at picking up virtual tree-trunks in his mouth then running at us so we practically had to hurdle them to avoid a whack on the shins!" She said, " Seeing some of the pictures was like stepping into the past" and finished off,"thanks for sharing (albeit unwittingly) your family history with me and bringing back some fond memories." She received the electronic book via her brother but I have no idea how he got hold of it. Just goes to show the power - and the reach of a life story book. Wow!!!! 

On the eve of Anzac Day 2014 I am thinking of my wonderful friend Eric Abraham, the last of the WW1 diggers, who has passed on. Part of the Snowball March around Australia, he offered to be the bugle boy and during many battles (including the terrible Battle of the Somme) being in front of his battalion and playing the bugle saved his life many times, he told me. 

I was with him in Brisbane on his 100th birthday and each one up to his 105th and miraculously his missing bugle was found just in time to reunite him with it on his 104th birthday.  I feel so honoured to have known him and to have heard all his incredible stories. I am also so proud to learn of so many amazing war stories from people for whom I am producing life story books. My father would not discuss WW11 with me so it is a real privilege to share in the experiences of so many other people. Thank you.

For some couples one wedding is just not enough! For this couple, at least two were necessary. The first was in South Africa and the second was in Zimbabwe - and rumors are there might even be a third in Australia! 

So I created a very special and utterly unique guest register for them with the story of how they met, their relationship so far, plus photos and all the gossip on their two fabulous weddings. The last six pages were created especially for guests to sign at a blessing in Australia and then the book can be taken back to South Africa for people to add in their comments. They were thrilled with i!