Dear Gran,

I really miss you, and I love you so much. I've been thinking of you as the anniversary of your death approaches, and today I read over my blog entries from the time of your death. They made me cry, but I want to thank you for asking Keith to phone me when you realized you were on the brink of death. It made me so happy to know I was important enough that you wanted to talk to ME, as well as Roger, before you died. I'm so glad I got one last chance to tell you that I love you, and to hear you say that you love me. So many people don't get that chance with people they love.

I'm glad I was able to be the daughter you never had. You really were my real mother, too , you know. It's no wonder I miss you so much. Thank you very much for all the letters you sent me over the years... every now and then, I come across another one, and it's almost like getting a new one from you! They are everywhere! I once asked you to write me a letter and give it to Lorna for her to give me after you died. I don't think you ever did that, and I had been wishing that you did, but now I realize I didn't need one, because I have so many of the other letters you sent me in my lifetime. That's the one good thing about my having lived so far away from you for most of my life. I missed out on so many experiences we could have had together if we lived close by, and I'm so sad about that... but now that you're gone, I have so much more of you left to remember you by, than if I'd lived near you and you'd not needed to write me letters. I guess I would have had more memories, instead of letters... but that's just the way it was, and I am making the most of what I had; that's just what you would have done.

I have to go now. I hope you are peaceful and happy, wherever you are. I love you, Granny Gru!

love, Julia
xxxxxxxxxxxxx (in the shape of a heart)