16th Dec 2022
Dear family and friends.
Ron and I found the isolation over the past three years very tough. Especially Ron who felt that three years of his travelling life was taken away. Ron is 93 and a half, and I turned 83 last month. We did take a short cruise from Vancouver to Alaska on Sep14th, hoping the worst was over. We welcomed the trip, but found that things were not the same. Almost everyone was dining alone, so one couldn’t meet new friends. We returned on Sep.26th. The next day Ron went down with Covid, and I followed a few days later. Ron got a mild attack, but I had a high fever for a few days, lost my sense of taste and smell, and was left tired for quite a while. We are both on the mend but unfortunately old age is taking its toll, and Ron has been suffering with spasms in the neck and pains in his thumbs due to calcification and degeneration.
However, isolation also had its blessings: Ron really appreciated the online prayer services conducted by the Rev Tim and his assistants every weekday, a true source of peace and inspiration. Ron was also able to read some excellent books, best of all “The Other Side of Morning” written by Stephen, his first novel which is doing well in the book stores and has garnered some excellent reviews.
We are looking forward to spending Christmas with both our children Stephen and Cheryl, the grandchildren, and great- grandchildren.
We would like to take this opportunity to wish each one of you a very Happy Christmas, and a New year filled with God’s blessings for good health, Peace, and happiness.
Ronald and Yvonne, Mum and Dad, Grandpa and Gammy
21st Dec
My dear Mr & Mrs Goss,
My thanks for your mail and your Christmas Greetings. Warmly reciprocate the sentiments and on behalf of us Old Cottonians, my family and I we wish you a very happy Christmas and all the very best of health and happiness in the Coming Year.
I am truly sorry to learn that the Covid virus interrupted so much of your lives with illness and its attendant side effects.
I recall that you are inveterate and long established cruise travellers. The last figure was over 90 cruises or so which is a certainly a number not many of us have the stamina and / or the funds to undertake. Remarkably active for your respective ages and we now begin to discover what the years do to you as 70 year olds. You are well over that number !! You have kept yourselves in excellent shape and I will not attribute that to the genes alone. A well measured active life makes all the difference as so many of us are now discovering. The frequent complaints you encounter from friends these days is knee aches, arthritis, gastro changes, damaged lungs, cardiac ailments and most don’t even know about memory loss until you realise that he is using the wrong name to address you !! I have often been called, “Vinay” instead of ‘Vijay” by nameless old friends !!
I had the pleasure of reading Stephen’s book. It was a pleasure and this writer is gifted. My compliments.
May I please request you to send us some of your latest photographs. Speaking of photographs, Mrs Goss you will probably have overseen the largest number of children for any matron of Linlithgow given the long years you spent there. The number of boys who remember you is particularly large. Incidentally did you know that Kanhaiya Lal fell to an incurable case of syphilis and Jaktu died of a cardiac arrest ?
It will also interest you to know that Linlithgow has been disbanded and children are inducted into School in a higher age category. During the 1950’s boys as young as 4 and 5 years old joined School and were parked at the Linlithgow dormitory under the care of some of the finest matrons who played mother with huge success. They are still remembered with a great deal of affection – and love.
Warm and sincere wishes for a Merry Christmas and a laughter filled and happy 2023. Add another cruise!!
Very sincerely
Vijay
Vijay Khurana
22nd Dec
Dear Vijay
Thanks for sharing the email from Mrs Goss. Teaching, I think, is a noble profession, as the teacher inspires and influences the lives of hundreds of youngsters.
I take this opportunity to wish all OCs and Mrs and Mr Goss, a Very Merry Xmas.
I hope it brings love and cheer to all your families, and spreads goodness all around.
Warm regards from warm Singapore
SM Singh
Curzon 57-64
—
Best Regards
SM Singh
Thank you Vijay for sharing Mr.and Mrs. Goss’s email with the warm Christmas greetings.
Many good wishes and greetings for Christmas and the coming year to you ,Mr. and Mrs. Goss
all OC’s current Cottonians , Teachers and staff..
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
traditional Gaelic blessing
Warmly
N.K.Akers
My dear Mr & Mrs Goss,
Thank you for your quick reply.
I am taking the liberty of circulating your mail. There is so much about the Goss family in your mail. There is, at the same time, a large body of interested former students who are eager to learn, “Where and what are Mr & Mrs Goss doing these days “ !! Some have already sent you individually addressed greetings for the Season.
You certainly chose one of the colder countries to migrate to but climate has hardly been a deterrent for those choosing Canada. It would appear that it is the preferred choice still and now a more welcoming destination than the United States. All I can say is please keep yourselves warm!!
Jagtu died of a cardiac arrest and this is a well known medical issue with hill folks. I did not know Kidaru and I daresay he is unlikely to be around. Changes take place all the time. Those who journey back to School with a certain feeling of familiarity and even ownership find it hard to assimilate the changes that have occurred. It goes against the grain, as it were, to their entire system. The patronising cry of agony is, “ How dare they do this, it was never the case when I was here!!”
I have not been able to retain any kind of contact with Mr Das Gupta and I fear he may have passed on. He was in a fairly fragile state when I last contacted him which is a long while ago.
Finally, we wish you a lovely and pleasant cruise, free from the mundane daily chores of cooking and cleaning. You deserve the break and you have found an outlet that you are familiar with. Besides, you seem to enjoy it enormously.
I will write to you separately about the wedding.
Once again, good wishes for Christmas and the very best in the Coming Year.
Warm regards
Very sincerely
Vijay
Vijay Khurana
A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all .
sudhir kashyap
Merry Christmas mr mrs Goss R S Sodhi
Dear Vijay
Thanks for sharing the email from Mrs Goss. Teaching, I think, is a noble profession, as the teacher inspires and influences the lives of hundreds of youngsters.
I take this opportunity to wish all OCs and Mrs and Mr Goss, a Very Merry Xmas.
I hope it brings love and cheer to all your families, and spreads goodness all around.
Warm regards from warm Singapore
SM Singh
Curzon 57-64
—
Best Regards
SM Singh
