One day, in April, 2015, Josh asked to write a letter to Lew Dite. Since his handwriting wasn't that clear, we had him dictate the note and then sign it. Then, rather than mail it, I photographed it and sent the picture to Lew Dite. This started a new level of their relationship... Pen Pals.
April 25
April 25
Hi Josh,
Thank you for your note. I often think back to our visit last August. It was a special day for me.
I have never been to Disneyworld, it must be amazing.
We have not made any plans for this summer but there is a possibility that Jenni and I will be going back to Connecticut again. If we do we will surely arrange to get together again.
What kind of guitar do you have? Keep playing that music…
Love to you from Canada.
Lew Dite
April 29
April 30
Dear Josh,
Yes I do have a soprano ukulele. It is the smallest ukulele.
Ukuleles come in 4 sizes…
1. Soprano ukulele - smallest
2. Concert ukulele - a little bigger than the soprano ukulele.
3. Tenor ukulele - a little bigger than the concert ukulele.
4. Baritone ukulele - biggest. The ukulele that I gave you last August is a baritone ukulele.
I enjoyed the video of you singing and strumming Old MacDonald Had a Farm. Great stuff!
Your teachers are great too!
Lew Dite
Then, Josh dictated a letter to Adriane while they were on the way to a music class. Adriane emailed it directly rather than hand-writing it.
April 30
Dear lew dite-
A sopranino ukelele is also called a pocket ukelele. It 12 and a half inches long. It won't fit in my pocket!
Have you taught lily how to play the ukelele? She is very lucky to have you as her grandpa and teacher. I wish you could be my teacher.
Love, Josh
April 30
Hi Josh,
Wow! I have never seen such a small ukulele.
I'll have to check my local music store to see if they have one so that I could try it out.
If my fingers are too big for such small frets then maybe it would be good for my granddaughter Lily.
She is nearly 4 years old.
love to you…
Lew Dite
For fun, we recorded Josh singing "Rainbow Connection" while accompanied on the piano by his Mom. I sent the link to Lew Dite.
May 28
Josh, I just watched your video "Rainbow Connection".
That is AMAZING!!!!
You have a wonderful voice and you sing with such feeling!
BRAVO!
Can you hear me clapping?
Tell your mom that she is great too…
Loved it. Thank your dad for sending it.
WOW!!!!
Lew Dite
June 1
June 1
Hi Josh,
Glad to hear you have lost a tooth… and that you have taken it in stride. It means you are growing up.
Lew Dite
June 2
Dear Lew Dite,
I've lost 6 baby teeth so far and I have 4 adult teeth. The tooth fairy brought me a nickel but she did not give me a present. When you were a kid, what did the tooth fairy bring to you?
Love, Josh
PS. I am on my way to the Met Museum to visit the musical instruments room. This is a picture of me waiting for the bus. I will take more pictures at the museum and send them to you. I hope they have a ukelele.
June 2
Hi Josh,
Well, now that you ask I would say that I too received a nickel. It is a long time ago. I never received a present from the tooth fairy that is for sure… but the nickel sounds right.
I am looking forward to your report on your visit to the museum.
Lew Dite
June 4
Dear Lew Dite,
I am on my way to SNACK right now. SNACK is my after school program. I only go there on Thursdays. I do movement, transition, sensory, and finally music. I have a new and bigger guitar. I'm bringing it with me to SNACK. I am going to play along to the songs in music class if I make good choices.
At the museum; I took a picture with the red guitar. It was my favorite guitar because red is my favorite color. We didn't see any ukuleles but we did see mandolins, lutes, and a banjo. We also saw a few pianos. Do you know how to play any of those instruments?
Love, Josh
June 4
Hi Josh,
Great photos. I love that funny looking instrument behind you. I have never seen anything like it.
I would love to see a picture of your new bigger guitar.
If red is your favourite color you need to get a mahlo ukulele. They come in all colours and they don't cost very much. Do you remember the video of me playing my colored ukuleles for my granddaughter's school.
love
Lew Dite
June 20
Dear Lew Dite,
In the video I'm watching, Trilogy at Shaika, Terry Joe has a mask and I wonder why. Do you know why?
There are three songs: Lazy Bones, Oh Susanna, and Hallelujah I'm a Bum.
For Hallelujah I'm a Bum, Terry Joe gets off his banjo and gets his guitar.
Love Josh
June 20
Hi Josh,
Yes, he is wearing a mask because he had a bad cold and he didn't want to pass his germs to anyone else.
How are you doing? Are you and your mum still singing and playing the piano together. That Rainbow Connection was a great video.
love to you…
Lew
June 20
DEAR LEW DITE I'M SORRY ABOUT YOUR FRIEND WHO DIED
THE THE VIDEO IS COOL ANYWAY
I'VE BEEN GOING TO CAMP 1 WEEK I HAVE A NEW FRIEND HIS NAME IS DINO LOVE JOSH
June 21
Hi Josh,
Enjoy the trip to camp…
Hope you will tell me about it when you get back home.
love Lew
June 21
DEAR LEW DITE
I GO TO A PLACE CALLED SNACK
SNACK IS MY AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM
I GO THERE EVERY THURSDAY
WE HAVE MOVEMENT, TRANSITION, SENSORY, AND MUSIC.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO DISNEYLAND ONLY DISNEYWORLD
AT HEBREW SCHOOL WE OPEN ARK DOORS AT THE END
LOVE JOSH
June 28
DEAR LEW DITE,
I HAVE A FRIEND HER NAME IS KALI
DO YOU WANT TO VISIT HER
LIKE YOU VISITED ME LAST SUMMER
SHE LIKES HORSES
SHE THINKS YOU RIDE ONE
IS THAT TRUE
SHE LIKES TO DRAW
I HAVE BEEN GOING TO SNACK
SNACK IS MY AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM
WE HAVE MOVEMENT, TRANSITION, SENSORY, AND MUSIC
I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO DISNEYLAND ONLY DISNEYWORLD
AT HEBREW SCHOOL WE OPEN THE DOORS OF THE ARK AT THE END
I HAVE SEEN INSIDE OUT 2 TIMES
LOVE JOSH
June 28
Hi Josh,
Thank you for your email. I enjoy reading them.
Where did you meet Kali?
Is she the same age as you?
You can tell her that I have never ridden a horse, ever!
I think I am too old to start now.
Jenni's niece has a daughter, Lauren, who loves horses.
She rides them, feeds them and grooms them. It is her passion.
I have attached a photo of Lauren and her horse.
Love
Lew Dite
June 30
DEAR LEW DITE,
WHEN'S YOUR BIRTHDAY
HOW OLD ARE YOU GOING TO BE ON YOUR BIRTHDAY
WHAT YEAR YOU WERE BORN IN
I WAS BORN IN 2008 MARCH 19
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT YEAR YOU WERE BORN IN
ANYWAY MY FRIEND DINO STOPPED GOING TO MY DAY CAMP
THIS IS MY LAST WEEK OF DAY CAMP
MY LAST DAY OF DAY CAMP IS THURSDAY
BECAUSE THERE IS NO CAMP ON FRIDAY BECAUSE IT'S INDEPENDENCE DAY
MY GUITAR TEACHER'S NAME IS ELI HE COMES ON MONDAYS
I MET KALI AT MY SCHOOL SHE IS 7 YEARS OLD
YOU CAN START RIDING HORSES NEXT YEAR YOU'RE NOT TOO OLD
MY UKELELE TEACHER'S NAME IS ROAINE SHE COMES ON WEDNESDAYS
SHE IS A CAMP TEACHER ON MONDAYS AND FRIDAYS
HER BIRTHDAY IS APRIL 21
LOVE JOSHUA LOUIS STEIN
June 30
Hi Josh,
My birthday is July 24. I was born in 1941 so I will be 74 years old on my next birthday.
Here is a picture of me in 1944 when I was 3 years old. I am in my father's arms. My older brother, Bruce, is standing in front of my mother. My brother is 4 years older than me. He was born in 1937. The other people in the picture are my aunt and uncle with my cousin Joan. Joan is a year older than me so that makes her 4 years old in this picture. My brother, Bruce lives in Toronto, Canada and my cousin, Joan, lives in Tucson, Arizona.
How do you like the old car? That was my father's car in 1944.
Say hello to Kali…
love
Lew Dite
July 5
DEAR LEW DITE
I LOVE YOU
YOU'RE MY NUMBER 1 FAN
COULD YOU COME TO MY HOUSE SO YOU COULD MEET MY GUITAR TEACHER ELI AND MY UKELELE TEACHER ROAINE
ELI COMES ON MONDAYS SO COME THAT DAY AND ROAINE COMES ON WEDNESDAYS SO COME THAT DAY
I HAVE 2 TEACHERS ARLENE AND ADRIANE ARLENE COMES ON MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS AND ADRIANE COMES ON TUESDAYS THURSDAYS AND FRIDAYS
MY MOM AND DAD WERE BORN IN 1974 DAD'S MOM WAS BORN IN 1945
AND DAD'S DAD WAS BORN IN 1941 JUST LIKE YOU
MOM'S DAD WAS BORN IN 1946
AND MOM'S MOM WAS BORN IN 1947 THAT'S 1 YEAR AFTER THE OTHER
SIRI IS THE VOICE ON SOME PEOPLE'S PHONES
TRY TO USE A PHONE
BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE A PHONE
AND I WANT YOU TO HAVE A PHONE
BECAUSE I WANT TO FACETIME YOU
FACETIME MEANS TO TALK TO SOMEONE AND SEE THEIR FACE AT THE SAME TIME
DO YOU HAVE A GYM
DO YOU HAVE A MOVIE THEATER
DO YOU HAVE A RESTAURANT
DO YOU HAVE A OFFICE
DO YOU HAVE A POOL
DO YOU HAVE A BEACH
DO YOU HAVE A CAMPSITE
DO YOU HAVE A ZOO
DO YOU HAVE A MUSEUM
LOVE JOSH
July 7
Wow! Lots of questions…
Well, first of all I want to thank you for loving me. That makes me feel good.
Love is the best thing in life.
It would be great to meet Eli and Roaine and when I come back to New York I will remember to come see you on a Monday and a Wednesday.
I do not have FaceTime but I will try to find out about it. I am not very good with computer knowledge. You probably known more about computers and phones than I do.
Now on to your list of questions…
I do not have a gym and I never go to the gym but I ski in the winter time.
We have many movie theaters in Montreal. Jenni and I go sometimes.
We have many restaurants just down the street from our house. We go out for dinner sometimes but Jenni is such a good cook I’d rather eat at home.
I do not have an office. I had an office when I was working but I retired in 2001. I worked in the textile industry. Our company made children’s pajamas.
We do not have a pool but we have a country home about one hour from Montreal. Our country home is right beside a beautiful small lake. We swim in the lake. There is no beach on our lake but we have a dock with a ladder to get in and out of the water. I saw a loon on our lake today (see attached).
Before we had our country home Jenni and I used to go canoe camping. We would pack all our gear in the canoe (tent, food, clothes) and paddle along rivers and lakes looking for a campsite. It was fun. We still have our canoe. It is in our lake now.
I have not been to an outdoor zoo since I was a kid. Montreal has a place called the BioDome which has birds, crocodiles, penquins and monkeys but it is completely indoors. It is fun to visit. If you ever come to Montreal we will take you there.
We have a big museum in Montreal with lots of paintings, sculptures and pottery but it is not as big as the museum in New York City.
That’s all for today… I look forward to hearing from you again…
Your number one fan
Lew Dite
July 8
Hi Josh,
Thought you might like to see this little video.
love
Lew Dite
July 8
DEAR LEW DITE
SCHOOL STARTED YESTERDAY
ELI'S BIRTHDAY IS SEPTEMBER 2
DO YOU HAVE A PARADE
DO YOU HAVE A CIRCUS
DO YOU HAVE A BIRTHDAY PARTY PLACE
I AM 7 YEARS OLD
MY BIRTHDAY IS MARCH 19
I HAVE A NEW SCOOTER
MY OLD SCOOTER WAS GREEN BUT IT WENT TO CAMP
AND MY NEW SCOOTER IS BLUE BUT IT'S GOING TO STAY AT HOME
ADRIANE THOUGHT I NEEDED IT
DO YOU HAVE A JUNGLE MOM AND DAD DON'T THINK SO
DO YOU HAVE A FARM
THIS HOUSE IS MY VERY GOOD HOUSE
I HAVE DONE CAMPFIRES IN 2 PLACES HERSHEY PENNSYLVANIA AND DISNEYWORLD
I AM GOING TO 2 PLACES IN MY AUGUST VACATION LAKE GEORGE AND DISNEYWORLD
MY TEACHERS ARE NANCY DAWN KAT KATIE CHRIS AND STEVE
MY OTHER FRIENDS ARE DAN MICHAEL AND GABE
ALL DAY A XYLOPHONE IS NICE
I HAVE 2 XYLOPHONES
ROAINE TAUGHT ME A SONG CALLED ''DINAH''
IT SOUNDS VERY FAMILIAR TO I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE RAILROAD
JUST 1 VERSE AND 1 STRUM
THERE BOTH GOOD
DO YOU LIKE ME
DO YOU HAVE A CRAFTS CENTER
I WENT TO ONE CALLED "MAKE" TO MAKE A BOWL
MY HOUSE IS GOOD
DO YOU HAVE A MALL
DO YOU HAVE A CAR
DO YOU WANT TO HAVE A CONCERT FOR THE WHOLE SCHOOL
I JUST WANT YOU TO OKAY
THERE ARE 2 DIFFERENT KINDS OF ALPHABETS
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ IS THE REGULAR ALPHABET
AND CDEFGABC IS THE MUSICAL ALPHABET YOU GET IT NOW
THERE BOTH COOL
ROAINE KNOWS THE MUSICAL ALPHABET VERY MUCH
BOTH ROAINE AND ELI ARE JEWISH
DO YOU HAVE A BEDROOM
DO YOU HAVE A BATHROOM
DO YOU HAVE A LIVING ROOM
DO YOU HAVE A KITCHEN
DO YOU HAVE A PLAYROOM
I NEVER HEARD OF AN INSIDE ZOO
I USED TO HAVE A TEACHER ALY
SHE CAME ON TUESDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS THEN SHE CAME ON TUESDAYS AND
FRIDAYS BUT THEN SHE STOPPED WORKING WITH ME ON MY FIRST TUESDAY OF
CAMP
ADRIANE AND I GAVE HER A CARD AND FLOWERS
ADRIANE THOUGHT I NEEDED THE NEW SCOOTER
I USED TO HAVE A TEACHER ASHLEY THAT CAME ON TUESDAYS BUT THEN ADRIANE
HAD TO REPLACE HER
LOVE,
JOSHUA LOUS STEIN
July 10
Hello Josh,
Your mom and dad are right… I do not have a jungle and I do not have a farm either.
Montreal does have parades and the circus comes to town once in a while but I have not been to either for a long, long time.
My birthday is coming on July 24th but we do not have a birthday party place. I will have my birthday at our country home.
Xylophones are fun. I have an an old xylophone that comes from Indonesia. Indonesia is on the other side of the world across the Pacific Ocean. Maybe you could get your teacher to show you Indonesia on a map.
Yes, in Montreal we have lots of malls and we do have a car. Our car is a Volkswagon.
Maybe one day I could give a concert for your school but right now I have what is called “trigger finger”. This means that the middle finger in my left hand will not bend properly and it makes it difficult for me to play my musical instruments. I may have to have an operation on my finger.
You fooled me with your two alphabets… but then I understood… ha ha, that’s a good one.
The inside zoo is called the BioDome. It is a wonderful place.
My granddaughter, Lily, is pointing to a fish. Jenni is pointing to the penquins.
I would like to see your bowl. Can you send me a picture? I would also like to see a picture of your new scooter.
“Dinah” and “I’ve Been Working On the Railroad” are the same song. The song just has two different names. I do not know why?
In Montreal we have one bedroom, one bathroom, one living room, one dining room, one piano room, one library room, one kitchen, one office but no playroom.
At our country home we have three bedrooms, two bathrooms, one living room -dining room combined, a playroom and a screened in porch.
Lake George is a beautiful place. I was there once many years ago. I am sure you will like it. Lake George is not far from Montreal. I have never been to Disneyworld. It must be great!
Do you like campfires?
Now you ask me if I like you… you know that I am your number one fan and that I love you…
Lew Dite
July 14
DEAR LEW DITE
I AM GOING TO 2 PLACES IN MY AUGUST VACATION
LAKE GEORGE AND DISNEYWORLD
ADRIANE AND I WENT TO ROOSEVELT ISLAND
BECAUSE I WANTED TO GO LAST WEEK
BUT I HIT STEVE
SO THIS WEEK I HAD A GOOD DAY IN SCHOOL
I AM GOING BACK TO CAMP IN AUGUST FOR 6 DAYS
1 WEEK AND 1 MONDAY
WHAT COLOR IS YOUR CAR?
WHAT'S YOUR LICENSE PLATE?
HAVE YOU SEEN MUPPETS MOST WANTED?
LAKE GEORGE IS A MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY
AND DISNEYWORLD IS A TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY
AUGUST 17 THROUGH AUGUST 20
SEPTEMBER 1 THROUGH SEPTMBER 4
SCHOOL WILL START ON SEPTEMBER 10
THAT'S A THURSDAY
AT CAMP WE HAD MUSIC ON MONDAYS
WENT TO THE BLOOMINGDALE LIBRARY ON TUESDAYS
AND WE HAD FIELD TRIPS
THE FIRST FIELD TRIP WAS THE MARIONETTE THEATER ON WEDNESDAY
THE NEXT FIELD TRIP THE MOVIES ON FRIDAY
AND THE LAST FIELD TRIP WAS VICTORIAN GARDENS ON THURSDAY
ALL 3 OF THEM WERE GOOD
BUT VICTORIAN GARDENS HAD RIDES BECAUSE IT WAS AN AMUSEMENT PARK
BUT I LOVED THEM ALL
I THINK WE WENT ON 14 RIDES I COULD BE WRONG I JUST THINK 14
IT USED TO BE 95 STREET THEN IT WAS 94 STREET
THE ADDRESS ON 95 STREET WAS 124
AND ON 94 STREET WAS 127
DO YOU LIKE TO DANCE
ON MONDAYS TUESDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS
WE HAD THIS TEACHER KRISTA
DO YOU HAVE A PLAYGROUND
DO YOU HAVE AN AIRPORT
I HAVE BEEN WACHING SESAME STREET
DO YOU LIKE THAT INSIDE ZOO THE BIO DOME
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE QUEEN
REMEMBER ELI'S BIRTHDAY IS SEPTEMBER 2
AND ROAINE'S BIRTHDAY IS APRIL 21
I AM SENDING YOU A PICTURE OF MY SCOOTER AND MY BOWL
I WANT YOU TO LOOK FOR IT WILL YOU
YESTERDAY WE HAD RECESS OUTSIDE MY SCHOOL
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO DISNEYLAND
I HAVE 6 WEEKS IN SCHOOL FOR THE SUMMER
I AM DONE WITH ONE
MY FAVORITE GAME IS CALLED 'TROUBLE'
BECAUSE TROUBLE IS FUN
CAMP WAS WONDERFUL
LOVE
JOSHUA LOUIS STEIN
July 15
Hi Josh,
To answer some of your questions…
Yes, Montreal has an airport.
I do not have a playground but my grand daughter, Lily, has a swing at our country home. (see photos)
Our car is a dark grey color and it has a Quebec license plate M90 EQW.
Do I like to dance? Well, it has been a long time since I danced but I found an old home movie from 1961 when I was 20 years old. I am doing a dance called the twist. I am the person with the white shirt, tie and dark suit jacket. (see attached movie). Do you think I am a good dancer? Near the end of this movie you will see my mother join the dance. My mother loved to dance.
I have not seen Muppets Most Wanted. Is that a movie?
My grand daughter watches Sesame Street. Her favorite is Elmo.
Your field trips sound great.
When you go on field trips how many other kids go with you?
It seems that you have a very busy summer. You are lucky because doing stuff is fun.
14 rides… wow! Were any of them scary? When I was a kid your age we had a place in Montreal called Belmont Park. Like Victorian Gardens it was an amusement park with lots of rides. I liked them but some were scary.
I have never been to Disneyland.
I like games but I have not heard about “Trouble”. I will look it up on the internet. Maybe I would like it too.
My favorite Queen is Queen Elizabeth of England. She has been Queen for 63 years. That is a long, long time don’t you think?
I see three scooters in the photo. Are they all yours?
Your bowl is beautiful… I love the rainbow colors.
Love
Lew Dite
July 22
DEAR LEW DITE
SOME WERE SCARY
MY MOM HAS SEEN THE MUPPET SHOW WHEN SHE WAS A LITTLE GIRL WITH GRANDPA MARC
AND I HAVE NOT
HAVE YOU
IT IS GOING TO BE RECORDED
SEPTEMBER 22
I BROUGHT MY GUITAR TO SNACK
ADRIANE WAS BORN IN 1984
SHE IS 30 YEARS OLD
HER BIRTHDAY IS SEPTEMBER 25
LOVE,
JOSH
July 23
DEAR LEW DITE
ADRIANE WAS BORN IN 1984
YOU VISTED ME IN 2014
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD
DO YOU LIKE TO SING
COULD YOU SEND ME A PICTURE OF YOUR CAR
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ONE
WHEN YOU SEND ME ONE I WILL KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
DO YOU LIKE TO DIG
DO YOU LIKE TO EAT AND DRINK
DO YOU HAVE A XYLOPHONE
I AM ON MY WAY HOME FROM SNACK
LOVE JOSH
July 24
Hi Josh,
I love the videos of you playing the washtub bass and playing the guitar.
Is that your washtub bass?
I have a washtub bass at my country home. They are fun to play.
Say hello to Adriane.
love
Lew
July 25
Hi Josh,
What’s my favorite food?
That is a tough question…
Do I like to eat and drink?
Well, I do like to eat and drink.
I like all kinds of food. Sometimes I like to eat pizza with some red wine.
But the I also like chicken on the barbeque with white wine.
What is your favorite food?
I have been singing since I was a kid your age and I have never stopped.
I can’t imagine not wanting to sing.
When I was a kid I used to like to go fishing and my father and I would dig for worms but other than that I cannot say that I like to dig.
Attached is a picture of my car. It is a Volkswagon and in this picture it is parked in our driveway in the country.
Yesterday was my birthday. I am now 74 years old.
love
Lew
July 26
DEAR LEW DITE
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THE MUPPET SHOW
I HAVE SEEN IT BUT I HAVE ONLY SEEN THE ONE WITHOUT
MAHNA MAHNA
AND I WANT TO SEE THE ONE WITH MAHNA MAHNA
I LIKE YOU
I LIKE YOUR XYLOPHONE
I AM WATCHING YOUR VIDEOS ON MY MOM'S PHONE
REMEMBER I AM GOING TO MY DAY CAMP FOR 6 DAYS IN MY
AUGUST VACATION OF SCHOOL
1 WEEK AND 1 MONDAY
AUGUST 24 THROUGH AUGUST 31
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
THANK YOU FOR THE PICTURE OF YOUR CAR
I LOVE IT
IT IS NICE
VERY NICE
DO YOU HAVE A CAMERA
I LOST 6 BABY TEETH AND GOT 4 BIG KID TEETH
WHAT DID THE TOOTH FAIRY GIVE YOU
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE 74
DO YOU HAVE A TOOLBOX
DO YOU HAVE A HAMMER
DO YOU HAVE A SAW
DO YOU HAVE A SCREWDRIVER
DO YOU HAVE A DRILL
DO YOU HAVE A WRENCH
DO YOU HAVE A FLASHLIGHT
DO YOU HAVE A RULER
DO YOU HAVE A TAPE MEASURE
MY MOM AND DAD ARE 41 YEARS OLD
MY MOM IS DOING YOGA
DO YOU LIKE TO DO YOGA
HAVE YOU EVER DONE YOGA
I DO IT WITH ARLENE IT ALWAYS COMES OUT HARD NOT EASY
I NEVER DO IT WITH ADRIANE
ARLENE WAS BORN IN 1960 AND ADRIANE WAS BORN IN 1984
ARLENE'S DAD DIED IN 1963 AND HER MOM DIED IN 2011
DAD OCTOBER 17 AND MOM JUNE 16
WHAT KIND OF PETS DO YOU HAVE
DO YOU LIKE THAT ZOO THE BIO DOME
QUIET TIME
AND STUFF
LOVE
JOSH
July 26
Hi Josh,
No, I have not seen the Muppet Show.
Yes, I have a camera and I use it all the time. Not only do I take pictures but I also make a lot of videos that I can post on youtube. My camera is made by a company called Cannon.
Being 74 it is hard to remember what the tooth fairy gave me. That was a long time ago. I think perhaps the tooth fairy gave me a nickel.
How does it feel to be 74? Well, let me tell you a story…
One day I was showing my granddaughter, Lily, an old family photo. In the photo I was 7 years old.
I pointed to this little boy and I said to Lily, “Do you know who this is?”
Lily said, “No”.
I said, “That’s me when I was a little boy”.
Lily grabbed me by the sleeve and looked me in the eye and said, “Grandpa, you’re still a little boy”.
So that’s how it feels to be 74.
I do have a tool box, in fact, I have two tool boxes, one in Montreal and one in the country. So yes, I do have a hammer, a saw, a screwdriver, a drill, a wrench and a flashlight.
We also have a ruler and a tape measure. Some of our rulers are in inches and some are in centimeters. Did you know that in Canada we measure things in centimeters and kilometers while in the United States they measure things in inches and miles? It is a little confusing but if you want to know more ask your teacher about it.
I have never done yoga but Jenni does yoga. She goes to yoga class every Tuesday and you are right… it is not easy. My granddaughter, Lily, sometimes goes with her mother to yoga (see photo)
I do Tai Chi. Have you ever seen Tai Chi. In Tai Chi you move and breathe very slowly.
I tried to show Lily how to do it and I posted it on youtube, did you see that youtube video?
We do not have any pets but in Montreal our downstairs neighbor has a black cat called Zizou. Zizou spends half his time in our house.
In the country, our neighbor has a black cat called Licorice and Licorice spends half his time in our house so in a way, we do have pets (see photo of Jenni on the wharf. Can you see the cat?)
The Bio Dome in Montreal is a great place to visit. Perhaps one day, if you ever visit Montreal, you could go there. They have big tanks of water full of fish (see photo) and sometimes you feel like you are outside but really you are inside (see photo).
I love quiet time. I need quiet time to work on my music and my painting. Do you like to paint? Lily sometimes paints, so I have set up a place for her to paint at our country home (see photo).
love
Lew Dite
July 29
DEAR LEW DITE
ARE SOME OF YOUR VIDEOS AT YOUR COUNTRY HOUSE
OR ARE THEY ALL AT YOUR CITY HOUSE
DON'T YOU KNOW HOW YOUR LICENSE PLATE IS M90 EQW
OUR LICENSE PLATE IS 613 NHY IT IS TAN
GRANDMA AND GRANDPA USED TO HAVE 2 DIFFERENT CARS
BUT NOW THEY HAVE THE SAME CAR
THE LICENSE PLATE IS AJB 3220 IT IS BLACK
STEVE HAS A WHITE CAR THE LICENSE PLATE IS GPN 8551
KATIE HAS A BLACK CAR THE LICENSE PLATE IS GTB 3188
KAT HAS A RED CAR THE LICENSE PLATE IS EKJ 3369
EM HAS BLACK CAR THE LICENSE PLATE IS FSL 2545
SOMEONE HAS IT NOW NOW SHE HAS A NEW CAR
I LIKE TO GO SEE THEM
YOU COULD GO SEE THEM TOO
MY FAVORITE ONE IS THE CAR STEVE HAS
IT'S VERY NICE TO GO SEE IT WHEN I TAKE MY WALKS
I LIKE TO DO IT
DO YOU HAVE A HOSPITAL
WHAT IS THE NAME OF YOUR MUSIC STORE
IS IT NEAR YOUR COUNTRY HOUSE OR YOUR CITY HOUSE
GRANDPA MARC ALSO RETIRED IN 2001
MOM'S BIRTHDAY IS FEBRUARY 21
AND DAD'S BIRTHDAY IS JULY 26
WHY IS YOUR BIRTHDAY JULY 24
WE ARE GOING TO VISIT YOU ON SUNDAY AUGUST 16
DON'T YOU KNOW HOW I WAS BORN IN 2008
I KNOW YOU
DO YOU HAVE A ZEBRA
DO YOU HAVE A ZEBU
DO YOU HAVE A ZIPPER
DO YOU HAVE A ZUCCHINI
I LIKE YOUR XYLOPHONE
DO YOU HAVE A CONSTRUCTION SITE
I LOVE YOUR CAR
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT WHEN I VISIT YOU
I WILL LOVE IT WHEN I SEE IT IN REAL LIFE
HOW WILL YOU LIKE ME IN REAL LIFE
AND HOW DO YOU LIKE ME RIGHT NOW
DO YOU WANT TO START RIDING A HORSE IN 2017
LOVE
JOSH
July 31
Hi Josh,
Many of my videos are made at my country house but a lot are also made at our city house. The one with Lily doing Tai Chi is in our city house.
Montreal has a brand new Super Hospital. It just opened this year. It is not far from our city house.
My music store is just 4 blocks from my city house. It is called Jimi’s.
Last year we had a construction site at our country house because we built an extension to our house. It is a special place where Jenni has a loom and she does weaving. Have you ever seen a loom? When you come to visit us on August 16th Jenni will show you her loom.
I am very happy that you are coming to visit us on August 16th. It will be good to see you. I haven’t seen you since last year when we visited you in New York City. I had a good time. It was fun to visit you. Our country house is right next to a small lake called Black Lake. I started to come to this lake in 1948 when I was 7 and now I am 74 so I’ve been coming to this lake for 67 years… that’s a long time, don’t you think?
What’s your favorite food? We could cook something on the barbeque when you visit.
love
Lew Dite
August 2
DEAR LEW DITE
COULD YOU SEND ME A PICTURE OF THE OUTSIDE OF THE BIO DOME
AND A PICTURE OF YOUR XYLOPHONE
YOUR LICENSE PLATE IS M90 EQW RIGHT
WHERE DID YOU DRIVE YOUR CAR TO
DO YOU HAVE A HAT
DO YOU HAVE A SOCK
DO YOU HAVE A SCHOOL
DO YOU HAVE A CAMP
WHAT IS YOUR DAD'S BIRTHDAY
AND WHAT IS YOUR MOM'S BIRTHDAY
I KNOW YOUR BIRTHDAY IS JULY 24
I THINK 67 IS A LOT OF YEARS
NOW I LOST 7 BABY TEETH
THE TOOTH FAIRY BROUGHT ME A QUARTER LAST NIGHT
DO YOU LIKE WORKING
WELL ARE YOU A WORKER
I WANT YOU TO LIKE ME VERY MUCH
DO YOU HAVE A TOY
DO YOU HAVE A BOOK
DO YOU HAVE A GAME
DO YOU HAVE A STICK
MY FAVORITE FOOD IS PIZZA
LOVE
JOSH
August 3
Hi Josh,
Here is a photo of the outside of the Bio Dome…
Love
Lew
August 6
Hi Josh,
This is my old xylophone from Thailand.
When you come to visit on August 16th you will be able to try it…
your friend
Lew Dite
August 6
DEAR LEW DITE
WHY IS YOUR LICENSE PLATE M90 EQW
AND HOW COULD YOUR LICENSE PLATE BE M90 EQW
DO YOU KNOW THAT YOUR LICENSE PLATE IS M90 EQW
REMEMBER YOUR LICENSE PLATE IS M90 EQW OKAY
DO YOU HAVE A SHOW PLACE
DO YOU HAVE A BOX
DO YOU LIKE TO BUILD AND FIX THINGS
WHY DO YOU HAVE A TOOL BOX IN YOUR CITY HOUSE
AND YOUR COUNTRY HOUSE
DO YOU LIKE SONGS AND DANCES
REMEMBER YOUR BIRTHDAY IS JULY 24
DAD THOUGHT IT WAS JULY 22
BUT MOM TOLD DAD IT WAS JULY 24
I AM ALMOST FINISHED WITH MY 6 WEEKS IN SCHOOL
6 WEEKS 30 DAYS
AFTER THIS WEEK NEXT WEEK IS MY LAST WEEK IN SCHOOL
THEY WILL MISS ME VERY MUCH
LOVE JOSH
August 10
DEAR LEW DITE
DO YOU HAVE A BAND
I AM VERY EXCITED TO COME TO YOUR HOUSE ON SUNDAY AUGUST 16
I WANT OUR CHIRSTINA TO GET MARRIED ON SUNDAY
NOVEMBER 1 IT WAS MY IDEA
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOUR CAR ON SUNDAY AUGUST 15
COULD YOU SEND ME A PICTURE OF THE NAME OF
THE BIO DOME
THE BIO DOME IS A INSIDE ZOO
THANK FOR THE PICTURE OF YOUR XYLOPHONE
AND THANK YOU FOR THE PICTURE OF THE
OUTSIDE OF THE BIO DOME
DO YOU HAVE A PLATE
DO YOU HAVE A BOWL
DO YOU HAVE A FORK
DO YOU HAVE A KNIFE
DO YOU HAVE A SPOON
DO YOU HAVE A CUP
MY DAD'S DAD'S DAD DIED IN 1987 ON NOVEMBER 21
MY DAD'S MOM'S DIED IN 1973 ON AUGUST 6
AND MY DAD'S MOM'S DAD DIED IN 1994 ON AUGUST 15
BY GETTING HIT BY A TRUCK ON HIS WAY TO LUNCH
BECAUSE HE DIDN'T LOOK BOTH WAYS WHEN HE
WAS CROSSING THE STREET
YOU GET IT NOW
CHRISTINE'S LICENSE PLATE IS GTC 2715 HER CAR
IS BEIGE
CHRISTNIA'S LICENSE PLATE IS DKH 1126 HER CAR
IS TAN
STEVE'S NEW CAR IS ALSO WHITE
BUT IT HAS A DIFFERENT LICENSE PLATE
IT IS GZZ 6857
ANNETTE HAS A BLACK CAR
HER LICENSE PLATE IS BAS 6832
RICHIE HAS A BLACK CAR
HIS LICENSE PLATE IS 83 KRI
THEY ALL HAVE A CAR THAT I LIKE
I LIKE YOU
SINCE YOU'RE 74 YEARS OLD THAT IS
A WONDERFUL STORY THAT YOU TOLD
ME OF HOW IT FEELS TO BE 74
DO YOU HAVE FLAG
HOW COULD YOU LIKE ME
DO YOU SAY YOUR LICENSE PLATE IS M90 EQW
DO YOU KNOW THE MUPPETS
DO YOU LIKE TO HUM
I LOVED WHEN YOU TOLD ME YOUR LICENSE PLATE WAS M90 EQW
BUT WHY DID YOU TELL ME YOUR LICENSE PLATE WAS M90 EQW
LOVE JOSH
August 11
Hi Josh,
Yes, I am looking forward to seeing you at our country house on Sunday, August 16th.
At our country house you will see that we do have plates, bowls, forks, knives, spoons and cups. We will also have lots of good food.
Looking both ways when crossing a street is a very good thing to do. When I was a kid of about 7 or 8 years old I ran out on to the street between two parked school buses. I got hit by a truck so hard that I actually flew through the air. Luckily I was not hurt. The truck driver was very scared. I can tell you I have never done that again. I always look both ways when crossing a street.
You sure do know a lot of license plate numbers. You have a very good memory.
See you in a few days…
love
Lew Dite
August 12
DEAR LEW DITE
DO YOU HAVE A BAND
I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE A BAND
SO COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME IF YOU HAVE A BAND WHEN YOU WRITE BACK TO ME
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THAT YOUR LICENSE PLATE IS M90 EQW ON SUNDAY AUGUST 16
RIGHT NOW I KNOW THAT YOUR LICENSE PLATE IS M90 EQW
BECAUSE YOU TOLD ME THAT YOUR LICENSE PLATE IS M90 EQW
I WILL LOVE TO SEE THAT YOUR LICENSE PLATE IS M90 EQW IN REAL LIFE
LOVE JOSH
August 14
Hi Josh,
Yes, I used to have a band. It was called the Lew Dite Skiffle Group.
I no longer have a band. We stopped playing together a few years ago.
See you on Sunday…
love
Lew Dite
So, we headed up to Canada for a visit with Lew Dite. Another "once in a life time" experience. And what we didn't know was that Lew Dite, as usual, had even more surprises in store for Josh.