HOERSKOOL RANDBURG says 'THANK YOU' to TOBY and ME...

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

MAXMOM and TOBY here...

Hey there everyone!

It's been a very hectic few days and we have so much news to share.  Unfortunately, it can't possibly fall into one blogpost, so I thought I'd start with our most recent news - a very special event -

Toby and I received an invitation to attend the school assembly of

HOERSKOOL RANDBURG

This is the high school that presented the production of 

 ANNIE 

three months ago

  You will recall that TOBY played the role of SANDY in this stage musical and spent three months training for this special event.

Well, the school asked us to attend the assembly, this morning,  so that they could formally say 'thank you' to us for our participation.

We gladly accepted the invitation...

So, early this morning, I piled TOBY up into the car, collected my friend Lorraine

 (Who graciously took today's photographs - Thank you, Lorraine)

 and joined the early-morning traffic.  I wanted to get to the school early so that I could settleTOBY before the start of the assembly.

He remembered the school and the minute I put on his blue bandanna, he adopted his

 'well-behaved, working dog demeanour'.  

Everytime I do this, he understands, instantly,  that it's

 'working' time!

  He'll calm down totally and give me his undivided and totally- focussed attention

Outside the hall, he delighted in offering his paw, in greeting, to some of the children.

I took him inside the hall - before the children arrived - to familiarise him, once again, with the stage.  He was totally comfortable and at ease. We went up and down the steps a few times and practiced his bow, his handshake and his 'talk'. Then we went back outside to wait for the assembly to start.

Once the children were in the hall, we were invited onto stage.

First, TOBY shook hands with Santi van den Berg

(the producer of ANNIE)...

Then he greeted the audience with a 'bark on command'.

After a short speech by Santi, we were presented with an amazing gift...

I was pretty choked up...

They presented me with a beautiful portrait of

TOBY ON STAGE

It was lovingly painted by the Art teacher of the school -

GESIE MARSHALL

What an incredible and thoughtful gift!

It took me totally by surprise.

Then they handed the microphone to me...

 I got to say my own special thank you to the assembled audience..

When the little presentation was over, TOBY gave his old familiar

'Bow on stage' 

(The children loved it!)

Lorraine and I joined Gesie outside for a short chat and an opportunity to take a special photograph...

I would like to extend my sincerest thanks, once again,  to Gesie, Santi, the teachers and the whole cast of

 ANNIE

 for this beautiful gift.

You are an amazingly talented bunch of people and it has been an enormous privilege to have been able to work with you and to be part of your production.

THANK YOU! 

 THANK YOU! 

THANK YOU!

What a way to start a week!

Sending lotsaluv