Letter 23
21/02/23 14:33
My Dearest Bunty,
Not that I was expecting to be invited to the Royal Wedding in any case, but I am sure there has been a real oversight in the Royal household again as I seem to be out of even the Scottish celebration list this time around. Oh how Rothsay's last wedding was celebrated here on the Estate, as was the rejoicing at the birth announcements for the two boys. How times have changed, and this time he is to be married in a civil ceremony, hidden mostly from view. I am sure this will make him happy finally as he has the loneliest job in the world. How dreadful to know that you are without promotion prospects until your beloved mother passes on? That cannot be healthy to live under that veil, especially since our Dear Queen is doing such a wonderful job and seems to be the picture of health as she approaches 79 years of age. I know we have some way to go before reaching that number, dear Bunty, but it is not at all that far off, and the years pass with ever quickening pace. It seems only yesterday that I was throwing a ball to the children in the front lawn, and in a twinkling of an eye they are grown up and gone of to find their own adventures.
Writing that word reminds me of that Dymphna girl with the flame hair we had in our set at school. I don't know why she popped into my head the other day, but I was watching Greer Garson's performance in 'Random Harvest' on TCM the other afternoon and although this is a black and white picture (what daddy used to call 'a woman's picture') I remembered that she had the most wonderful flame hair as well. Returning to Dymphna, well it seems that she did in fact do well in life and is now on Husband Number Three! Can you believe it? Numbers One and Two died of natural causes (I hear from my sources still in contact with her), that cause being old age and having the burden of a huge bank account to worry about, whilst Number three seems to be a stable sort but ever so much younger than her. How does she do it? She always seemed so tame and meek, but I guess those are the ones that men fall for the quickest! I always thought that girls with red hair had such a disadvantage in life, being forever looking like matchsticks about to be struck, but as time passes I see that actually this is an asset to a woman. I may even think of getting a little 'touch up' myself, as this brown is getting a little dowdy and I am far too old to copy Anne Widdicombe and become a blonde. We shall see what the season ahead brings. I shudder to think that I may be white haired under this all, but then I remark on how steely and smart your own grey hair is - efficient, stalwart but just a little too boring for me. I have my position as Chief of the clan to think of and nobody wants to see a grey haired old woman sitting at high table or attending the Games!
This year I have had an invitation from Clan Deere (Great Lakes Division) to attend their Summer Highland Games. I shall see if the estate funds will be able to cope with a trip for me. I shall not take Sir Hector with me this year as Americans get really confused with him having a different name to me and think that he is the Chief! That has to be nipped in the bud as far as I am concerned. I am a Lady, Chief and Peeress in my own right and I am subject to no man. Goodness I sound like a militant Liberationist from 1972! You know what I mean. I notice that London has been lucky to avoid most of the bad weather the rest of us have suffered. I think that could be in part due to all the hot air going about with the Olympic 2012 bid. It would be good to have the Olympics in the UK again but I am not sure that London is the best place, given all the transport problems, but I wait to be corrected on that issue, as on so many others!
Yours as always, Flora
This story first appeared on www.panetwork.co.uk in 2005
Not that I was expecting to be invited to the Royal Wedding in any case, but I am sure there has been a real oversight in the Royal household again as I seem to be out of even the Scottish celebration list this time around. Oh how Rothsay's last wedding was celebrated here on the Estate, as was the rejoicing at the birth announcements for the two boys. How times have changed, and this time he is to be married in a civil ceremony, hidden mostly from view. I am sure this will make him happy finally as he has the loneliest job in the world. How dreadful to know that you are without promotion prospects until your beloved mother passes on? That cannot be healthy to live under that veil, especially since our Dear Queen is doing such a wonderful job and seems to be the picture of health as she approaches 79 years of age. I know we have some way to go before reaching that number, dear Bunty, but it is not at all that far off, and the years pass with ever quickening pace. It seems only yesterday that I was throwing a ball to the children in the front lawn, and in a twinkling of an eye they are grown up and gone of to find their own adventures.
Writing that word reminds me of that Dymphna girl with the flame hair we had in our set at school. I don't know why she popped into my head the other day, but I was watching Greer Garson's performance in 'Random Harvest' on TCM the other afternoon and although this is a black and white picture (what daddy used to call 'a woman's picture') I remembered that she had the most wonderful flame hair as well. Returning to Dymphna, well it seems that she did in fact do well in life and is now on Husband Number Three! Can you believe it? Numbers One and Two died of natural causes (I hear from my sources still in contact with her), that cause being old age and having the burden of a huge bank account to worry about, whilst Number three seems to be a stable sort but ever so much younger than her. How does she do it? She always seemed so tame and meek, but I guess those are the ones that men fall for the quickest! I always thought that girls with red hair had such a disadvantage in life, being forever looking like matchsticks about to be struck, but as time passes I see that actually this is an asset to a woman. I may even think of getting a little 'touch up' myself, as this brown is getting a little dowdy and I am far too old to copy Anne Widdicombe and become a blonde. We shall see what the season ahead brings. I shudder to think that I may be white haired under this all, but then I remark on how steely and smart your own grey hair is - efficient, stalwart but just a little too boring for me. I have my position as Chief of the clan to think of and nobody wants to see a grey haired old woman sitting at high table or attending the Games!
This year I have had an invitation from Clan Deere (Great Lakes Division) to attend their Summer Highland Games. I shall see if the estate funds will be able to cope with a trip for me. I shall not take Sir Hector with me this year as Americans get really confused with him having a different name to me and think that he is the Chief! That has to be nipped in the bud as far as I am concerned. I am a Lady, Chief and Peeress in my own right and I am subject to no man. Goodness I sound like a militant Liberationist from 1972! You know what I mean. I notice that London has been lucky to avoid most of the bad weather the rest of us have suffered. I think that could be in part due to all the hot air going about with the Olympic 2012 bid. It would be good to have the Olympics in the UK again but I am not sure that London is the best place, given all the transport problems, but I wait to be corrected on that issue, as on so many others!
Yours as always, Flora
This story first appeared on www.panetwork.co.uk in 2005