Letter 26
11/03/23 14:33
My Dearest Bunty,
As you know it has been the Estate policy to open the grounds and House to the public on Easter Monday, but this year Easter falls so early that much of the necessary work will not be completed in time. I had to sadly agree with Catriona the Estate Manager that it was more important to have the grounds up to scratch and looking wonderful, and the House spring cleaned within an inch of its life, rather than to have coach loads of disappointed visitors remarking on the 'stoor and oose' - as she called it - on the picture frames and under the furniture. I must say I was most shocked at her as I think our winter charladies do a fine job but even I have seen some of the so-called 'oose' drifting across the Main Hall in the winter sunshine and I have had to sadly agree. Spring-cleaning is now at the top of the list of jobs to be done before the end of Easter. As if I had not enough to do in that period, what with my commitment to the Church at that time. I shall get the ladies who 'do' to bring in more cleaners in order to make the place spick and span.
Do you remember me writing about the new vicar in my local church? Well he has turned out to be just what we needed to revive the congregation. I still have my doubts about his short hair and fast motorcycle, but even I have to move with the times. He has struck up a good friendship with the local Kirk minister which should see great dividends as time progresses, not least at the Sales of Work and Jumble, although I NEVER go to the latter as it seems to be tables groaning with old and threadbare clothing not fit to be sent to the poor in Darkest Africa. However Sales of Work are great events, I do like the cake tables and allow Sir Hector to have a flutter or two on the Tombolla, where he only ever seems to win bottles of HP Sauce for all the tickets he buys. I will not have that in the House so he keeps it in one of the sheds, where he and Ruaraidh the gamekeeper I am sure have sneaky bacon sandwiches out of the range of my rather good nose! Men! What strange creatures they are, wanting to spoil lovely Ayrshire bacon with that mix of molasses and dates! The very idea! He says the same about my morning toast with Marmite, but it does remind me of breakfasts at Cheltenham Ladies College where that seemed to be the only spread available to us!
We had some samples of the shirt embroidery arrive the other day and I must say it is wonderful. I understand that a computerised Singer machine takes all the hard work out of this task and that it is only a few moments before the Crest is seen above the heart of the shirtfront. What a marvel technology is these days! I remember having some embroidery placed on my blouse for taking my Seat in the House of Lords and it took weeks for Granny Grogan, the local seamstress from the village to get it done, and even then it was nothing much to look at. Such a pity my ermines covered up the tweed suit I was forced to wear that day, as I would have made a stirring sight I can tell you.
Oh my lovely House! I have been following all the debates and to-ing and fro-ing going on in the last months as the Peers flex muscle over plans started in 'the other place' as we were told to call the House of Commons! I can see that the Lords has changed a lot since the Reforms and they seem no longer content just to meet old friends and dine in the Palace, and are expected to put in the hours as if they were in Trade! What a change, and I am sure, not for the better. How I miss an early afternoon tea waiting for the Law Lords to finish their reporting. I never was able to enter whilst they were debating, but I am sure it must have been thrilling to see the Great Brains at work. Most of them left the Chamber before we took up our deliberations. I myself stuck to things I know about: farming, landowning and occasionally fishing.
Yours as always, Flora
This story first appeared on www.panetwork.co.uk in 2005
As you know it has been the Estate policy to open the grounds and House to the public on Easter Monday, but this year Easter falls so early that much of the necessary work will not be completed in time. I had to sadly agree with Catriona the Estate Manager that it was more important to have the grounds up to scratch and looking wonderful, and the House spring cleaned within an inch of its life, rather than to have coach loads of disappointed visitors remarking on the 'stoor and oose' - as she called it - on the picture frames and under the furniture. I must say I was most shocked at her as I think our winter charladies do a fine job but even I have seen some of the so-called 'oose' drifting across the Main Hall in the winter sunshine and I have had to sadly agree. Spring-cleaning is now at the top of the list of jobs to be done before the end of Easter. As if I had not enough to do in that period, what with my commitment to the Church at that time. I shall get the ladies who 'do' to bring in more cleaners in order to make the place spick and span.
Do you remember me writing about the new vicar in my local church? Well he has turned out to be just what we needed to revive the congregation. I still have my doubts about his short hair and fast motorcycle, but even I have to move with the times. He has struck up a good friendship with the local Kirk minister which should see great dividends as time progresses, not least at the Sales of Work and Jumble, although I NEVER go to the latter as it seems to be tables groaning with old and threadbare clothing not fit to be sent to the poor in Darkest Africa. However Sales of Work are great events, I do like the cake tables and allow Sir Hector to have a flutter or two on the Tombolla, where he only ever seems to win bottles of HP Sauce for all the tickets he buys. I will not have that in the House so he keeps it in one of the sheds, where he and Ruaraidh the gamekeeper I am sure have sneaky bacon sandwiches out of the range of my rather good nose! Men! What strange creatures they are, wanting to spoil lovely Ayrshire bacon with that mix of molasses and dates! The very idea! He says the same about my morning toast with Marmite, but it does remind me of breakfasts at Cheltenham Ladies College where that seemed to be the only spread available to us!
We had some samples of the shirt embroidery arrive the other day and I must say it is wonderful. I understand that a computerised Singer machine takes all the hard work out of this task and that it is only a few moments before the Crest is seen above the heart of the shirtfront. What a marvel technology is these days! I remember having some embroidery placed on my blouse for taking my Seat in the House of Lords and it took weeks for Granny Grogan, the local seamstress from the village to get it done, and even then it was nothing much to look at. Such a pity my ermines covered up the tweed suit I was forced to wear that day, as I would have made a stirring sight I can tell you.
Oh my lovely House! I have been following all the debates and to-ing and fro-ing going on in the last months as the Peers flex muscle over plans started in 'the other place' as we were told to call the House of Commons! I can see that the Lords has changed a lot since the Reforms and they seem no longer content just to meet old friends and dine in the Palace, and are expected to put in the hours as if they were in Trade! What a change, and I am sure, not for the better. How I miss an early afternoon tea waiting for the Law Lords to finish their reporting. I never was able to enter whilst they were debating, but I am sure it must have been thrilling to see the Great Brains at work. Most of them left the Chamber before we took up our deliberations. I myself stuck to things I know about: farming, landowning and occasionally fishing.
Yours as always, Flora
This story first appeared on www.panetwork.co.uk in 2005