Letter 18
01/02/23 14:29
My Dearest Bunty,
I was gladdened to hear that the Countess has made a full recovery, what a wonder modern medicine can be! I am sure you are filling her up with decent broths taken from Clare MacDonald of MacDonald's cookbooks. What a shame to see someone of her stature reduced to running a catering establishment, but I believe her recipes are quite delicious. Our new cook has started and seems to be settling in although there was a bit of a clash of personalities between her and Catriona, our sturdy Estate Manager, after her first few days. Needless to say it was all over nothing and I am sure that the air has been cleaned. You know what they say about two women in the same kitchen - that is why I avoid going into the place, despite my late visit before Hogmanay to get the American bankers some soup. Did I tell you that we received a lovely letter on headed paper from the leader of the group? He was most enthusiastic about the time they spent in our little home and he says he will be brining his US boss up the next time he comes over from Chicago. At least I shall have something in common with him, as I loved the reception I got at the Chicago Highland Games when I was there in 1984 or 1985. Such kindness, and such a large amount of dollars donated to the Deerestalker Trust Fund! I was most impressed.
Such a lot has been going on recently. Dr Williams took his translation to Cornwall after all and the Primus of Scotland installed his replacement last Sunday. The new Episcopal vicar looks to me to be on the slight side and I hope he survives the cold blasts of weather and of suggestion (from me of course) about the Prayer book. You know how I love 'The Book of Common Prayer' and I am not at all happy with the new happy-clappy form of Sunday worship that the young people prefer. Still, his inaugural sermon was fairly good, not too many Biblical references as Dr Williams did, but wholesome and hearty none the less. The Primus turned down our invitation to come to tea after the ceremony, preferring to help Rev Battershaw to settle in to the vicarage. Rev Battershaw is divorced, can you believe it? She ran off with a Methodist I believe. No shame.
Still, a young man as Rev Battershaw will not be on his own for long as already I see some heads turning during service and some of the younger, and not so young, in the congregation seem to be very taken with his Rugby League physique. I shall have to invite him up for afternoon tea soon to find out more about him and his family. Battershaw is not a landed name from what I know, and perhaps you coming from minor landed stock will have heard more about his family. He originates from Yorkshire, but I shall not hold that against him unless proved otherwise. I am sure he will do well for increasing the numbers attending the Sunday service.
His arrival has put some of the young men in the village out of sorts. The unkindest ones are taken aback about his appearance and arrival and seeming attraction to the ladies in the village! Well and good I say as some of them need to smarten up their appearance to attract the fairer sex. Far too many youths walking about in hooded sweatshirts and tops for my liking. Just like a huddle of Franciscan monks sometimes in the Post Office where many of them cash their Giro cheques from Mr Gordon Brown. I shudder to think that some of these will be applying for the seasonal jobs on the Estate come the springtime as some of the SAGA coach party ladies will be most put out by the appearance of them. I shall suggest to Sir Hector that this year we formalise a uniform, even if it is from Alexander's Workwear and is polyester, at least with the facial piercing removed some of them will smarten up quite well.
There has been a change in the weather on the Estate and the damp days are still with us. I long for the first shoot of bluebell to appear in the woods as that sees the start of our money-making schemes for the Summer! And I say this quietly, I think it is going to be a bumper year.
Yours as always, Flora
This story first appeared on www.panetwork.co.uk in 2004
I was gladdened to hear that the Countess has made a full recovery, what a wonder modern medicine can be! I am sure you are filling her up with decent broths taken from Clare MacDonald of MacDonald's cookbooks. What a shame to see someone of her stature reduced to running a catering establishment, but I believe her recipes are quite delicious. Our new cook has started and seems to be settling in although there was a bit of a clash of personalities between her and Catriona, our sturdy Estate Manager, after her first few days. Needless to say it was all over nothing and I am sure that the air has been cleaned. You know what they say about two women in the same kitchen - that is why I avoid going into the place, despite my late visit before Hogmanay to get the American bankers some soup. Did I tell you that we received a lovely letter on headed paper from the leader of the group? He was most enthusiastic about the time they spent in our little home and he says he will be brining his US boss up the next time he comes over from Chicago. At least I shall have something in common with him, as I loved the reception I got at the Chicago Highland Games when I was there in 1984 or 1985. Such kindness, and such a large amount of dollars donated to the Deerestalker Trust Fund! I was most impressed.
Such a lot has been going on recently. Dr Williams took his translation to Cornwall after all and the Primus of Scotland installed his replacement last Sunday. The new Episcopal vicar looks to me to be on the slight side and I hope he survives the cold blasts of weather and of suggestion (from me of course) about the Prayer book. You know how I love 'The Book of Common Prayer' and I am not at all happy with the new happy-clappy form of Sunday worship that the young people prefer. Still, his inaugural sermon was fairly good, not too many Biblical references as Dr Williams did, but wholesome and hearty none the less. The Primus turned down our invitation to come to tea after the ceremony, preferring to help Rev Battershaw to settle in to the vicarage. Rev Battershaw is divorced, can you believe it? She ran off with a Methodist I believe. No shame.
Still, a young man as Rev Battershaw will not be on his own for long as already I see some heads turning during service and some of the younger, and not so young, in the congregation seem to be very taken with his Rugby League physique. I shall have to invite him up for afternoon tea soon to find out more about him and his family. Battershaw is not a landed name from what I know, and perhaps you coming from minor landed stock will have heard more about his family. He originates from Yorkshire, but I shall not hold that against him unless proved otherwise. I am sure he will do well for increasing the numbers attending the Sunday service.
His arrival has put some of the young men in the village out of sorts. The unkindest ones are taken aback about his appearance and arrival and seeming attraction to the ladies in the village! Well and good I say as some of them need to smarten up their appearance to attract the fairer sex. Far too many youths walking about in hooded sweatshirts and tops for my liking. Just like a huddle of Franciscan monks sometimes in the Post Office where many of them cash their Giro cheques from Mr Gordon Brown. I shudder to think that some of these will be applying for the seasonal jobs on the Estate come the springtime as some of the SAGA coach party ladies will be most put out by the appearance of them. I shall suggest to Sir Hector that this year we formalise a uniform, even if it is from Alexander's Workwear and is polyester, at least with the facial piercing removed some of them will smarten up quite well.
There has been a change in the weather on the Estate and the damp days are still with us. I long for the first shoot of bluebell to appear in the woods as that sees the start of our money-making schemes for the Summer! And I say this quietly, I think it is going to be a bumper year.
Yours as always, Flora
This story first appeared on www.panetwork.co.uk in 2004