Putting Pen To Paper

I've heard a lot of talk about how the email, the text message and the phone have killed the art of letter writing. Apparently there is nothing so delightful as receiving a proper letter among the circulars, bills and other assorted rubbish that plops on the doormat of a morning.

Imagine opening this cheery missive that wended its way from Scotland to Cully back in February 1965.

My Dear Friends,

Sorry for being so long in answering your very nice letter but Rowena* will have told you I was not in great form. Hattie is keeping fairly well. She didn't get much time to nurse her Aches & Pains since Xmas as the Dr has been in our house very often. The twins took Gastric Flu & Chicken Pox and Jackie has been off work for a week with Broken Ribs got at his work. I do hope Bertie has got over His Trouble. We have the Measles in our village just now. I do hope ours don't take them as they have had enough at present.....

And so on and so on....

Although she did finish by asking when they were coming over to visit. Personally speaking I'd not have gone near her Plague House but then I'm an uncharitable, unsympathetic bastard. At least Pearlie & Matty say I am. Except they don't say bastard.

Names, except Bert's and I do wonder what His Trouble was, have been changed to protect this unfortunate crew's privacy although they are all bound to be dead by now anyway.