I should have written back much sooner to thank you for your amazingly kind offering but I was so taken aback I haven’t been sure what to say!… I find this so hard because I don’t want to deny you pleasure of giving but I really would feel bad about accepting such a generous gift when we’re not desperate. I hope you understand and aren’t offended. I really appreciate it.
Then we went to X for more pressies and a lovely Christmas dinner… I made the mistake of forgetting to ring and thank her – despite thinking of it several times at inconvenient or impractical moments – and she rang saying she hadn’t slept for worrying she’d done something to upset us! Oh dear – I felt so guilty.
Disaster! In Feb. I wrote an answer to a Christmas card from the old lady with our surname whom we met. Promptly by return I had a letter with various photos of her family, the cathedral and a plate painted with the family arms. I shoved it in my writing case and forgot all about it – until last week when I had a very distant little note, more in sorrow than anger, supposing that since I ‘hadn’t bothered’ to answer it, she had ‘presumed too much’. Oh dear – we haven’t actually established any kinship, any more than with the one who lives down the road, but I felt very guilty, and a large portion of humble pie has been posted this morning!
I’ve cheated, I’ve cheated, I’ve cheated! Your exciting parcels arrived today and having seen the label – for the first time ever I just couldn’t resist opening my birthday present – I know I shouldn’t have. (‘To err is human but isn’t it divine’!) It’s a gorgeous ‘pack’ and I’ve left everything I’d planned to play with it all day – with X popping in at intervals asking humbly if he could have a cuppa or dinner early cos of choir. Thank you very much.
Thamk-you formy lovely PResent. It is very usefulto keepmy bits in I hAd A nice Birthday PARty 8 children came. It is very Hot here. 33 c to day. We Have Twoswims. A day aT SCHool to keep cool. I can swim A wHole lengtH of the pool. I Have Swollen glAnds In myneck but no sore throat I have a croaky voice and some medcine to make it better. Our doctor. and Na-rse people to play with. I have draw you a buHergly with My super. inks. Hope you are well. Lots oF love
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