It was wonderful to have you here for the week-end. And what a busy week-end it was! Now we are back to the drudgery of the weekdays, though I feel sometimes that I would benefit from the addition of a few more hours' time to each day in order to accomplish all that I would like.
The servants are getting on with their work again, but I must supervise and yes, even assist, as usual. I was pleased with myself for hauling Hazel (the floor cleaner, as you must remember) all the way up the stairs, for she could do with losing a few pounds! Once up there, she performed admirably, so it was worth the trouble, but it is rather daunting at the best of times to navigate the stairs with her.
Our preparations for the arrival of the Henriksons is going well. I have ordered a guest bed to be delivered so that Nathaniel might make use of it. As you children are all getting older, I fear that the indignity of sleeping on floors will no longer suffice. I reassure myself that this is a good investment, however, because I am certain that the bed will also be of great value when your aunt and cousins come to visit.
Bentley and Wheatley have engaged themselves just now in playing with a length of pink and green ribbon. I know not its origin, but they find it most intriguing. I do hope it is not from one of your bonnets! If it is, I shall have to make it up to you, for I cannot bear to take it away from them.
You can see how very pleased Wheatley is with himself for having unravelled the end. When I arose to capture this image of the two conspirators, I discovered that Bentley had also stolen my knitting from the ottoman. The small curve of material at the right edge of the image is my work in progress. I do not find this sort of behaviour particularly helpful. I begin to think that I shall have to keep my knitting in a higher place.
I very much enjoyed our visit to Pandora, and I must thank you again for inviting me along. The people there are all so charming. Or at least some of them are charming, and those that are not are so peculiar and fascinating that I cannot imagine leaving them out of our adventures.
I hear the Postman, which reminds me to tell you that you must look out for a small package arriving on Wednesday. I suppose that it may not be available for you to procure until Thursday, if the past is any sort of yardstick. The box contains another physick preparation, as well as a small surprise.
George and Katrina have just arrived home from their studies. George has procured some sort of cake from the office and is devouring it with great gusto. It was very cunningly made, with a little spider perched atop the frosting. Never fear, it was not a true sugared spider (as they no doubt feast upon in Barbarous France ) but rather a cherry with legs fashioned from shreds of cocoanut meat - very clever indeed! I was troubled to learn from him that one of his classmates suffered a seizure during class today. I hope that the young man is recovered. (It was nothing to do with the spiders or cakes, so pray do not fret for your brother's health.)
I am sorry that I have not more news, but I must continue my preparations for our company, and I am also collecting things from around the house for the Charity Man, who will be coming by tomorrow - and at extremely short notice! But perhaps my haste will give me more ruthlessness in choosing what to send out. Later tonight will find me chasing around the infernal inflated ball again. I hope that I shall be able to put it away in the net once or twice.
I hope you are keeping well!
All my love,
Mumsy
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