Good morning, board friends,

It's been a worrisome few days with Mlle. de Guerre. She is still embarrassed by her faux pas of mistaking Dr. Moore for someone else. Mlle. is usually more observant than that -- I believe she was distracted by her fashion opinions and did not look closely at the picture. No doubt a carefully worded note of apology, written in black ink on the cream linen note cards, will be forthcoming soon. Of course, I have known for some time that Mlle. does rather badly need reading glasses but she will not hear of it. "Moi?" she will say. "I have the eyes most young! " Well, if that's what she wishes to believe.

In the meantime, Lent is upon us. So many of our friends feel that it has been Lent for them for the past six months, but we have been fortunate here to have the repairs made and the house somewhat restored. Mlle. has decided to give up her dark chocolate raspberry creams, and has entrusted the last box of them to me for hiding. She means well, but she knows, as you say here "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." Better they be put away. But where? I have it -- I shall secrete them behind my three-volume biography of Lord Nelson. She would never look there.

I have not decided what to give up. As one goes further down life's road, one's pleasures become more intangible -- birdsong in the early hours, sunsets, the companionship of beloved friends, even pets. Not things one can do without. I had thought of giving up my participation on this board. Friends have prevailed upon me to rethink. So much goes on here that is not good, not worthy, they say, that the old friends must do what they can to maintain. A day is coming, they remind me, when we shall need this avenue of communication and friendship. We must not surrender it to those who are even now misusing and abusing its hospitality. We must keep this road open. So I think I shall not give up, but rather I shall take on new tasks.

In the meantime, duty calls. Dominique, our gentleman cat, is asking for his morning repast and brushing, and then I must update Mlle.'s address book (a never-ending task. She knows half of Western civilization.)

A good day to you all,

Sincerely,

Hermione Angleterre, Social Secretary to Monique de Guerre