So We Are Old Fashioned - Who Cares

Dear Susan. Sorry for the late reply. I’ve been in hospital for the last two weeks with a stupid chest infection. Honestly I can’t believe how many I have had in the last year. Remember how I told you the specialist wanted to do ‘invasive’ tests on me, well he still does, but I’m not having any of it! At my age! Anyway forget about that…how are you doing now? Did you get my card? The mail is so unpredictable these days. I know you will be very lonely without your beautiful dog but at least he wasn’t in pain when he died. Remember that corgi I had all those years ago and the mess he used to make of the garden? I was glad when he went to tell the truth – oh that sounded like he died but it was back to that lovely couple who went away for the six months and I looked after him for them.

I’m still having trouble with the neighbours. Honestly I don’t understand the youth of today. The language is getting worse. I blame the parents! They need to teach the kids from the get-go that bad language isn’t very nice. I think they are scared to half the time. Imagine if our kids talked to us the way they do today to their mums and dads. My John would have gone crazy – would have said “It’s my way or the highway”….

Jenny is pregnant again. The last one is only seventeen months old. She’ll have her hands full, but Jeff is really good. That’s one thing about some of the dads of today – they do help a lot around the house. I remember asking John a couple of times if he could help with the cleaning and to be honest I wish I hadn’t. He moaned and groaned the whole time he was vacuuming banged the furniture and did a shocking job of it, so I never asked him again. You know Sarah’s husband stays at home and looks after the children, can you believe it? Well she has a really good, well-paying job. It makes sense to me but can you imagine John or Fred doing that? I expect we’ll see a lot more of it soon.

I’ve nearly finished the quilt I was making. I’m not sure who to give it to as they’ve all got one now. I might just keep it. I’ve been looking at crocheting some rugs for the nursing home down the road. I know I’m older than a lot of them in there but I’d like to do something to help the ‘oldies’. Winter is coming soon and their little skinny legs need rugs over them when they’re sitting for so long.

I’ve decided to get a gardener in. I’ll still keep it looking nice and trim the bushes etc. but the mowing is getting a bit too much for me. I did ask Jeff but he wasn’t too keen. I understand they are busy with a young family and he does shift work. I’ve looked in the local paper and found a chap who is reasonable and doesn’t live far.

Oh I found some lovely articles in the local paper about Lincolnville. It brought back so many memories about the holidays our families would have each year. What about the fish and chips the little shop made – delicious. I haven’t tasted fish and chips to rival those one ever. The kids had so much fun. They were outside playing, swimming, catching crabs in their little nets for hours. Oh well I can’t dwell on that, I’ll get sad. I’ve posted the articles to you so you should get them in a week or so.

Anyway my lovely and dear friend, I shall say goodbye for now and hope that this reaches you in good health. I’m sorry that the handwriting is a bit scrappy but the arthritis is playing up a little – it does occasionally. Take care of yourself and write back when you find the time. I love looking in the letter box each day waiting for my letter. Oh by the way, tell me how the book club that you started is progressing and if you’ve done any more painting in the house?

Love Annexxxxx

Dear Anne. Thank you for your newsy letter. I’m very happy to hear that you are well again after yet another chest infection. That always was your ‘Achilles heel’ so to speak, even when we were a lot younger you would get a chest infection most winters.

Well you sound as busy as ever. You are so lucky having Grandchildren. I wish mine would get a hurry on and give me some! Please give Jenny a big hug from me.

I haven’t received your card yet but I did feel all your love for me being telepathically sent when Charlie died. (I still have to scatter his ashes, although I was actually thinking of buying a rose bush to put in the garden with his ashes under it – he loved this garden and there must be loads of bones buried around the place!)  I expect the card will come soon, although you never know with the mail these days. The little girl next door calls it ‘snail mail’! Talking of the little girl next door – who is a very polite and well-mannered girl, unlike your neighbours – well I’m very sad to say that they are moving out soon. Her dad has got a job up North and as he’s been out of work for at least six months, he can’t say no really. I shall miss them as they have been such good neighbours and I think it’s fair to say that I’ve been a good substitute Grandma for the little girl.  Oh well, life moves on doesn’t it.

I must say when you mentioned Lincolnville in your letter; it did conjure up all thoughts and memories of the fun we used to have there. Remember the time we all went out in that little dinghy and you fell into the river? That was so funny. I know you didn’t think so at the time, but later on in the evening as we all sat around the camp fire, we had a good old laugh about it. I asked the little girl next door if she had been camping and to my surprise she hasn’t. The only holidays she knows is in fancy hotels and swish pools. I can’t help but feel that to never experience camping is to really miss out, but that’s just my opinion. I expect a lot of today’s young families would think it is too much like hard work.

I forgot to tell you in my last letter that our local council has started computer studies for seniors! I’d love to know all about this new computer I have. It’s been sitting here for months since Steven gave it to me. All I do is dust it! It’s ridiculous really. I thought Anne, that if you could get hold of a computer – you can always ask Jeff to help you with that task, or better still to get one for you, then we can email each other! That way we can write to each other every day if we want to – what do you think of that suggestion? We can email things that we think of immediately and not try to remember them for when we next write to each other! Of course it will take a little while before I will know what I’m doing but if you could get a computer installed in the meantime? I don’t think they are too expensive but knowing Jeff, he will know someone, who knows someone who is willing to sell a computer cheaply!!

I went to the movies last weekend and saw the latest James Bond movie. It seems like a dying art, going to the movies with all the DVD’s you can watch at home now, but I enjoyed it. I sat there with my ice-cream, five other people in the cinema and had a great time.

I’m still walking each day and have lost the few kilos I had put on lately. I think it’s because when I’m a bit down, like when Charlie died, I just eat all the time! But with this beautiful weather I don’t mind going out for a walk. There are some owls living in the tree at the park, so after my walk I sit on the wooden bench and just watch the mother at work.

Anyway love I will sign off now and hope that this reaches you in good health. Write back when you have a chance, and I will wait in anticipation for the articles on Lincolnville.

Love Susan. Xxxxx

It had been seven weeks since Susan had posted her last letter to Anne, and it was an unusually long time to wait for a reply from her friend. She hadn’t even got the cut outs about Lincolnville that Anne had sent to her before the last letter. She had her computer all set up on the kitchen table and since starting her course at the local community hall had been practicing each day. It was definitely getting easier even though now she seemed to be going off the daily practice and wondering if it would be ok every second or third day.

For the last couple of weeks she had checked her letter box at the end of the garden daily. She did have a cousin in America who wrote to her, but that was very sporadic and it certainly didn’t give her the same ‘lift’ as finding a letter from Anne in the metal box. “Ooh, a letter at last” Susan said aloud checking out the stamps. “New bird stamps too – very nice” she added. She went inside and made a cup of tea before sitting down on her favourite chair to read the letter from her friend.

Dear Susan. I am so terribly sorry for the late reply to your last letter. So much has happened that I’m not sure where to begin. Well here goes…

Those neighbours I told you about with the cheeky children have gone – well no one knows where to, but last Wednesday morning there was a removal truck out the front putting lots of furniture in from the house. I could hear a bit of ‘in house’ arguing and bad language but I’m quite used to that! The strange thing is when I came back from the shops it had gone and no one has seen hide or hair of any of the family. There seemed to be a cleaning company of sorts there the next day so maybe someone else will move in soon?

I got the gardener in – seems like a really nice chap. He did a very neat job of the lawn and even edged it. A lot of gardens don’t get edged and they look rather scruffy with the grass growing into the flower beds or the paths, but no, Jimmy, or was it Lenny? anyway he did it just as I like so I will be having him back again.

Oh I’ve found someone to give my finished quilt to – there’s an elderly lady in the nursing home I visit and she has an old rug on her bed that quite frankly need to go in the bin! It’g got more holes than material and is in a shocking state. There wouldn’t be any point in trying to repair it so I’ve decided to give it to her. She doesn’t know yet – when it’s finished, and that won’t be far away, I’ll just bring it in and pop it on her bed.

I do hope you get the articles about Lincolnville soon. I really want you to read one part that I’ve underlined with a biro – you’ll love it Susan…..I think!

I’ve taken a liking to having some ice cream each night after dinner – I’ll have to get out of the habit though as my dresses are feeling a little tight around the middle. It’s Jeff’s fault- he brings home the ‘seconds’ of the ice cream that his mate Tony wants to get rid of out of his shop. There is always at least a week to go before the ‘use by’ date on the container so that plenty of time!

Oh yes, so when Jeff was over I asked him about a computer – he’s asking around but thinks he may know someone who has one and wants to get rid of it. He wanted ME to give him a ring about it….I don’t know ‘diddly squat’ about computers – I’d be an embarrassment if the chap asked me one thing about them.

Anyway Susan I’ll sign off now and go and figure out what’s for dinner. I get bored with the same of thing but I’m just not sure about trying any of these ‘new age’ dishes.

Take care and write when you get the chance. Love Anne.xxxx

Dear Anne. Thank you for your wonderful newsy letter. I will reply to it this week but I just needed to let you know that my computer is all set up to write, or rather type my first letter to you. It’s ‘full steam ahead’ from my end. I have my own email address which you will get when you receive my first email to you. How are you going with your computer? Did Jeff manage to get you one? Hurry and write back and let me know. Actually how silly of me…how can you write an email to me when you don’t have my address? Write this in your address book Anne for when you need it.

Sue.James@gmail.com

Love Susanxxxxx

“Well Susan is going to get a shock when I type her an email later on – if only she knew that she’s not the only one ‘set up and rearing to go!” I only hope I can remember how to ‘get it going’, at least I know where the on/off switch is!” Anne said out loud, chuckling to herself.

“Oh I hope it isn’t too long til Anne gets herself a computer. I really feel like dropping her a line and posting it but I’ll be patient. I honestly have to say that she’s a little bit ‘dithery’ these days and never was a good speller but we’ll see what happens” Susan said to herself as she sat her new computer, thinking back to her younger days and never imagining for a second back then, that one day in the future there would be instant messages sent!

“Oh I have an email” Susan squealed out loud. “It’s from Anne – I can’t believe it.

She’s a sneaky one. Oooh let’s see what she’s written”.

DEAR susan than.k youfo ryour,letter. Ho9w areyour ComPuter studys goi

n.

Didyouget You8r cad yet/. Iwent to see thejAmes

Bondmovie And it5 was good. Im keepingmy senances shortbecAuse I am findi9ngthi s typing to hard too do. I saW peggyjameS at th4e movies she said to giveyou her  love, I amsingingoff  nOw becaUseits to difficUlT. Love Annexzxx

“Oh my goodness” sighed Susan after reading her email, that wasn’t good but let’s see how she progresses.

Dear Anne. That was a very good first attempt at typing an email. 10/10 for you….and a sticker! BUT…..

I’m not attending any more computer classes Anne. I don’t look forward to going and I have to tell you that I’m really not enjoying them. I don’t mind typing emails but it does give me a bit of neck ache after concentrating on trying to type the correct letters all the time, sore eyes too! But at least we are up with the times aren’t we?

I finally got the Lincolnville articles and I loved them. They took me back in time and I wallowed in nostalgia for quite a while. I did see that strange man in the photo that used to fancy you! Remember his ripped pants?

Sorry but I need to rub some heat on my neck – it’s started playing up.

I’ll expect a very long and newsy email from you soon

Anne. Love Susan xxx

Dear susan, Thiswill Be a shortnOte becausei dont Like TyPIng 8and IWaNt to  go Back t6o WRIting lettersaNd goingtotHe, postbox And finDInga letter AndI lookfo

Rward to It. PLeaSEundersTand.

LOVEAnne.xxxxcx

With no reply from Susan to the email Anne wished she had never written it. She was disappointed in herself for giving up and not practicing her typing and maybe, a tiny piece of her mind thought she should have gone to classes to learn, although the rest of her mind thought ‘why should I?…I’m getting old and I don’t want to type – I just want to write! I know what I’ll do…I’ll write her a note in a lovely card and post that. I’ll tell her that if she wants to continue with this ‘email business’ then she can but I shall be sending my ‘snail mail”!

Anne picked up the letters out of her mail box and scanned them – two bills and something written in Jeff’s handwriting. “Probably an invitation to Jenny’s 30^th” she said aloud, noticing a much smaller envelope, and realising it was Susan’s handwriting she ripped it open to find a little card inside. In Susan’s beautiful neat handwriting it read….

Dear Anne, thank you for your email and I agree! I can’t be bothered typing emails either! My neck is sore and my eyes ache after typing. I so look forward to finding an envelope from you in my mail box and reading your long newsy letters. Let’s not bother about what’s old fashioned or not. We enjoy the ancient art of letter writing so we shall keep doing it!

Take care. Love Susanxxxxx PS. As your email was so short last time, it is your turn to write a letter!