With the
festive season upon us, I am in the throes of my annual round of pre Christmas,
early evening drinks gatherings. For once again it is my duty to entertain
local groups and dignitaries at The Hall.
Indeed, my hostess commitments, I note, increase on an annual
basis. This is mainly due to the many institutions whose inauguration I continue
to initiate, of course. And whilst it is true that some such bodies take a
while to gain momentum, I have always found a correctly worded, hand delivered
epistle or two stimulates sufficient interest.
This year I was obliged to commence social arrangements earlier
than usual as I have been frantically busy of late organising Christmas gift
parcels for the needy. Not that everything went to plan, a lack of efficiency
being far too commonplace in my experience. Yet despite my remonstrations there
has still been a lengthy delay in delivering the shoe polish and brush leather
bound gift sets for those needy people around the globe. I simply cannot
imagine their distress! Belated presents are no more acceptable than under
starched linen. Next year I will acquire my offerings from other, more
reliable, sources.
In the meantime I have decided to call
upon my wine merchant in order to sample his wares and choose an acceptable
selection of sherry for our New Year’s Eve cocktail party. Being preoccupied with
an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Haberdashery Society last year, I
foolishly left the choice to the manager of said establishment. My
disappointment, nay surprise, at his assortment warranted a stern rebuke. He
clearly is as unfamiliar with the notion of Vintage as he is unwilling to
extend his education. New World, I remonstrated, equates to inferior quality. The
latter has no place at Farthing Hall.
Whilst on the premises, I will also take the opportunity to
request a deliverer who shows a little more diligence than their previous employee.
It has taken the housemaid months to eliminate a brace of scuff marks from my watercolour
infused cellar walls following last December’s fiasco. Not that the youth
displayed any regret for his carelessness. Indeed, I am still astonished he was
permitted to visit valuable customers without first scrubbing his soiled
digits.
To think he could have fingered my aperitif.
