to be forced to marry into the house of Dracul-Palanquin?

[Hullygully]

Hellooooo. It is indeed echoey in here. Mistress Sybil is no doubt exhausted after a night at the cove. How noble of her to read uplifting pamphlets to the rogue pirate!

I am back in Freedonia IPOAT Hall after my pleasant sojourn on the Isles of Emerald and Albion.

So many tasks to avoid, I shall take a stroll to the herb-drying shed to see if Mistress Mini is hard at work. I feel the need of a morning restorative.

I am indeed a-posseting in the shed. Here try this new tincture, Miss Fiderer, to celebrate your return, the undergardener has missed you greatly, he does not know where to put his seeds.

I am quite revived after Mistress Mini's tincture. And so kind of her to engage the undergardener in helping me with my dryness by his seeds. I can almost feel the moistness from my escritoire.

Zzzzzzz

The Under-Gardener shows such promise. The panels of the glass-house in the kitchen garden steamed up so much I hardly dare think what a passerby might have thought.
We have made much progress with his seeds. There was a great deal of damping off and hardening off. All is moist and bursting with vigour.

What ails Mistress Honeydragon? I hope it is not the Transylvanian Neck Condition which brings on such languor?

She is probably tending Mr Rochester's leg.

Hail fair maidens. I have just returned from the lush vineyards of approximately Southern France. It seems many of my erstwhile companions have sojourned elsewhere also. I took only the one husband with me, I had no need of more. It was a very happy time. We will always have Paris etc. Meanwhile it seems that you have been fraternising with pirates. DS is very keen on them. He has very impressive pirate hat. I am afraids only 3... though that he i

Am not at all sure about Mistress Honey and Mister Rochester's leg in the attic. Is the rest of Mister Rochester there also? She seemed rather fatigued. Laudanum perchance?
Alas we have no lush vineyards on the IPOAT Estate, although I might just stroll down to the haha and ask the Undergardener if he would be up to the challenge.

Oh Ladies... My heart is glad to see you all safely returned. I have missed your tinctures and tisanes. Cook has been very demanding in your absence. I fear for the stocks so carefully distilled prepared.

The curate has been a regular visitor but he has been downcast of late. He will not respond to my continual nagging concerns for his wellbeing.

Mistress Belle, how nice to see you. You do, my dear, look rather wearied after your weeks of shackling supervising Cook and the rest of the staff.

Sad that the curate is downcast and cannot perform as expected. Curates are rather fickle and temperamental I fear. Also unnaturally pale and unnecessarily troubled by their consciences.

I suggest we adjourn to the distillery herb-drying shed and take stock, both of our much needed tisanes and possets and tinctures, and of our needs for the Time to Come. For when all our Ladies and Gels have returned safely to IPOAT Hall, we shall need to be strong and calm.

I already see some glimmer of hope for us atop amongst the Undergardeners

I'm sure that I would feel greatly restored after one of your excellent <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=cocktail&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&sa=N&tbo=d&tbm=isch&tbnid=-gOfwNnA9H9JfM:&imgrefurl=www.cointreau.com/cocktails/creative-cocktails/cointreau-teese-305.html&docid=SANNOxt3VblK9M&w=370&h=437&ei=SDA9TsyaNJDOswaCwegQ&zoom=1&biw=1024&bih=690" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">tisanes.

I have indeed learned much from Mistress Mini.
This is one my favourite tisanes.

Don't worry about the vineyards gels, I do not drink .......wine. Had a lovely week in Scarborough on my return from Transelvania, hence my lack of communication for a week. 'twas very therapeutic.

I think Mistress Honey may well be right. We have no need of a vineyard. We have enough work with our distillery herb-drying shed. We must not overstretch ourselves.
Especially as after all the gallivanting this summer there will be much time needed for quiet reflection and tatting.
Plus the Undergardener is exhausted. Poor me chap.

I imagine this is what Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire felt during the Gordon Riots.

Its all a bit hectic down our way.

DrPoli - are you ok? In the wilds of West Yorkshire here so it's quiet thus far.

There was a hairy moment last night when a gang came on to the street and started shouting about doing the bookies first, but they then disappeared. But all night long people were up and down the street on their mobiles arranging to meet....

Lawks a mercy. Dr Poli. I would be scared shitless very frightened.
All quiet here in wild and woolly Hrfrdshire. We must strengthen the bolts on the herb drying shed, keep calm and tatt on.

I am currently tatting a fine set of warm and, more importantly, molotov cocktail-resistant vests for the brave men of the Kings Hussars...

Lawks and some more lawks. Just popping in to make sure the wild brigands of Hackney have left your virtue intact Mimi. Stiff upper lip and blitz spirit what what?

Sod the blitz, I am the sprit of the Revolution!

Dr Poli. You'll certainly be a distraction, get a vest on at once, or more appropriately a liberty bodice.

Lawks indeed. Admire your spirit.

I see you perhaps attired thus

plus accessories to avoid a chill.

That is certainly an eye catching outfit and most practical too.

She does rather resemble one of the Transylvanian locals our Ladies and Gels may have encountered.
I hope our IPOATs have a better bloom on them when they return.