The Old and the New Guard

With a pressure cooker of a month upon us, I've spent a little more time than usual with my boys, The Palace Guard; Ben (on the left) is the head of the new recruits and Will one of the original members of The 7th. Being new, Ben was full of questions and excitement and even called Jeremy chiding him about making a move to be captain (a coup so soon, I thought). That would not happen under my watch of course, but I like his enthusiasm and informed him that he is entrusted with protecting The Palace from bad elements.

I arrived home to find the sweetest note from dear Constanza, a member of an old New England family of impeccable breeding and drinking.

"...let me say how very, very happy I am for you, and I might add, how glad I am to see you so well settled and happy in MB. I have over the years regaled friends with stories of you (don't worry, not ALL of the ones I could have told!), and I'm so very excited to have you back in my life again. You remind me of what's important.

Okay, I'll stop waxing sentimental. I know you have peasant uprisings to quash and guard uniforms to redesign. Have you done the wedding registry thing at any stores? If so, where? One wants to consider seriously just what gift befits a royal marriage.

I have a pretty extraordinarily busy spring, until about the middle of May. Perhaps in May or June I might come down for a weekend visit? I would utterly love to do that, and I am a suitably independent travel companion, I think my friends agree.

XXOO,

Constanza

I have been so extraordinary lucky throughout my life to have had the most interesting, intelligent, and fun friends, some of them for decades. They are my family and that family is readying to take in a new member.