I Suppose I Should Have Told You This Before…Mrs Finnegan Apologises

Last Sunday was Whit Sunday, also known as Pentecost. It celebrates the Holy Ghost descending upon the apostles and Mary, the mother of Jesus. He spread light, wisdom and very impressive language skills around. It is also the UNLUCKIEST day of the year.

WHY? I have no idea but it is very unlucky for:

• Water – keep well away from any puddle, pool or river that is deep enough to cover your ANKLES. To be honest, I do not wash on Whit Sunday. Why take the risk?
• Being Ill – it could last all year
• Being BORN – if a calf or a foal is born on Whit Sunday sell it. Treat human babies born on this day with gentle kindness as it is said that they will either kill or be killed. You want them to know happy times if their life is to end in TRAGEDY and you do not want them to hold a grudge against you, if things should turn out otherwise.

By the way, Whit Sunday is also a very GOOD DAY for accidents. Normally I would advise you to stay indoors but the day has come and gone. Perhaps you will be bear it in mind for next year.

The PROPER Way to Write a Book Stage 2

I am PLEASED to report that I have completed the second – and essential – stage with very satisfactory results.
I now have SEVEN excellent quill pens at my disposal each one handmade by myself. I used only the largest, finest and strongest feathers from a particularly fine flock of geese, careful to select from the first five flight feathers on a wing. I then washed them carefully.

If you want to make your own at home I suggest allowing the fluffy, feathery part to dry for a good 12 hours before getting to work, however, you need to soak the tip of the hollow shaft overnight. It is as strong as an iron railing and you need to soften it up before you start. Some use hot water for this purpose, plunging it later into hot sand that has been baked in the oven to harden it up. (I know without asking that the cook would put up a fierce argument and this is a battle I choose not to fight while we are in rhubarb season. Her crumble is legendary.)

Next cut the tip of the shaft at a steep angle with a sharp pen knife. This takes skill and practice. I started with a dozen feathers and ended up with seven quills. How much of the actual feathery bits you shave off is down to personal taste but ALWAYS leave a tuff at the end to prevent poking yourself in the eye.

Make a slit at the top centre of the shaft. Be careful not to crack it. Shape the shaft either side of the slit and thin the tip by scraping the inside with your knife.

Now you are all set to write your masterpiece. And so am I.

Oh dear.
Oh VERY dear.

Mrs Finnegan is HOUSEKEEPER at The Regency Town House in Brunswick Square, a GLORIOUS part of Brighton and Hove, abutting the blue-grey seas of the English Channel.

She is also about to become AN AUTHOR. Now that the ink has been made and quills cut, we are CONFIDENT her progress will be as swift as it is stylish.
What is she writing?
Find out NEXT TIME when your advice about a title will be sought. Make sure you don’t MISS this rare opportunity by signing up to her FREE subscription service. Click HERE  and you will be sent a brief note whenever she writes anything worth reading