Several among the staff suffer from summer catarrh. While in the past I was unaware such a complaint even existed, except in a housemaid’s imagination, I am NOW privy to the deeply irksome nature of this rogue condition. It comes on in June and goes off in August. It is as if the sun has taken a DISLIKE to me (and other sufferers).
My HOT eyes water and sneezing is an act of sheer VIOLENCE not easily smothered. (The mistress has accused me of taking snuff in work hours.) Added to that is a quick pulse and a degree of general indisposition and languor.
Some call it hay fever. I cannot believe it is the right name as it is a good ten minute walk to the nearest hay field from The Regency Town House. All I know is that it happens when the sun shines and is worse after crossing Brunswick Square.
It is the sneezing which is most noticeable to ignorant outsiders. I was handed this rhyme by a jovial personage who laughed when I knocked over a jug of buttermilk during a recent involuntary explosion.
Sneeze on Monday, you sneeze for danger; Sneeze on Tuesday, you kiss a stranger; Sneeze on Wednesday, you sneeze for a letter; Sneeze on Thursday for something better; Sneeze on Friday, you’ll sneeze for sorrow; Sneeze on Saturday, your sweetheart to-morrow; Sneeze on a Sunday your safety seek, The devil will have you the rest of the week!
I pass it on in case it gives you some comfort. It brings me NONE. What WILL bring comfort is your help.
The PROPER Way to Write a Book: Stage 3
You may remember that I am writing a book. I must NOW choose a title: one that compels a reader to pick it up, one that necessitates their opening it, one that sticks in the MEMORY and dances on the tongue when they are commending it to a friend.
A few words have to do a great deal of work. Will you help me find the RIGHT words?
Which of these would you choose?
(A) A Housekeeper’s Homely Homily
(B) The Brighton Guide to Life, Love and Laxatives
(C) Head, Heart, Hearth: Mrs Finnegan Knows it All
For QUICKNESS sake put A, B, or C in the comments below. I need YOUR VOTE
A few DEVOTED supporters have written to ask how many chapters I have completed. Am I near the end?
I understand the impatience. I share it. But as I have explained I have been sorely inflicted with summer catarrh and sneezing does NOT go well with a FLUID prose style.
It is impossible to EXAGGERATE the importance of our small but perfectly formed FREE subscription service. SIGN UP and Mrs Finnegan will send you a brief note when EVER she writes anything new. You need never miss another word… Click HEREand a gentleman from The Regency Town Housewill deliver it by hand.*
C – Dear Friend is more like Mrs. F. A – Rolls well but ‘Humble’ doesn’t spark my attention and Mrs. F should be proud. May I suggest a spoonful of local honey daily to help hay fever?
B. The importance of alliterations can’t be over-estimated but it’s equally important that they draw attention to a succinct summary of the content of the narrative – and makes the reader smile at the juxtaposition of the chosen topics.
Sorry for the duplicate vote; I tried to delete one of them but must not have succeeded. I enjoy the emails from The Regency Townhouse so much. Any chance that those maps pictured on the floor could be published as a booklet? I’d certainly buy one. Thanks for your good work.
Sorry I left a duplicate vote; I couldn’t tell it had posted. I truly enjoy all the communications from The Regency Townhouse and look forward to each. Any possibility the maps shown in a house photo in this emailing could be made into a booklet for sale? I’d certainly buy one. Thanks, Pat
The way this website works is that if it’s your first time posting a comment I have to approve it so there’s usually a delay in it being published. However, after that they should appear straightaway, but that hasn’t happened…think I need to sit poised over my keyboard for the next few days.
I will pass your comments onto the newsletter team – fascinating issue this month and I’d buy a booklet of those maps! It’s a privilege to have them and we are carefully considering our options
Dear Mrs. Finnegan, I love all your titles but think I have to pick B, closely followed by C. Best of luck with your book. Does your delivery service stretch to the colonies, namely Canada?
Thank you Rosemary for voting and I am sorry it took so long to appear on this website. (Choose one: Technical difficulties/ laziness/ forgetfulness/ Mrs Finnegan holidaying in the green & lovely village of Croydon…)
BRIDGET WHELAN writer 
C
Very helpful
[A]
We share a fondness for alliteration, I think
… it was what attracted me. And we are in good company… I cite ‘Pride and Prejudice’ ‘Sense and Sensibility’….
A! C’s my backup
Always wise to have a Plan B
C – Dear Friend is more like Mrs. F. A – Rolls well but ‘Humble’ doesn’t spark my attention and Mrs. F should be proud. May I suggest a spoonful of local honey daily to help hay fever?
Thank you, you are quite right. Honey is the answer to most problems.
‘C’ for me!
Thank you, Glen
I go for B
That you Cathy
B!
Interesting…
C definitely!
Glad you’re so sure
C
Thank you Sandra
Option C, but I prefer simply, “Head, Heart, Hearth”.
Now there’s an idea…
C
Thank you!
C please
Mrs Finnegan approves of good manners
C.
Thank you
B; it’s the easiest to say.
Good point!
A
Thank you, Anne
B (with C as backup). Love from Michigan ❤
Warm regards from East Sussex
C please 🙏
You ask so nicely!
B. The importance of alliterations can’t be over-estimated but it’s equally important that they draw attention to a succinct summary of the content of the narrative – and makes the reader smile at the juxtaposition of the chosen topics.
Well put
C
Thank you Rupert
B It’s the one that instantly captures my imagination.
Good to know
C
Thank you Ann
B for me 😊
I’m glad you like it.
B if it please you.
Amelia! Amelia! such perfect manners
[B] – Got my interest piqued!
That’s the response Mrs F was hoping for.
B!
It is exceedingly useful to know that.
[B] Had my imagination piqued!
Again?
Ha ha clearly a multiple pique!
B is the best …but C is almost as good.
Always good to have a back up plan
C of course.
Thank you – there’s something about the of course that gives your reply a certain weight & depth of seriousness
C – because it gives a better indication of what the book’s about than the other two
Excellent point.
C because that one is the most truthful
It’s the part that says Mrs F knows it all, isn’t it? She will be pleased.
B
Thank you for letting us know.
Eileen C definitely
A very definite response, thank you
C
Don, your vote has been counted (and uch appreciated by Mrs Finnegan)
C
Thank you, Barbara. By the way, Mrs Finnegan says How do you do? which I believe means you are properly introduced.
B piques one’s interest!
Another one for B, thank you for your vote. Mrs Finnegan is keeping a careful record.
Option C seems most pleasing to me
And pleasing readers is very much on Mrs Finnegan’s mind. Thank you for your vote.
B
Thank you for casting your vote, Chrissie.
Option C reflects her best.
Is it the part that says, Mrs Finnegan knows it all?
A
Thank you for voting, Pat
A
You really REALLY like A, don’t you?
Sorry for the duplicate vote; I tried to delete one of them but must not have succeeded. I enjoy the emails from The Regency Townhouse so much. Any chance that those maps pictured on the floor could be published as a booklet? I’d certainly buy one. Thanks for your good work.
Sorry I left a duplicate vote; I couldn’t tell it had posted. I truly enjoy all the communications from The Regency Townhouse and look forward to each. Any possibility the maps shown in a house photo in this emailing could be made into a booklet for sale? I’d certainly buy one. Thanks, Pat
Hi Pat
The way this website works is that if it’s your first time posting a comment I have to approve it so there’s usually a delay in it being published. However, after that they should appear straightaway, but that hasn’t happened…think I need to sit poised over my keyboard for the next few days.
I will pass your comments onto the newsletter team – fascinating issue this month and I’d buy a booklet of those maps! It’s a privilege to have them and we are carefully considering our options
Dear Mrs. Finnegan, I love all your titles but think I have to pick B, closely followed by C. Best of luck with your book. Does your delivery service stretch to the colonies, namely Canada?
Dear Victoria I am pleased to say that Mrs F’s book will be available in the colonies and the former colonies as well.
C
Thank you Rosemary for voting and I am sorry it took so long to appear on this website. (Choose one: Technical difficulties/ laziness/ forgetfulness/ Mrs Finnegan holidaying in the green & lovely village of Croydon…)