the young french bride

10:21 PM | Labels: chère Charlotte, fiction

A couple of weeks I ago I shared the imaginary correspondence between a very traditional mother and her soon-to-be-bride daughter. Today the daughter is setting up home and maman would like to lend a helping hand...

Ma très chère Charlotte, how I miss you ma chérie ... I think of you during the day, wondering how you are getting on in your new home; wondering if I should come across to see you and lend a hand ...

Of course, if you needed any help with cleaning or tidying then I would bring Marie-Jeanne with me, I'm sure I don't know how I would have managed in this big chateau if I hadn't had her help over the years.

Why, only yesterday, once she had finished cleaning all the silver, and I suggested she did the copper saucepans too, I said to her "I can't believe how much has to be done to keep a big place like this spick and span". Not that I ever get much conversation out of dear Marie-Jeanne , she's forever rushing around, I'm sure she should take more time to relax ....

But back to you and your home my dear, I wondered if you'd like my second set of silver. I'm sure that Philippe would like you to host some dinners and entertain your friends, and that silver does make quite a show you know.

Let me know what you think, and when I can visit

your loving Mama.

~~ oOo ~~

Chère Charlotte

Yes, of course I have heard of IKEA, but I didn't think I'd know anyone who actually shops there!
How sad darling, that you and Philippe are on such a tight budget. Why ever won't you let me give you some porcelain and the silver I mentioned. Or rather why ever won't Philippe come to work in Papa's firm, I'm sure that your papa would be perfectly happy to give him a good job with a fine salary, and then you could live .... well, you know ... as you should.

Darling, if Philippe worked for Papa, then you could stay at home and maybe ... start planning a nursery .....

your mama who wishes to help

~~ oOo ~~

All right Charlotte, please don't go on at me like one of those raving feminists on some horrible television show. Even if I don't understand why you want to work, I will accept it. In my time no young wife was expected to busy herself outside of the home, and of course we needed time to visit our dress makers and to take care of our appearance, and to have luncheons with other ladies too, and that was always most time consuming.

Things have changed I know .... it's just that I get a little bored at home; I had always imagined that once you were married, we'd spend so much time together while your husband was at work.

your morose mama

~~ oOo ~~

My darling,

what a lovely surprise it was to see you both this weekend, and how well you both look. If only the days hadn't gone by so fast. Even Papa said how much he enjoyed talking with Philippe after dinner, and he hopes you may come back more often.

I am most amused by this computer that you brought for me darling. Do you think I'll be able to make it work? And you told me I had to look at your page, or brog, or something similar.

I showed the computer to my friend, la Comtesse d'Isigny, and she agrees with me that you must be doing very well to have threew's before your name!

your mama.com

~~ oOo ~~

Ma petite Charlotte

I am getting very good with The Computer, and I have to say how I admire all you have achieved. Looking at your pictures I can see that you and Philippe are building a wonderful life together, I shall no longer try to tell you how to run things darling.

Just one little thing ...

You showed the picture of your new chairs, and said they were distressed .... they certainly didn't look at all happy .... darling, isn't there something we could do to make them feel better?!

Otherwise I have a perfectly good pair of Louis XV, they have been in the family forever, and they don't feel - or look - the slightest bit distressed, please let me know if you would like them ...