In which our brave heroine battles the Freemasons and sells letters to the French

photo by Paul Dodd at www.geograph.org.uk/photo/115694

Well it's been another strange old week in the old barracks. The long awaited day of the regimental boot sale dawned and I arrived in the library to find the old enemy within known as the Catering Corps had laid the place out for lunch yet again. For a while I thought they might actually be working on the same side as I my intelligence officer informed me they'd scheduled in a Book Club Lunch, so my regiment and I stood to attention awaiting a scene resembling the first day of the Harrods Sale. Alas this was not to be: said Book Club were only interested in eating and drinking and in fact succeeded in their secret mission of expelling all my potential recruits from the field of battle. The Library looked like Hastings after the defeat of Harold Godwinson.

picture by David Hawgood www.goegraph.or.uk/photo/104440

I recovered some territory after lunch only to find the Masonic regiment booked in for dinner, so I was forced to hide any soldiers that looked as though they might be on the lookout for strange handshakes, aprons or men in charcoal grey suits with briefcases. All was set for battle to commence, until I realised it was home time and retired leaving the field to said Freemasons (who frankly have a much nicer regimental mess down the road at Covent Garden, where I can only assume the chef was having an off day).


I expect to find the books re-arranged on my return, and can only hope the chaps have learned from the Librarian at the Unseen University in Discworld and not shelved certain magic tomes together where they can be allowed to reach a critical mass.


Meanwhile events in the east Indies have been continuing along as one would imagine: flags hung out for jubilee celebrations, French Foreign Legionaires visiting for a quick peek at my Balzacs. They were mightily impressed apparently, especially at their close proximity to Montaigne. Personally I believe that if it's French Letters you're after, you should buy your own at the chemist, but when your library's under fire, I suppose anything goes.