Gullane.

March 1999,

Dear reader

I take this most welcome opportunity to greet you who so loyally accept my efforts at storytelling, and seem to forgive my inadequacies.

I always have my readers very much in mind as I write, and look on them as my partners--far from sleeping partners, I hope! For indeed writer-and-reader form a unit, one without the other a living frustration.

I have been greatly blest all my days, in this respect, as in so much else, and I am grateful. This despite almost too much of a flood of words on my part. I hope that I may continue to please and reach out to all my friends. Be patient with me, if you will, if on occasion I get too long winded, and ramble on or repeat myself. For I need you.

Salutations and regards --and thanks.