Yours Faithfully, Amanda

22 November 2019 Connecticut Dear Jane, As the youths of today say, "It's been a minute." What I am really trying to say, though, is that I am terribly sorry for not writing since August! I can't imagine that you are surpised by the delay, however, as you have been subjected to over six years of inconstant letters from "Yours Faithfully." I suppose "yours faithfully" is a rather ironic sentiment when I am anything but faithful in my letter writing. Perhaps I should sign my letters with "Yours Sometimes...when I feel like writing, Amanda." That would be rather horrible, though, so I shall keep to the classic, "Yours Faithfully, Amanda" and silently acknowledge that it is merely a facade. Now, Jane, as often happens in the journey of life, much has changed since August when last I wrote. My eldest sister welcomed a daughter named Aurelia at the end of the summer and she is just the sweetest little darling. Her big b...

December 8, 2015 Dear Jane, I do detest being deceitful, but you and I both know that the quotation above has not been displayed in its original entirety. My apologies, for playing such a trick on you, gentle readers, but surely you should know better than to believe I could claim to have any sort of genius. An amateur authoress stops at nothing to get her blog read...even if she has to lie to her dearest friends at times by claiming to be a genius. The quote (in it's entirety) is as follows: "Expect a most agreeable letter, for not being overburdened with subject (having nothing at all to say), I shall have no check to my genius from beginning to end."  In case you had doubts, I shall now present three reasons to prove to you that I truly am not a genius. (I told you that I had nothing much to say, after all). Oddly enough, all three examples are from my time in high school. Many of my dear friends and family know this already, but I often boast (yes, boast) ...

November 25, 2015 Dear Jane, Is it truly possible that we are exactly one month from Christmas? Where has the time gone? I feel as though it were only yesterday when I was writing to you about my car brakes ceasing to work whilst I was driving on the highway this past August! I dare say time has undoubtedly sped up without our knowledge. You will be glad to know, Jane, that I have been constantly reading as of late (not that this is news per say as I can often be found reading). In truth, I do not feel complete if I do not have a book by my side. My latest reading material will be quite familiar to you as it is a collection of your lesser known and unfinished works, specifically: Lady Susan , The Watsons  and Sanditon . So far, I have completed the first two and thoroughly enjoyed them, although I wish most ardently that you had finished The Watsons  as it is such a charming story and was sure to be beloved by all. I confess that I was astonished to read the villainous a...

November 20, 2013 Dear Jane, It is quite fortuitous that I happened upon this quote from one of your letters to your sister, Cassandra, for I wrote an eerily similar message to my own sisters one day last week after I too drank a hearty amount of wine (well, spirits, actually) the night before. (Needless to say,  a shaking hand was not, unfortunately, my worst symptom and  my message was not quite so long nor was it worded as beautifully as yours.  Additionally, I was not in Hurstbourne, but on the island of Manhattan.)  I won't delve too deeply into this subject, but I will say that, any person, be it gentleman or lady, must not be looked down upon for enjoying a refreshing spirit (or three) every now and again, even if they may have had more than they should have. (In truth, I did leave out a few details from my story, Jane, but a wise lady never reveals the entirety of her secrets.)  It is a comfort to know that even the admirable Miss Jane Auste...