AND FINALLY

I will catch up with you — I promise

THE package forwarded from the Daily Mail office was so bulky I actually weighed it out of curiosity — more than 6lb (three kilos).

This was a backlog of letters sent by ordinary mail to an office that had to be closed because of lockdown.

This is the subject of this week’s Mailplus video (see link below), in which I reveal the pile and tell you what I feel about the letters.

But since the majority of those who use ordinary mail probably do not use a computer, I also want to explain here that this backlog was unavoidable — and I am so sorry.

Not all the letters will be problems; in the video, I explain that you also send lovely stories and comments and praise, as well as books you think I might like.

Although the pile is daunting — because I have all the words in emails to deal with as well — my job is a great privilege and I’m grateful.

So this is to tell anyone who went to the trouble of writing, sticking a stamp on an envelope and going to the postbox that I will quickly try to catch up with any problems and read the rest carefully, even if I don’t reply. I promise. On Sunday, my lovely 96-year-old mother came to lunch as usual and took home a carrier bag full of letters, which she will open and sort into categories.

How lucky I am to have the help of someone who was an office whizz-kid in her time.

Talking of organisation, reader Margot sent a lovely email: ‘Bel, I just wanted to tell you that during lockdown I had a huge clear-out, and a cupboard contained all the advice pages you have written!

‘And I re-read them all! Thank you for all the help and wisdom you gave us, I don’t have the heart to throw them away.’

Thirteen years at 50 columns a year makes 650 in all. That’s one million, three hundred thousand words. Excuse me while I lie down!