Summer canning is done

[alt_molly]

The summer's canning is all completed, much to Ginny's and my relief. It is a vast, messy job, but it really helps to have all that food put up come wintertime. We had good crops this year, so my shelves are quite full in the cellar. I'm a bit less worried this year than last about going hungry this winter. Percy will be glad that we have plenty of his favorite pear-ginger spread. Luna Lovegood was a great help, too, and three pairs of hands made the work go that much faster. I made sure to send a number of quarts home with her, so Xenophilius' cellar would be stocked, too. The hens are continuing to lay well, and our experiment with keeping a goat seems to be working, although I must admit I really do prefer cow's milk. It's so hard to get, though, and keeping a cow ourselves would be so much more expensive.

Just received the usual weekly from Percy, and to my surprise, Ron is writing regularly, too. Perhaps Percy is hectoring him into it. The twins, of course, are hopeless--I think I've received two letters from them the entire time they've been at school. It's not as though I don't hear about them. If it's not a terse note from the Headmistress about their latest escapade, I can usually count on some acid animadversions from Percy about hijinks in the Common Room.

Arthur is working very late hours, poor soul. He continues to go out to the camps once a week or so, and he is usually quite grim when he gets back those evenings.

The girls are working on fractions. Luna seems to find it much easier than Ginny. It has been a very good idea to school them together, and they are really becoming great chums. Ginny has also started reading 1984, which is prompting a lot of questions. I was rather surprised--I thought it would be a bit advanced for her, and I know the boys found it boring, but she is going through the pages at a rapid clip. Luna prefers fantasy, and she is re-reading The Hobbit for what must be the sixteenth time.

I need more coffee.

Comments

[alt_gredforge]

No mum, We're quite sure we wrote three times. We wrote a letter our first night after our sorting, one after our detention last year and we just sent one off a minute ago.

ORDER ONLY

[alt_mcgonagall]

I'll see what I can do about having Frank and Alice bring some Manx cheeses for you next time. They often complain about having too much - perhaps you can trade the pear-ginger spread for some. I understand that they are all heartily sick of kippers and Loaghtan mutton, as well - I'll suggest an exchange, in any case.

[alt_ginny]

I haven't forgotten that you promised to send me a Hogwarts toilet seat!

Luna says 'Hi' to you both.

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[alt_molly]

That is an exchange I would gladly make. I can also send some strawberry spread. We have plenty, and I remember how fond of it Frank is.

[alt_gredforge]

It's enclosed in the letter, took quite a bit of trouble to get it off the toilet, you'd think it was bloody well charmed on. And to get Errol to carry it. It seemed quite clean from all scrubbing that Hermione gave it, don't know what his problem was.


Fred says hi to Luna.


Fred would also like to say that he is being held at wandpoint by his evil, evil twin.

Give our love to mum, and we'll see you at christmas

[alt_ron]

Hang on, isn't Hermione cleaning the girls bathrooms?

Mind sharing what you two were doing in there with the rest of the class?

[alt_gredforge]

Well, yeah.

But we had to take a seat from a place anyone would miss it.
What better than that haunted one on the second floor? No one ever goes in there (except Hermione).

The ghost in there isn't too bad actually, you should stop by. Tell her the twins sent you.

[alt_ron]

I'll take your word on the ghost. I get enough of that when Nick walks through my chair while I'm in the common room thanks.

And with my luck? I'd get another few dozen points taken for wandering in there in the first place.