Dear Aunt Agatha

Dearest Aunt,

It has been far too long since we last corresponded. Despite retirement, Mrs Milddogs and I have been busy. We have not ventured out on any van excursions since our last post and sadly won’t be going to visit our cousin Buc-ee nor uncle HEB this year. We miss them tremendously and yearn for a return of the days when visiting them was so easy, safe and lacked moral overtones.

We were able to get away this winter. We spent days in the French colony of Martinique. It’s lovely there. It was our third time on this charming island. We spent a lot of time on the beach mostly away from strangers. We even had shade from the almond and palm trees along the shore. I built up a special relationship with the wonderful lady that worked at the boulangerie. I would walk 1.6km along the beach every morning to reach her shop. Wait in line as needed (never try and cut in line in front of the French!) and then in my rudimentary French order our usual baguette traditional, croissant, pain au chocolates and whatever else I deemed necessary to try. I would pay whatever I thought she had said and then she would return my change or gently suggest I should offer more argent. I would then bag up my haul in a lovely Air Transat tote bag and walk the 1.6 km back to our ocean view fort. It was a lovely routine. On our last morning, fighting back tears, I attempted to explain, en francais, that it was our last day in Martinique. I could tell she was also distraught, or perhaps confused as to why I was asking where I could find an airplane with purple boxer shorts.

I shall include some Polaroids of our trip.

We have not decided what domestic van trips we shall do this year. We have discussed Newfoundland and that is still an option. Sometimes no plans are good plans.

In the meantime, perhaps you would like to follow along as we go visit our friend Fergus in a week or so. You may remember Fergus, he is from Old Scotia. We will try and keep you up to date but are at the whimsy of “internet” availability in Old Scotia.

We trust you, uncle Zeke and your family are well.

All our love,

Mr and Mrs Milddogs.