Dear Mr Darling....

Ipswich

26 March 2009

Dear Mr Darling

I trust that you are well and busy. It always good to have something useful to do I say.

First some family news. Since I last wrote much as changed at chez Lola. Miss Lola 1 has been working for an advertising company for some years now and very successful she and her company have been. But with the recent savage downturn her position looks more precarious by the day. And it's not cheap living in London. Miss Lola 2 is pushing hard to develop her book keeping business but having lost one client, a building company that recently failed, her main client now also looks dodgy. It's an entertainment business that has seen its turnover drop by 30% since January. This really looks like a savage recession. Miss Lola 3 is in shipping. All looks OK at the moment as she is in booze, but well, you never know. Miss Lola 4 is about to go to uni. I don't know if you've seen the costs recently? The tuition fees and accommodation costs are just eye watering. The poor kid will leave Uni with a shed load of debt.

Business is good for me. We have picked up a lot more work from clients who have seen a massive destruction of their capital and income in the last 11 years and are now desperate to preserve what they have left. It's not easy. Our turnover is down though, as a lot of it is geared to the capital markets, that have hugely, well, tanked recently.

Mind, that's enough of my problems. How are you getting on? It looks like you are having trouble with the neighbours again. I know that they are your friends and so on, but really the way that they have treated you. By the way, have you sorted out what you are going to do about the money? It was very handy you being able to walk into his job, a nice position in normal times, but it all looks a lot more challenging now. I thought you said that he had so sorted it all out that you were looking forward to a nice two to three years peace and quiet building up your pension and then, whoosh bang, you were off? Do you think that you'll be able to get the full service for your pension now? I must say from here it looks less and less likely.

Just going back to the money, have you, er, actually said anything yet? I know you said you were going to, but have you? I noticed that your mate Mervyn had a gentle go. Did you put him up to that? It had your gentleness about it.

I must say though it all seems so unfair. I've always thought that being the nice bloke you are, you would end up being put upon by someone. I know, I know, I don't mean to sound pitying, but you really should stand up for yourself a bit more. Now would seem like a good time to do so, don't you think?

Anyway, must dash. I have to empty the dishwasher and write some letters.

Look after yourself.

Regards

Lola