Dear Sharon,

WHILE I agree with you about Judy Murray and her attention to detail, I think it is worth pointing out that Cromlix House was already a longestablished luxury hotel with a fine reputation.

Andy took the opportunity to buy it in 2013 because the previous owners had got into financial difficulty.

It re-opened this year, and is managed by a large company responsible for several top end hotels.

Cromlix House is a special place for us, as we were married there in 2002. The hotel is an old country house with its own beautiful little chapel, where incidentally Andy’s brother was married a few years ago.

The attention to detail was second to none, and it is without doubt the finest hotel I have ever experienced.

Geoff Carr (by email)

Thankful for progress:

Dear Sharon,

THE 1950s, ice on inside of windows, how to warm up the one room? Electric too dear, even if you have it, paraffin too smelly. So last night’s fire will have covered the room in dust, clean out the grate and chuck cinders outside somewhere, see if the coal man has been (or could you not afford it this week?).

If he has been, find newspaper to light fire (if not, cut up for use in outside toilet) find sticks to get fire going, gently introduce coal, no appreciable heat for some considerable time. Chimney wants sweeping?

Room and then house full of smoke.

Water cold. Kitchen full of damp washing. If you at last get warm in front of fire you then have to go into rest of freezing house.

Every winter’s morning when I wake up to a warm house and a hot shower I remember my childhood and thank God for progress.

Bill Johnson (by email)