Folks,

Dux:

Fear not, I just received word that your close personal friends HM the Queen and HRH the Duke have arrived safely here in the colonies. As a matter of fact they touched down just about an hour ago at Richmond's airport. That is only about 200 miles from this very spot. May I say that it is a distinct privilege and high honor, for we have never been so close to royalty before. That is, not unless you count the time I shook Elvis' hand.

As you probably know, they will be taking part in the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown. They will also visit Washington DC. Perhaps they will offer our President their advise on how to improve his image and popularity? I hope they will also manage a short side trip to view where the battle of Yorktown took place. It is after all so close to Jamestown. There they might be expected to take a big sigh of relief whilst contemplating what a terrible mess they'd have on their own plates if that battle had somehow gone the other way... We thank our pals the French for their invaluable help in that conflict and perhaps nowadays the British do too?

Oh yes, I understand that the royals will also take some quality time from slumming around the US to enjoy the running of the Kentucky Derby. Being an avid breeder of fine race horses, I wonder which of her stops in the US is the more important to HM? Perhaps she will take home some new breeding stock to add new blood to her impressive stable? We know how those royals feel about good breeding. HM may have called that very thought to her mind in that interesting speech in which she used the catchy phrase "Annus horribilis".

Olga left a note tacked to the back door held with a vampire bat claw. She wants to know why you are avoiding her and why you have not taken her calls? That was as far as I managed to read...the angry bat was still attached to the claw.