Mary Killen Mary Killen

Dear Mary: How can my son tell if his cleaner is stealing from him?

issue 24 August 2019

Q. What is your view on emailed vs handwritten thank-yous? During my recent travels around pre-Brexit Europe I stayed in a dreamy house in the south of France. It was a little taste of paradise. Our host was Anglo-Scots but, since she is highly peripatetic, I asked her to which address I should send my thank-you letter. She replied: ‘Just email me.’ Surely this can’t be right, Mary? This was more than a chatty house party. On the other hand, my host is now travelling around pre-Brexit Europe herself and it may be some months till she gets back to either of her UK bases. Every day that I don’t send an email I seem ever ruder, yet to me it seems equally rude to use email for something so personal.
What is your view?
— Name and address withheld

A. Email is inadequate in situations where you wish to express authentic enthusiasm.

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