One reader expresses surprise that a 2026 article implies women should conceal signs of aging. As an elderly woman with visibly aged hands, she was unaware this term carried negative connotations. Ruth Valentine, London.
Although the discontinuation of Rose’s Lime Marmalade is disappointing, another reader argues that the end of Butterscotch Instant Whip in 2004 represents a far more significant loss. Stephen Percy, Easton, Hampshire.
In reaction to a suggestion to eliminate party balloons, a reader approaching their 63rd birthday reports feeling somewhat discouraged by the idea. Ian Elkington, Bicester, Oxfordshire.
Responding to Mary Smith’s letter, a reader shares a tactic used at work: requesting the spelling of a forgotten surname. On one occasion, the response was a puzzled spelling of ‘Smith,’ leading to lasting embarrassment. Pat Greatorex, Derby.
Mary Smith longs for a surname that prompts spelling requests, but she might reconsider, warns a reader with the name Michael Crapper (noted with two ‘p’s). Whitchurch, Hampshire.
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