Dear Mark,
                        I finally persuaded Doug to write to you – admittedly, I did use the guilt trip, but it can’t hurt in the long run!  You know what he’s like, it’s hard enough to get him to put pen to paper just to write up a chart or write a shopping list. 
                        Anyway, how are you?  How is everyone at County?  You and Elizabeth still an item, I take it?  She was devoted to you when I left, you know she knows you much better than anyone else I ever met.  Probably more than you care to acknowledge!  Hope Rachel is okay as well – she must be nearly 12 now?  That’s very scary, I could swear she was still five years old. But then I have enough bridges to cross like that with the twins.
                        Kate and Tess are both very happy here.  They’re enjoying destroying Doug’s previously peaceful lifestyle!  Kate chewed up part of a medical history yesterday, I wasn’t sure how Doug was going to react but he seemed to find it amusing – in the end!  Other than driving him mad, the girls get on with Doug better than I imagined.  They don’t seem to care that they never saw him until a few months ago.  I thought I’d have more of a problem with it, but to tell the truth I have never been happier.  No offence to you Mark, I loved my time at County and I miss you to pieces, but this is something else, it’s how I dreamt it should be.
                        As for work, I’m enjoying taking time off right now and just spending time at home.  It really is beautiful here.  We live right by a lake, with a little jetty and Doug bought a small fishing boat.  There are alpine trees everywhere, and a huge yard out back.  I was thinking about going back to work in about 6 months, but I have to find somewhere that wants me!  Maybe one of Doug’s hospitals will need a new charge nurse sometime soon.
                        Right now, the sun is shining and I’m sitting at a worktop in our kitchen, watching Tess trying to stand up by Doug’s la-z-boy, but Kate keeps pulling her down – I think she’s jealous!  I’d better go because sooner or later World War Three will break out. I hope you are well, and pass my wishes on to everyone at County. Please visit soon!

Love Carol xxx