Of Wands and Wonder

An hour ago my husband came home from work and brought the mail with him, including one entirely unexpected, slim square package neatly labelled to "Miss Maude (sic) Moody", care of my address. On opening the package, I found a large quantity of fragrant wood shavings and, buried in the midst of it, a wand wrapped in a roll of parchment. The letter, which looks as though it were written with a quill or else a nicely scratchy fountain pen, read as follows:

Miss Maude Moody
Please find enclosed the replacement wand you ordered. It is Applewood -- 11 1/2 inches, with Griffon (Gyps africanes) in the main compartment, little owl in the personal compartment.
You did not specify a metal for the tips. Perhaps you were not aware that all Walter's Wands come with Yorkshire tips at no additional charge. So much more durable, you know. I called your home for specifics. Luckily, the gentleman who answered your fire was quite clear that iron was the only possible choice. As I recall his precise words were "like her vertebrae".
We hope this wand meets your complete satisfaction.
Use it wisely,
Walter the Wandmaker
-- Riven at Rivling
www.waltswanson.com

The wand is indeed very lovely, a smooth tapering cylinder of pale wood with a knob near each end, and about 2 cm of iron on both tips. To say that I was astonished to get it would be an understatement. I have the coolest readers... Walter the Wandmaker is obviously of a much friendlier disposition than Ursula March, but he is certainly no less generous. Thank you so much, Walt.

Credit Where Due

Aha! The mystery of how this Walt person got a hold of my address and sent me a wand is solved. My wonderful friend and beta Cally Perry, who is a gifts person extraordinaire (and far more good to me than I deserve) was responsible for this delightful and unexpected present. A little bird tells me she has been planning this since August (!).

*gives big hug to Cally*

Thank you so, so, so much.