Hammering in the courtyard. Sound like James Woods might have read:

What I saw at the coup by Matt Bracken

This is the first time in many years that I have put pen to paper for a lengthy letter, so please forgive my misspellings, poor handwriting or any other errors. I will probably do this in one go and be finished with it. I won't need much of this new notebook. It's a nice room, desk and chair, but really, no computer? I just wish they would stop the hammering outside. I need to focus in order to write well.