Day #195

Back home again and back to writing. Today there was the expected letter of complaint to the manager of the Hilton Hotel, 2 post-crossing cards, and two pen pal letters.

Walt went and picked up our mail, which had been held for a week. One photo is not enough to record it all. First there were two letters from Compassion kids and an updated photo.

Then there were 2 pen pal letters and one card and a note from the nun who was my 3rd grade teacher (who was also my 5th grade teacher)

Finally there were 7 different post cards, including my first from Moldova (upper right) and the first from Odessa (Ukraine), which came with a great stamp showing a bandura (stringed musical instrument). Sweet!

I have my work cut out for me over the coming week!!

Sambos

Many here aren't old enough to remember Sambo's restaurant

but they used to be everywhere. I don't remember if they were called Black Sambo's or not, but the restaurant was based on the story of "Little Black Sambo," and they were eventually closed because of the negative connotations.

The original Sambo's is still operating in Santa Barbara, the little hero is not black and the story seems sweet. We ate there today and I picked up a set of Sambo's post cards, 7 illustrations and one which tells the story.

If anybody would like me to send them a post card, leave a message and I will be happy to do so.

Hiatus

Taking a few days off, while I'm away from home.

Postcard request

Got this from a friend today:

His school is collecting postcards from around the country and around the world for their diversity/international day in the early spring.

It doesn’t matter if they get multiples from each state, they're just trying to rock the class's world with the amount that Hunter can bring in!

So, if you wouldn’t mind sending a postcard to him, that would be great, I know we have people EVERYWHERE!

Before taking them in to the school Kelly plans to put them all out together and take a picture, she says she’ll be sure to share the picture when they’re done. There is no set deadline, but she's thinking if you can do it between now and the end of November that would be best.

Hunter Johnson
8443 Sand Point Drive West
Jacksonville, FL 32244

Feel free to share his address with any friends and family you may have in other parts of the world as well, the more the merrier!

Day #194

Managed to get things in the mail before we left...

There are 2 penpal letters, 2 post-crossing cards, and a postcard to a friend who is heavily into recycling. I love this set of cards that I just got in the mail yesterday.

I had to laugh, when we arrived here at the motel. There was a message from my cranky neighbor letting me know when this week he needs to dogs to be quiet. I have relayed that message to our dog-sitter, so she knows when to bring them in.

Day #193

Tried to answer "short" messages this morning and got several written. All were to letters or notes received

Then the mail came this afternoon with lots of fun things.

There were a couple of notes from people who have been following this blog (you know how I love that!), a swap-bot card and 2 letters from penpals.

This will be the last "incoming mail" photo for a week, since we are going to be away until Sunday. Our friend is moving in to take care of the three dogs, but we have stopped mail delivery so I expect to have a big bunch when we pick up mail next Monday!

Day #192

Had a busy Sunday, getting things ready to mail out on Monday.

Notice that, thanks to The Wizard of Oz, I seem to have a Halloween theme here, with a couple of letters and a post card. I think this is 2 post-crossing cards and the rest are either unsolicited letters or responses to mail.

Day #191

Outgoing today was a post-crossing card, and a pen pal letter to Heidi in Norway.

Incoming in the Penpal vein was only one letter, from Annette in Germany, but I loved the envelopes from Missive Maven (who sent the stamps I ordered between two of her great postcards), and from LaPapierre, from whom I ordered some labels.

This was on LaPappiere's envelope

Day #190

Just got 2 letters written this morning...one to Amanda and one to a pen pal in South Carolina. I especially liked the Disney envelope I made for Amanda.

Lots of fun stuff in the mail this afternoon.

A wonderful envelope from Kendall in Maryland, including the pop up "Hi" card and the sympathy card, and also the Where's Waldo postcard, a post-crossing card from Atlanta, a letter from Mary in Canada, one from Kimi in California and one from Cathy (my most prolific writer) from Ohio.

Day #189

I finally finished a letter I've been trying to write to a pen pal for several days now and got that into the mail along with an answer to a letter from a new writer I received recently.

Got some nice mail today, too.


Three letter and two postcrossing cards, one of which came in an envelope along with a letter and all with some cool stamps. And I simply love the Inge Look cards from Finland!

Day #188

Today I did two different Swap-Bot swaps, and ironically in each I was assigned the same person...not only that, but she was a person I had just written to as a pen pal the day before!


I also wrote a note to a SendSomething person and sent out 3 Postcrossing postcards. Then I went to my cousin's funeral.

I came home to three fun letters, one was a condolence note, one was from Olivia, a 16 year old home-schooled girl who read this blog and decided to start one of her own. I look forward to watching it grow! And there was another pen pal letter.

Day #187

There was no incoming mail today, but I managed to get some outgoing mail.


Two of these are postcrossing postcards, one is a pen pal letter, one is a complaint letter to PBS for the abominable production of HMS Pinafore they broadcast last week, and finally is a letter to Kristina, whose ad I found on line, but who, I realized after writing the letter, only included her e-mail address, not her snail mail. so I'm not mailing this until when/if I hear back from her.

Day #186

I spent the morning doing things to prepare for my cousin's funeral on Wednesday. But when I came home there was a wonderful collection of things in my mailbox:


An always interesting letter from Troy, a wonderful surprise envelope of goodies from Michelle, such a fun letter filled with goodies from Paul in Oklahoma, two great postcards from Elle, and a "correspondence kit" from another Compassion family, with a year's worth of paper and goodies to send to my kids.

I felt like a bunch of wonderful people gave me a big hug this afternoon.

Brief Hiatus

I'm too emotionally upset about my cousin's death, and planning for her memorial, so I'm taking a few days off from this project.

Day #185

My dear cousin died late last night. It was a death we knew was coming and, in fact, we had prayed she would be out of her misery soon, but it is still an emotional upset. So I found it difficult to write today, but I knew I had to get out a letter to Soldier Amanda. The post card, to a blogger, I had written the previous night and I managed to get one pen pal letter written as well.

The mail brought one of Elle Mental's delicious art stamps and a letter from my Compassion child, Anjali.

Day #184

We had guests this morning, so I only had time to get one letter written.


Two incoming letters, but who could resist the chance to post the birth announcement of our new granddaughter, which we also received today!

Day #183

All four of these are letters sent today.

And a nice assortment of incoming mail, including my first "letter" from my newly sponsored child, Theresa Ewusie from Ghana, who is only 4, so can't really write but has someone write for her. Other incoming was the nice Halloween themed envelope from a pen pal and another pen pal letter.

All in all, can't complain!

Day #182

Let's see...this is 4 postcrossing cards (2 were in the blue envelope, to a guy in Australia who requested a letter and his cards in an envelope). Then there is a letter to a woman whose blog I read for the first time.

As for incoming...


But after yesterday, I really can't complain, now, can I?

Day #181

It may look like just one envelope...


But it's my monthly package of Compassion Children letters, 10 of them, each with a little paper gift attached. Took me 4 hours to put together!

But what a windfall this afternoon! I won't complain about no mail again for awhile!!


There are three postcrossing postcards, two letters from little Fred, one of my Compassion children, a Swap-Bot "getting to know you" letter from Norway, and 3 penpal letters from people I have written to before. Such a wonderful mail day!

Day #180

It's Columbus Day, so no mail delivery.

I spent the day composing pieces of mail to various SendSomething members. All of these cards and letters are going to new people.

Day #179

It's Sunday, so no mail pick up or delivery today, but I did get a letter written and sent this great postcard off to a mountain climbing friend.

Day #178

Outgoing to a pen pal and a SendSomething person, and someone whose blog I read, following a link on someone else's blog.

Incoming was delightful, but confusing. There is a postcard from "Aanusha" who thanks me for a letter and postcards...but I can't find any record of having written to her, and don't remember writing to anybody in India...also she has the 4-number extension to my zip code and even *I* don't ever remember that. Aanusha invites me to send her photos of my family, but does not include a return address!

Secondly is a delightful bag from "Snailmail fan" from Canada, with this great surprise of an antique phone pencil sharpener. but, I'm sorry, I don't remember who Snailmail fan is! I checked my database, my letter files, my Blog Reader list of snail mail blogs, and SendSomething, but didn't find a clue. But thank you! It was such fun to find your package when I got home tonight!

Day #177

Outgoing today is Soldier Amanda's weekly letter, a cheer up postcard, and a letter to the Letters Writers Alliance.

Incoming: NOTHING

Day #176

Here's what went out: a letter to a friend, a letter to a pen pal, and a postcrossing postcard.

Here's what came in.

NOTHING

Day #175

Sent 3 things today: a pen pal letter to England, and SendSomething postcards to France and Australia. No incoming mail. :(

Day #174

Here is what went out today...four postcrossing cards and a reply to a Swap-Bot note I received yesterday.

No incoming mail today. :(

Day #173

Here are the letters I wrote today.

The bottom one is an envelope I made out of an ad for an upcoming production of Oklahoma!, and I liked what I did with the back of the envelope...

...adding the title of the show pasted on to seal the envelope.

And there were fun things in the mailbox today too.

...a postcrossing card from Italy (my first from that country) and three meaty pen pal letters, including the announcement of impending twins due in May. "The happiest times are when babies come" (Miss Melanie, GWTW)

Day #172

I got 3 different pieces of mail to send for tomorrow, one a postcrossing card.

Then, since it was Sunday and there would be no mail delivery, I spent the afternoon making a whole raft of envelopes so I could finally clear away all the things I've been saving to make envelopes out of when I had the time. While I was working, I watched 8 episodes of Dexter, Season 5.

Day #171

I wrote my weekly letter to Amanda (and also e-mailed her some photos of our new granddaughter), and wrote a letter to a Swap-Bot pen pal.

It's always a nice day when there is a letter from one of my Compassion Kids, this one Briana in Haiti. whose father writes on her behalf. Also had two post-crossing cards, one from Great Britain and one from Poland.