I stalk my mailbox. Always thinking something exciting will come. You know, something more exciting than, say, bills. And more bills. Part of it may be the writer in me, waiting for another request to see my work. And I love getting my magazines too. Well, and I order things online. (okay, lots of things. I’m not much of an in person type shopper. I much prefer to shop online. Well, and I order books. Lots of books.) But I digress…
Most of the excitement regarding mail is a hold over from my youth.
I loved running out to the mailbox as a girl and checking to see if I’d gotten any letters. Back in the day when people still wrote letters out longhand instead of emailing, or IMing, or text messaging. (which have their place and are darned convenient at times) Back when I would get a letter and sit down in a comfortable chair, slowly work the envelope open, and pull out the folded paper. Remember that? I would open the letter and read all it had to say. Catching up on someone’s life. Possibly a picture enclosed with the letter. I miss that. I used to correspond with my grandmothers and my Great Aunt Verena. (isn’t Verena a very, very cool name? I love it.) I also went to summer camp, so all through the year I’d get letters from my camp friends. I loved to see what stationery they used. Fun colored envelopes. Oh, and we were into colored pens. Lots of colors. And hearts dotting the i’s and lots of loopy script.
As a total aside…see those boards leaning against the mailbox? That’s our war with the trash pick up guys. They were old cabinets that got warped and moldy when our basement flooded. So we put them out for the trash guys. They wouldn’t take them. Or the lamp sitting beside them…though they did take the time to cut off the cord to the lamp and take it…what’s up with that? But ANYWAY, to make a long story longer, we broke up the cabinets into pieces. They STILL didn’t take them today. My husband is so not going to be amused when he gets home tonight…
Where were we? Oh. Talking about real live mail. Don’t you love my mailbox? See how big it is? It can hold all sorts of packages. And letters. I still write letters. Especially at Christmas to my out of town friends. There is just nothing like a handwritten letter, using one of my favorite fountain pens and favorite notebooks. Do you still write letters?
edited to add:
Read part two of the Trash Guys story. And The Trash Guys-final chapter.
Okay, I like my Crocs. They are bright pink. They cheer me up. Great with handknit socks. Well, in the winter they kind of suck. They build up static electricity and I keep getting shocked. That’s annoying! Very annoying.
I do own a pair of sensible black heels, for those time when nothing else will do. The annual business Christmas party. Weddings. Um, I sure I wear them more than that…maybe…
