I'm still alive and writing letters!

I've been sick for several days and am behind on my letter writing but catching up. Even with feeling cruddy, I've managed to send out at least one piece of mail every postal day, some days more. I just haven't been online much at all but since I'm starting to feel better I'll be back to reading y'alls blogs and posting more. Bear with me, please. 

I hope your mailbox is full of loveliness today!

Incoming for February 5th

Wow, just wow! I stopped at the post office on the way to work yesterday and my box was literally stuffed! As I pulled things out of it, I heard one of the workers in the back say, "Oh good, she's getting her stuff." I have to admit I giggled a little. I pulled out 16 letters and a key to one of the larger boxes which contained 2 parcels. Some of them were from LetterMo folks I'd not heard from before and several were from readers of the blog.

I took all the goodies to work with me and again, since I was there early, I read some of the letters while sitting at a table drinking an iced Americano. Two of my co-workers said something like, "Okay,  I have to get in on this. I want letters, too!" Several others walked by and stopped to oooh and aaah over pretty envelopes, postcards, and stationery. Even a few customers had questions and said they'll check out LetterMo. TMC, I really do feel like the Pied Piper of letter writing! ;)

So here you go, a photo of yesterday's incoming. Today I'm sending out just two letters but there should be many more going out in the next few days since I've taken several days off work and plan to get caught up.

Y'all are just nine kinds of awesome and don't let anyone tell you otherwise! This afternoon I'll post more about what I got yesterday. :-)

I'm now the proud owner of a Coffee Master Journal and a new fountain pen!

I started this entry last night but was too tired to finish it so here it is.

Happy Monday, 4th day of LetterMo, to all!

Today's been a wonderful day. I didn't make it to the post office because I worked a long shift and was too tired to drive over there but I hope to go tomorrow.  I did mail out a few things and have tomorrow's small bundle ready to go.

At work, our DM paid us a visit and it went well. He brought my new Coffee Master Journal and I'm so excited to have it and start training! What's a Coffee Master? Well, if you've ever been into a Starbucks store and seen a barista in a black apron, rather than green, you've seen a Coffee Master. Basically, they're baristas who have such passion for coffee that they undergo an intensive training program to be labeled "super barista". Okay, so the "super barista" part isn't factual but this interview with a CM in Kuwait will give you an idea of what I'm about to undertake. I'm a little nervous at the thought of it all but eager to get started. The training is self-paced and there's no time limit so it shouldn't give any undue pressure. I hope. The journal itself is pretty slick and I meant to ask the DM if there's any prohibition against modifying it but since it's mine, I don't see how there could be. It's wonderful to have this little journal to guide me through learning more about coffee, how it's grown, roasted and such. Besides, I think I'll look great in that black apron! Ha!

While the DM was there, Mr. and Mrs. Moore came in. They're the lovely customers who make pens. I served their drinks and Mr. Moore told me several of you have called and/or ordered pens from them and he brought me a present;the Honduran rosewood fountain pen I admired! I was so surprised! So was the DM. I asked him if it was appropriate for me to accept a gift and he laughed and said it was okay. We chatted with the Moore's a bit and after they left the DM turned to me and said something like, "And that's the kind of connection I love to see!"

So, here you go, wonderful people, a photo of my new Coffee Master Journal and the rosewood fountain pen given to me by the Moore's. I haven't written my name on the journal yet but think I'll practice a bit with the new pen then write it with that. :-)

Happy Tuesday and may your mailbox bring many surprises!

Outgoing for the second day of LetterMo

Friday night a friend of mine came over and brought stationery, note cards, stickers and such. We went out for Chinese food then came back here and spent the evening making envelopes and writing letters. We had a great time, made a lot of mess, and stayed up until close to 4 AM! I think we did more talking and laughing than actual work but that's okay.

I can't tell you the last time I stayed up that late and having someone to talk to and bounce ideas off of was great. I really wish I could find others interested in this stuff but so far no luck. Well, I posted an ad on CL recently looking for other fans of letter writing and got one response from a woman in a town an hour and a half from me. We're too far apart to meet often but have agreed to write one another and perhaps meet for coffee in the near future. It's a start and hopefully will lead to something similar to Jan's Write To Delight writing club. I would love to have a group like that in my area so I'm trying to think of ways to find others. Maybe it will work out. Who knows?

I was so very tired Saturday after staying up late that I forgot to take a picture of my outgoing mail but I sent out two letters and two postcards that day. 

I have a very long work shift tomorrow so I doubt that I'll write any letters or postcards. I have some things ready to send out, though, and will try to remember to get a picture of those.

I hope your Sunday is lovely!

On the first day of LetterMo....

I sent out to my friends,
One postcard and a letter that was
A reply!

Okay, so it's sung to a tune we all know and love (?!) but I sent two items, not one so sing it as though it's the second day of LetterMo. ;-)

Return of the pen maker

On the 23rd I posted about a customer who is a penturner. He came back a couple of days ago and brought with him a rosewood fountain pen. We were a bit slow so I had a couple of minutes to chat with him and his wife and use the pen. Holy ink, Batman, I think I'm in love!

The pen was well balanced in my hand, wrote smoothly, and the Honduran rosewood had a lovely and rich color. I greatly admired it and Mr. Moore said something like, "Maybe I should hold on to this one for you, huh?" and I beamed and agreed. It isn't an expensive pen but a new fountain pen isn't in the budget right now so I hope he does hold onto it for me. I plan to get it as soon as finances allow.

He also told me that one of you readers had been in touch with him about his pens. I didn't know which of you it was then but I do now so thank you, Rusty! Mr. and Mrs. Moore are very nice people and from what I've been able to tell so far, the quality of their work is high.

I plan to go to their studio soon and hopefully they'll have time that day to help me make my own pen. I think having one I made would be awesome but I'll have to refrain from taking it to work as every pen or marker I've taken there has been "appropriated" by someone and never seen by me again.

Do you have a favorite pen? If so, please tell me about it.

Incoming for January 30th

After work today I went to the post office. I thought about asking if they have the new Sealed With Love stamp but the line was very long so I just checked my box. There were seven letters waiting for me, five from LetterMo participants. A woman about my age was checking a box near mine and saw all the letters I pulled out and said, "Wow, I can't tell you the last time I got one letter, much less a box full!" I told her about LetterMo and some of the letter writing blogs I read and finally whipped out a page from my notepad and wrote URLs and my email address on it for her. She was overjoyed at the possibility of writing and receiving letters and I practically skipped out to my vehicle!

I'm not sure if I'll start replies tonight but if not tonight, then tomorrow. Yesterday I mailed five letters but still have a few more to write to folks from whom I've recently received. I haven't forgotten! Some of the outgoing will most likely be sent on the first so I can count them for LetterMo. Yeah, I'm taking advantage of that.

But for now, here's today's incoming along with my cup of Colombian from a pour-over. Now that I've had some coffee I feel refreshed and think I'll do a bit of letter writing.

I hope your mail day was lovely!