From The Chilliness of Canada... A Postcard

Today, I had a bit of housework today; so I got up early and jumped straight into it.  And so, by 9am, I had 2 loads of laundry on the line, most of the washing up done and the garden watered... well, the plants that missed the rain... and the plants that were looking a little poorly moved into places where they'd be happier. 

Then, it was off to the post office to see if I had received anything from you good people!  The sun was out and warm, the breeze too, and the traffic wasn't too bad.  After all it's school holidays here.  And I looked into my PO Box when I arrived safely and I found a lonely little postcard all on its own.  But what a beauty!  And it came from Canada!  Thank you Herchelle for sending it all that way to me on this lovely warm day here in Brisbane, Australia.  And Mum is going well.  Let's hoping to see her back on Bookcrossing again soon.  Thank you again.

A Mystery Birthday/HGG from London!

Well, today is my third day in a row to have received a parcel from across the miles; and what's even better is that it's a birthday present!  But the only part of it I opened was the card.  I wanted to know who sent me this wonderful and thoughtful gift for me two weeks shy of my 37th birthday!

And it's footymadgill from London who's been so thoughtful and wonderful. Thank you so much for sending me a lovely pressie for my birthday.  I look forward to opening it on my special day.  Yep, I can wait that long for it as I love receiving pressies on my birthday.  So, I'll keep it in the lounge room in the same cabinet where I keep my art gear so that I know where it is and will open it on the day.  Also, I'll upload another photo of it fully opened so you all know what it is on the day I do. Thank you again, footymadgill!

Around The World Reading Arrives!

I've taken part in a Book Read 'Round The World experience; and my parcel arrived today with my book of choice inside it!  About a week or so ago, I was notified via e-mail that it had been posted off and so I was expecting it soon.  And I was expecting only the book; but when I opened it, I pleasantly surprised to find all these little gifts inside it from South Carolina!  

I've never been to the USA and from what I've received from there, I'd love to visit one of these days.  And this parcel just cements my wishes to see this country more!

So, thank you very much, Courtney, the lovely gifts and information about your part of the world - and America.  You've told me things about your state I didn't know; and I'll definitely give the recipes a try, if not my family.  My brother loves to cook!  Thank you again.

And From Texas...

Along with the parcel pick-up card was a postcard from Texas.  It's always lovely to hear from others from across the globe.  I love receiving anything from everywhere I haven't been - and also from where I have been too.  And Texas, USA, is a place I haven't been yet in my life.  This postcard showed up on a day where it's been wet, rainy and cold here in Brisbane for the past few days; and the postcard showed the gorgeous yellow sun setting across the Texas plains.  Isn't that just lovely?

Thank you so much for sending this to me love2cook!  I'll be putting this where I can see it every day:  in my dining room next to my calendar; along with any others I receive too until the end of the HGG celebrations.

It's HGG Time Already!

This is so cool!  September has come around and this means it's time for Holiday Gift-Giving time until December!  What a wonderful and very cool time of year for Bookcrossers across the globe.  I love giving as well as receiving!  This also means, this blog really takes off again too.

And to kick it off, I received two in the mail.  The first on is from Honolulu.  Inside the parcel was the book 'The Tale of Despereaux' by Kate DiCamillo and two Reeces Peanut Butter Cups - one original and one dark chocolate!  What a wonderful Bookcrosser you are!  Thank you so much!  I really do appreciate this; and this parcel has arrived on a really dull and wet week here in Brisbane.  You've really brightened up my day today.  Thank you ghir, I'll definitely get into the book soon and the Peanut Butter Cups when they've cooled enough in the fridge.

A Postcard From The Beach

Today, I was running on time, the money was in the bank, and I felt like everything was going my way... for once.  And when I arrived at the post office and opened my PO Box, I found two things that were lovely in there.  One was an invite to an art opening and the other was a gorgeous postcard of Myrtle Beach from Jules Paige.  It was so wonderful to receive this pretty card of the white sands of South Carolina that I thought it looked very much like an early Noosa or Sunshine Coast.

Thank you so much for sending me this lovely postcard of your holiday there.  And I do hope you enjoyed your week away. 

A Coin Purse From Crete

About a week or so ago, I received a note in 365 project that one of my Bookcrossing friends had been to Crete and she had bought me a coin purse.  Chania said she didn't have my address and wanted to post it to me as soon as she could.  So I PMed her my postal address and wondered what kind of purse she had bought me.

Today, I checked my mail after a dreadful day of muddled-up shopping and forgetfulness to be surprised by the delivery of a small parcel; an envelope actually.  It contained a coin purse from Crete and lovely postcard.  What a lovely person Chania is to think of me and to send a purse all this way to add to my growing collection of purses.  Thank you so much for this darling little purse; which I ironically used on the way home from the post office to hold the money to buy milk.  It works very well and I will use it again.

I've done a post in my Coin Purse Obsessed blog if you'd like to have a look.

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell Bookray

Wow!  It's been almost a month and I haven't received anything from any Bookcrossers until today.  This is amazing!  And it felt a little like April; where I received nothing at all.  So, this month is at least populated with one thing that came through the mail.

Now, this is a bookray that is held on Bookcrossing.  This is where a book goes on a permanent holiday without an ending until nobody else really wants to read it and then it's returned to its own - unless the owner advises the last person to keep it and do whatever they wish with it.  Pretty fun stuff, eh?  Well, today, I journaled the book (this means, I put in the number in the front and let everyone else know it arrived) and now this afternoon, when it rains again, I'll be getting into the first chapter or so.  

Thank you shnedwards in the UK for letting me onto the long list of other BCers to read this one.  It's been on my Wish List to read for a long time, but now, it can be removed.

From Releanna's Trip to Dublin!

Today is a cold, overcast and miserable day here in Brisbane; and we all found it hard to get out of bed.  So, it really brightened my day when I opened my PO Box and found a parcel waiting for me inside.  

Releanna had put up a giveaway for some souvenirs from her Dublin trip for us Bookcrossers and I put my name into it.  And what a lovely little parcel of prizes they are!  I'll love using the bookmarks and absolutely enjoyed the postcard; and will definitely attach the 'Finbaaad' phone charm as soon as I get a protective cover for my phone (so the screen doesn't get scratched; my last one broke).

Thank you again for the lovely prize, Releanna!  You're a wonderfully generous BCer!

Mixed Favourites Book Baggies Returns Home

There are times when I have the fun of organising a Book Baggie.  Sometimes it's themed; sometimes it's not.  This one was a Mixed Favourites one.  This means you can toss in any book you loved reading and recommend to anyone to read.  I also included a little pink plastic pencilcase that was for any goodies that may be collected and swapped along the way.

When I posted the baggie off four months ago around Australia, there wasn't much in the pencilcase and the baggie was full ( and I think it was a 5kg bag).  And it came back in a 3kg bag bursting at the seams with books; as did the pencilcase.  And just look at the amount of books that you all sent to around to each other, checked out, swapped and packed back in!  The last person on the list - Juli2007 - must have had a little trouble with packing the bag as when I unpacked it on the kitchen table, I couldn't re-pack to take it upstairs.

There was so much in the pencilcase too!  From a mini-bible to teas, moisturisers, sunscreen, bookmarks, ear-rings, stickers (loads of those!), magnets and other cute things!  And the books were of a wonderful assortment!  I even got two of my own back... how brilliant the world works.  And the funnier thing was that I couldn't fit the pencilcase on the table with the books; and so had to take a separate photo of the contents... how's that for amazing?

Thank you all for taking part and for all the wonderful goodies that came back home safely... well, I do look forward to next year's 'Mixed Favourites Book Baggie'... don't you?