Belated Secret Santa Present

Earlier this month, there was a big concern about whether I'd receive a gift from my Australian Secret Santa.  You see, an Australia Post mail truck caught fire and the whole lot burnt to the ground!  And the whole truck was heading from Western Australia to here in Queensland.  A lot of people were not going to receive their presents over Christmas.  

When I heard about this, I filled out a form immediately online to Australia Post - however, they didn't keep track of the item I was looking for.  This was unfortunate.  To my amazement, I checked the mail yesterday and I found a blue parcel pick-up card... and what do you know?  It was my parcel from my Secret Santa!  Thank you so much Romy86 for sending this off to me... and now it's here where it belongs, I'm not letting it out of my sight!

A Vouch for World Peace!

Today, my day started off very early.  It had to so I could get my last shop for the year over and done with.  So, I was up at 7am, ate breakfast, fed the fish and Little Miss Stevie and out the door just before 9am... a good record.  The mail was collected; and my little PO Box was filled to capacity with not only my mail, but my parent's mail as well - as I take their mail while they're away on holidays.  So, I took out the bundle of Christmas Cards (theirs) and three pieces of mail (mine) and walked off to the bus stop down the road.  Once there, I opened my mail and found that Southernfrye had sent me a lovely collection of things for my HGG collection; including a bumper sticker promoting World Peace.  Yes, this year, I had asked for World Peace.  I know that sounds a little out in the left field, but really, if I can ask Santa Clause for it, why not ask for it as a HGG?  And today, I received an incentive - the bumper sticker suggests that we try for it before 2021.  Now, not only does that sound like a plan, but it also sounds like a goal too.

There were other things inside that envelope.  I found a recipe, some labels, a bookmark and a few other things as well.  Thank you so much Southernfrye.  I appreciate you thinking about me at this time of year.  I wish World Peace upon your part of the world as well.

Two HGG's From Across the Miles!

Today has been cold and wet; and so when I went and checked the mail, I was pleasantly surprised to find not only mail for Mum and Dad had arrived, but also mail for me for Christmas.  

There was a gorgeous scenic postcard of the Sleeping Bear Dunes at Frankfort, Michigin where it's snowing and cold and mnugirl made a snowman in her front yard the other day; and she's making sugar cookies from her Grandma's recipe soon too.  I'd love to have a white Christmas some day; it'd be so much fun!

The other item which showed up in the mail was a European Christmas card.  These are usually a single card front with gorgeously painted fronts and you write on the back; like postcards.  Anuluni1975, from Finland,sent one to me with two Robins flying and feeding off some flowering wheat.  Enclosed in the envelope were two teabags - in envelopes - of Rooibos and Vanilla tea.  Just lovely for cool days like today.  Thank you both for your lovely HGG's.  I'll display them around the house this year. 

From Romania!

Today, there was only one item in the PO Box of a blue pick-up card.  And the parcel came from Romania.  I opened it in the Post Office and found a lovely little book titled 'The Passport' by Herta Muller with two gorgeous postcards and a bookmark inside it!  This was from Oedde.

Thank you so much for sending me these lovely things from your country.  I love them!  I'll get into reading this lovely little book over the Christmas/NYE break and I'll write a review on it on My Reading List.  

A Christmas Card From the USA.

Today, I got out and checked the mail early... well okay, it was my normal time, but I made sure I didn't stuff around out in the heat as it was hotter on my way home than it was when I headed out.  Strange but true!  Well, when I opened the PO Box today, I had a phone bill and a large envelope from the USA awaiting me.  On opening it, I found it was a gorgeous Christmas card from phantomreader42 from Georgia in the USA. 

Thank you so much for sending this to me!  I love the wolves on the front; they are just gorgeous!  I really appreciate your thoughtfulness.  I'll post one off to you in the next day or so in return.

Ornament Exchange 2011!

This year, TexasWren couldn't do the Bookcrossing Ornament Exchange; so she hired two wonderful people to take her place.  And they've done a great job in matching us all up!  I sent off my ornament to a Bookcrosser in Canada about a week and a half ago; and it should arrive there soon.

Today, though, I picked up a small box from the post office (that's what the blue pick-up parcel card was for) and I found inside it a gorgeous ornament for my tree!  Thank you so much heartthumper!  I will definitely put this on my tree once I put it up next week.

Gorgeous Knitted Coin Purse Arrival.

A few weeks ago, I received a Private Message from a Bookcrosser who asked me if I was still collecting coin purses.  I answered her and said I do; but haven't found any that were interesting enough to purchase of late (yep, I've hit a dry patch in the charity stores).  Today, I was out at the Post Office to check the mail; when I opened the little black door with my number on it to find the whole thing was chock-a-block with mail!  there was junk mail, two parcels and a blue parcel pick-up card!  Wow!  That's a lot of deliveries!

Inside a yellow envelope was this gorgeous little knitted coin purse.  Inside the coin purse was the Flamingo magnetic bookmark from Florida and the postcard is of Niagara Falls.  I love how this purse has been made; with such care; and it's been used too.  I will get into using it at some point soon as well.  Thank you so much pumpkinpussycat for sending this one to me, it's just gorgeously cute!

HGG from Heartthumper

It's coming around to that time of year again!  Yep, Christmas time; and this means, I'll be receiving some gifts from my friends from across the miles on Bookcrossing.

Today was the first day for one to arrive!  I opened my PO Box and there was a blue parcel pick-up card waiting for me.  When I opened the parcel, I found this cute little coin purse sock and lovely Christmas card.  Inside the card were these beautiful book labels; some of them were made just for the Christmas season!  How lovely is that?  Thank you so much Heartthumper!  I love this beautiful little gift; and it was all wrapped up in Christmas paper too... just lovely.  

Two Romance Bandits Prizes Arrivals

Today, I had a parcel show up in the mail; and I am expecting a few things as the season of Christmas approaches.  However, today, it was a prize I had won on the Romance Bandits site about a month ago of what I thought was one book; but when I opened it, it turned out that I won two books!  How good's that?  

Isn't it wonderful when you find that you think you've got one thing and it ends up being double?  I love it.  So, I'd like to personally thank Cheryl Ann Smith for sending these great romance novels to me with two bookmarks as well.  And these books are signed as well!  What a bonus!  Thank you again, Cheryl.

Tuesdayal's Visit

Last week, Tuesdayal visited Brisbane for a conference.  However, we kept on missing each other to catch up on the Bookcrossing front.  So, seeing she had a few things for me, she posted off in the mail the things she had for me; and today, they arrived!  

I'd like to thank her very much for sending this little, old glo-mesh purse to me.  It's very old and will be added to my collection; however, it's in such a bad state I may not be able to use it.  So, it has been put away to keep it safe and to keep it from it falling apart.  Thank you again, Tuesdayal.