Mailbox
Do you remember when you last wrote a letter to somebody? And they would write one back to you? I used to write long rambling letters to a cousin of mine. Full of nothing-stories about what happened in class. Forty of fifty pages were perfectly normal! And she would write similar stories back. Also extremely long and full of nonsense. When I started to be a bit more fluent in English I had a penpal. From South-Africa. His name was Douw (pronounced Doe) and from what I could gather he lived out in the sticks somewhere.
I have had several penpals over the years. From Austria to the USofA to Morocco. And I still have all those letters ever sent to me (apart from a few from Morocco, because the guy creeped me out and I threw them away).
Life has become easier nowadays with internet and e-mail. But nothing beats getting home after a hard day's work and finding a letter or a postcard on the doormat. Or the doorbell ringing and receiving a package from the other side of the world containing apple jelly!
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Photo taken July 2009 in Adare, Ireland
Photo taken July 2009 in Adare, Ireland
I'm for the package of apple jelly! Sounds wonderful.
ReplyDeleteK
It's lovely to receive letters. We only ever get 'round robins' typed and enclosed with Christmas cards (and sometimes we send them!)
ReplyDeleteApple jelly? Is that jam or sauce?
I just write Christmas letters, and that's all I get.
ReplyDeleteWait: I recently wrote to our foster child; and, I did write to friends when I was invited to their anniversary celebration but couldn't come. Oh ... I wrote to my cousin/aunt when she was dying, and her daughter after that.
I agree. I miss the whole process of letters but with the internet, most of my family and friends rely on email. We still send postcards and an occasional letter but not like it used to be.
ReplyDeleteI miss letters. These days it's only bills which come through the letter box :(
ReplyDeleteMail has changed, hasn't it. I never did get any apple jelly though! :) Good M post, Mara!
ReplyDeleteI just received a long letter from a ninety-five year old friend. Nor is she the only one to write recently. Thank you Frances and Aurora!
ReplyDeleteThis is one reason I am loving swapping my art! Mail in the mailbox is sooo special.
ReplyDeleteI do love to get personal letters but I hate all the junk mail that comes to the mailbox too. What a waste. Packages are more than wonderful.
ReplyDeleteGreat post today.
before e-mail, I was a prolific letter writer...sigh
ReplyDeleteROG, ABC Wednesday team
Before email I did write a lot of letters - now it's very rarely. Terrible double standards but I do enjoy people writing to me!
ReplyDeleteI have a bunch of letters I wrote to my mother in the 90's. I think most of them had nothing of any real interest in them. I must make an effort to look for them.
ReplyDeleteI so agree, Mara! I have boxes (well, shoeboxes) full of letters, but they end in the late 80's because of "email" which I don't save. It's rare to receive anything with actual handwriting on it.
ReplyDeleteApple jelly sounds like a fitting substitute!
I was like you and now I don't even remember when I wrote my last letter, lol ! I don't send postcards either because they always arrive after my return. And then I am not a postcard fan and I throw them in the bin immediately. I am very happy with my blogs and emails ! At least now I can write !
ReplyDeleteUsed to write letters and receive letter about a decade ago. Nowadays, most of the conversation is through phone.
ReplyDeleteDear Mara,
ReplyDeleteLike your mailbox! Great M-word. Yep, there is nothing like a real letter in an envelope! I just love getting my paws on them and tearing them apart, no, I mean opening and reading them, of course!
Thank you so much for visiting my M-post.
I felt sorry for the mousie too. But remember, this is fiction. I did not actually kill any real mouse for this post. But I cannot say that I have not killed mice in the past. It is in my nature. I am a cat!
Please come visit me again at any time.
Purrs,
Sara Cat
For the benefit of other readers:
Sara Cat's abcWED-round-7-M
You are quite right Mara. It is lovely to receive a handwritten note or letter from someone but it is so rare these days. Great post! A
ReplyDeleteI love snail mail!
ReplyDeleteI also really like the background you are using now.
Letter writing is becoming a lost art...along with thank you notes! I have to admit, I've not written a letter in a long time. Have sent cards with a quickly jotted note, but no lengthy letters. I type much faster than I write! I agree, the best thing after a long day at work is a package on the doorstep!
ReplyDeleteI used to be an avid letter writer, first to my grandmother and then I had pen pals...lovely choice, brings back dear Memories :)
ReplyDeleteM is for me...
A nice on - soon it will only be E-mailboxes :-)
ReplyDeleteI don't remember when was the last time I wrote a letter. I think for myself I love to receive a letter than emails hehe.
ReplyDeleteABC Wednesday
It has really changed but I still mail out cards and presents all the time. I do not write any long letters anymore but I will type a letter and mail it someone.
ReplyDeleteI think I've almost lost the skill of handwriting! I enjoy finding comments on my blogs and newsy emails though. And then you can reply much quicker.
ReplyDeleteOh, I can so relate to your post on the lost art (and joy) of letter-writing. I had pen pals as a child and my old-world upbringing included seeing my parents composing letters to Europe on a regular basis.
ReplyDeleteI send cards with long notes but they are usually related to a birthday or anniversary, etc.
I use email a lot!
Things really are different now, aren't they?
Thank you for your visit.
You're right, Mara! And I have started to send holiday postcards again for this reason. I usually send two to my Mum, from different places, since she is now housebound and doesn't get to go anywhere.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to find an Italian penpal, since I'm now learning the language, but it isn't proving very easy!