Christmas Came Early

This post is a big "THANK YOU!" to some really cool friends in the US who made me smile this week.

I arrived home on Wednesday to find an attempted delivery notice in my mailbox that had been left on Tuesday, but I didn't have time to go to the post office to pick up my package. Most of the mail I get at home is junk advertisements stuffed in by the locals, and I sometimes don't bother to use the key to open the box, just peek in through the wide slot at the junk. Alice had said she was sending something, so I assumed it was that, figured I'd grab it Thursday. Not long after I got home, the security buzzer rang, and I answered, expecting my student. But it was a guy from the post office, with a large box.

To my delight the box was from Romita, and it was filled with three bags (three!!) of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, a box of sinfully fattening Orville Redebacher's Movie Theater Popcorn, a few packages of taco seasoning, some Del Taco hot sauce, and some lemon and rum extracts. I've been thinking about tacos a lot lately, and now all I need is shells (and I know where I can get 'em) to start munching. Thanks Romita!

Just a few minutes later the bell rang again, but once again it wasn't my student, it was another post office guy! So, I made the trip downstairs again to get another package, this one from Alice. Huh? Then what's at the post office? A surprise, I guess.

Alice made me the cutest calendar you can possibly imagine. I'm going to have to take some photos of it and post them, because it's just adorable. Of course there are some photos of Wu Bai in it, but also some kitty pictures and some really cute cartoons. I love it! She also sent a bright holiday dish towel and a Santa ornament, that I have hanging up in the living room. Since she'd told me she was going to mail something, I'd asked her to get me some denim iron-on patches for my jeans, and she sent me three packs of those. Just in time, because my pants weren't safe to wear, as they were ready to sprout holes in an unfortunate place. Amazing what friction can to do cloth.... Thanks Alice!!

So, Thursday I didn't manage to get home until after 5:00, so no trip to the post office. But I went yesterday and found a package from Carol in New Hampshire, and she'd sent me some NH honey and maple syrup (the real deal)! That stuff is pretty expensive here, so I don't buy it, so getting some as a gift is truly nice :) French toast on the horizon, along with peanut-butter-and-honey toast for breakfast. Thanks Carol!!

Edit on 12/17/06: And another "thank you" to Maddy for the beautiful candle set that arrived Saturday afternoon. I love them so much!

Now, all my friends know that I'm incredibly lame when it comes to Christmas shopping, and normally I manage to get gifts out sometime in January. Don't think this year will be any different, because it won't be. But I wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!