Connection Time

I've already posted a picture of the holiday card I had printed. It's a vague one. A bit of a joke and a reference to our habit of taking reflection pictures. Last year's card was more straightforward.

So far we've received 15 cards that weren't from businesses or non-profits. I've mailed 29 cards out. I 'replied' to some of the ones received. I anticipated others. (She will send a card for sure, hasn't moved and there will be a cat on the card, a cartoon cat in holiday garb; he will send a card, probably with a painting or nature scene and nothing to do with the holiday celebrations and I owe him a 'thank you' for dinner the other night so I'll enclose that; she will send a small card and inside in neat handwriting will be a description of the last years travels---I met her at work in the '70's, have not seen her in person since.)

I mailed one card to France. One card had a $100 bill in it. (I straight away sent my aunt a card. You are never too old to reap the rewards of being one of the nieces or nephews.)

As I go through my list my heart goes out to the people who've split up or lost their partners. I wonder if some of these people have moved and, even though I'll probably send a card I'll wait until they send one to check the address. I always check the addresses to make sure my database is up to date and is accurate. I'll even insert the extra four digits of the ZIP code if it's on their card. However, I don't print labels any longer. I hand address the cards. And I write something even if it is "Happy Holidays" inside in my shaky longhand.

People like to get mail. I do. Of course, I always hope that the cards I get are from people I already sent them to! And that I remember who the heck they are and why we know them. (There are people in the database that I am at a loss to tell you how they got there.)

It's really time to get busy sending more of these out. Can't believe Christmas is 11 days away. But I'm sure I'll get fewer than I got last year (45) and send fewer than I did last year (50+).

Sometimes I save the stamps off some of the envelopes. This, too, is lost with ecards and email greetings. Heck, in 2014 I used stamps to make handmade cards for some of the people.

Well, I better look through my list a bit more. Oh, that guy. He always sends one. Hope he's still at that address. We exchange cards, then maybe an email, threaten to get together every year. And we never do.