Around the House

Today as I was affixing postage to a letter, it got me thinking about the increased cost of mailing a letter, one thing leads to another and that led me to a few vintage letters that only recently come into my possession.

My sweet cousin Elaine recently returned this letter to me.  Thank goodness postage wasn't due!  It cost me 5 cents in '64!  It was such an insight into the woman I think I've grown into.  In fact, I am suggesting to all parents that they encourage their child to write a letter to themselves bareing open all their hopes, fears, concerns, and secrets.  Have them seal it up, and then give it to you, to be returned and opened up by said child, 40+ years later!  No cheating though...

Weeks earlier,in a box of my dear Aunty's dishes, my dear cousin Shirley slipped this letter written to her by my mom in 1951.  It cost my mom 4 cents to mail, but the letter inside is priceless.  You see, this was our first Christmas (or perhaps second), away from our family in Winnipeg.  While my mom and I have on occasion spoken about this time, reading it in her young mother's voice brought me to tears.

I don't even know how much this letter is costing me but I know I want it to arrive at its' destination by the 24th of January.

Postal rates have changed, you don't even have to lick them anymore.  Heck most people don't even write letters anymore, I know there is a trend to return to the handwritten word, versus, blogging, cheap long distance rates, e-mails, skype, texting, tweets, facebook--guilty on many of these accounts, but nothing compares to going to the mail box to pick up a letter!  I know the post office would be pleased, but the recipient even more so.  Are you in?

Happy Tuesday everyone!