The Box (long and rambling version)

(I know I have some promised posting to catch up on - but I am going to take things out of chronological order a bit - bear with me)

Way back before Christmas, I signed up for a Valentine Swap with some of my Tran-Quilt-ity group members. Coordinated by Gina in Wales, we had packages going all over the world. My little gifties (pictured here) were sent off to Zarina in Malaysia. And once again, we were entrusting our little treasures to the mercies of the world's postal services.

As people's packages started to arrive, they posted pictures on their blogs and you could sense their excitement. And slowly slowly by process of elimination, I came to realize my swap was coming from Gina... and from a post she had made, I knew she had mailed it out at the very very end of January.

I waited - and waited - and waited. Valentine's Day came and went - no package. My birthday came and went - and other packages arrived - but no sign of Gina's package. Then February ended, and March came. Still nothing. April. Still nothing. I did not say much - I knew Gina had mailed it and did not want her feeling bad at something that was out of her control. I just figured it was tied up in customs somewhere. I pretty much gave up at ever seeing it.

On Monday I received a package - this was one I had been expecting from Jill (and one that you will have to wait until tomorrow to read about). And then on Tuesday, we found a "package slip" in our PO box. That meant we had a package that was too big to fit in our box, and the package pick up lockers were either too full, or too small. We were going to have to wait and pick it up over the counter... which would normally have meant waiting until Saturday.

Except I had a brain storm! The kids are off school this week, and my niece has her driver's license! Maybe she would be willing to do a pick up run for me... especially since I was curious as I was not expecting anything. Could it possibly be???

Low and behold... nearly 3 months after being mailed.... it FINALLY arrived. Battered and tattered and torn, but it arrived!!!

I was in shock - the customs forms were still there - the address was intact - but the box looked like an elephant had sat on it. One side was nearly split open, and you could see the contents through the gap.

But once I started opening it - I saw that although having been tossed and turned about, the contents seemed intact. Even a terra cotta flowerpot - it's box crumpled and torn - was uncracked and solid! As were my ceramic Welsh Dragon salt and pepper shakers! And the chocolates - can't forget those!!! Quilting and gardening magazines - Gina really knows my passions! Some wonderful lotions and soaps, a great pattern, and some other goodies! I was in awe that it all made it through - and that nothing had fallen out of the gaping hole in the box!


Gina and her daughter even planned on celebrating the Munchkin's birthday and birth month, and had sent a whole big bag of goodies for him! Luckily for us the package came before he outgrew the wonderful Thomas t-shirt they included. He spent the evening pouring over the magazines they sent, playing with the pretend walkie-talkie's and putting together Lego with Daddy.

Lego that included - of all things - a turtle!!!

Happy Happy belated Valentine's Day!!
Thanks, Gina!