A Parcel From England…….

Barking dogs alerted me to the arrival of the post lady today, whilst I was busy in the kitchen preparing lunch.

That woman starts tooting before she even pulls into the drive, and continues to toot as I pull on my old boots trying to get out of the door…..desperate not to hear the sound of another ruddy toot.

 Almost falling over my untied laces, I lunge for the door handle…….why won't she ever get out of that van run some fresh air through her lungs?!

I wear a big smile take the parcel, sign for it barely looking up and bid her a buoyant "buongiorno"!

Turning on my heel in the direction of the door, firmly closing it behind me without looking back, relieved to get away from her!

I had such a to do with her when we moved in …. …she tried every possible excuse not to drive up here….we had to have a post box down on the main road…..we had to have a number on the house,(even though we are the only house in the woods and the Italian posties and everyone else all know where  everyone lives).

She was frightened of the little poodle…Charlie hasn't a bad bone in his little curly haired body…teeth are for eating with he thinks………..pity!

A tale of the van suffering a knock along the track….anything not to deliver….in fact I once took in mail she had been sitting on, (probably quite literally!), for several months!

All the other ladies are soooo lovely, why couldn't we have the one who always blows kisses to me?!

As I tore at the padded envelope, dated the 10th January all bad thoughts about Madam Postie went out of my head.

I gently held the contents in my hands, tears in my eyes for the parcel was from one of my lovely daughters, Lauren sent for my recent birthday.

Two beautiful, hand knitted face cloths by her fair hands…with hand written brown labels…."Hand knitted Fairtrade organic 100% cotton," the other, "94% cotton and 6% silk".

Knitted with loVe by my sweet darling daughter….tied with ivory ribbon, in a bow.

In addition she had trawled the junk shops to find treasure she knew I would love…..that came in the form of a little vintage folder containing four old black and white/sepia photographs.

The first a delightful carnival float with a group of young girls, " The Belles of St. Mary's" depicting a piano, sheets of music and those bell shaped paper lanterns swinging above their heads!

The second was a photograph of a couple on a beach, she with a big straw hat across her face, pic-nic bag, newspaper and towels ….. at the top of the photograph a line of beautiful old cars parked!

The third was taken at The Rialto Bridge in Venice… with May/Aug.'60  on the back.

But my very favourite, is the one taken looking down into a garden, of a delightful little greenhouse surrounded by tall flowers and canes for beans, trees, a tall galvanised dustbin, hedges and two stripy deck chairs facing each other on the pathway.

I can just make out a lady lazing back in one……she must have been full of contentment sitting there, I am going to get this one enlarged…reminds me of the potting shed here with the raised beds surrounding it and the intense happiness I feel whilst at play amongst the vegetables!

And as if those well thought/searched for photographs and face cloths weren't enough……Lauren had also enclosed a copy of "Mrs. Dalloway," by Virginia Woolf with the most lovely, colourful cover…..I have always been so fascinated with the Bloomsbury Set!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart my darling, the most wonderful thoughtful gift.XXX