Goodies!

I woke early today, thanks to the cats - a covert attack this time, but enough to make going back to sleep nigh on impossible.

I never did lie-ins as a child - not an option in a bungalow with early-bird parents and a bedroom next to the kitchen. Even now, although I sleep later at the weekend than I ever have before, it's seldom past 8.30am. A has always had a talent for lie-ins, though, so early wake up calls at the wekend do allow me that glorious time when the house is almost silent.

Today, I curled up and caught up with some podcasts and worked on some socks (and yes, C, WIP Wednesday will make a comeback soon!). At about 9.30, there was a knock on the door and the postman handed me a large box - a parcel from my Secret Pal!


Doesn't it look fab?

First up, her own blend of lavender and mint tea, transfered into a bag so the jar didn't smash.

Then, not one, not two, not three, but FOUR needle rolls! She had emailed me to say that she had managed to gt some sewing done, but wow! Four! Two for DPNS and crochet hooks, one for straights and one for circs. They are beautiful and really well finished.

Then there was sheepy stationery. I have always been a sucker for this kind of thing, and I love the fact that the shopping list pad has a magnet so it can go on the fridge - or even on the magnetic board if I get it onto the wall (hey, it's only three and half years since I decorated the kitchen - and it's not like either of us trip on it where it is learning against a cupboard....)

Little candles and a maple syrup candy maple leaf next...

...and finally some yarn that she has dyed herself - gorgeous! I love the dark green in this and I already have an idea what to make in this (it'll just join a big queue!)

But the bit that gets me is this - look at the date on the postage label:


30th October. Tuesday. This parcel took four days to get here. From the States. So far I have sent two parcels to my Secret Pal that have had to cross the Atlantic, and neither of them have arrived. The latest one only went 9 days ago and the Sock Wars socks took 11 days, so no cause for alarm yet (although parcels in the summer were only taking one week to get there. Go figure) . However, the first parcel was sent at the end of September and should have left the country before the postal strike. Is it sat in Customs waiting to be strip-searched? Did the airmail label fall off and it is currently cruising the Atlantic, sipping cocktails on the poop deck? Or even worse, is it mouldering in a British sorting office, fallen down behind a rack?

Anyway, I have needles to sort and new yarn to console me. Thank you Secret Pal, you are a star!