Letter 4

After writing to a stranger last week, I thought this week I would continue, mostly because I got a lovely card from Nara, Japan, through Postcrossing. The lady included her address on the card and I got a lovely warmth from her, so I thought, YES - you receive a letter!

I started writing on Wednesday this week, talking about my life. I did feel slightly guilty about sending a letter rather than postcards, so I included a couple of recycled ones: a vintage one of Edinburgh and one I received in a letter/stamp exchange with a girl in Russia. I hope she likes them. I also added a sample from Neals Yard Remedies and since it is nearly Christmas a festive badge. I then remembered Christmas isn't that popular in Japan (being shinto n all), so explained it. I also did a quite invlolved description of a lecture I attended - perhaps too complex for a Japanese lady I don't know. (Anyway Rory Naismith did do an excellent lecture at the Winton Institute in Oxford, where I just finished my internship.)

I finished writing on Friday on holiday with my gentleman in Berwick-upon-Tweed.

This has been a recent trend of not having enough time to write as long a letter as I would like, so the last two were written in two parts. I think this is OK, but was not part of the deal so this week I am going to make a CONCERTED EFFORT to write my letter in one go. I did love using this nice writing paper. I bought it in Tong Garden Centre a couple of years ago and have used it for thank you letters and also occassionaly for work at NYR when people have requested a sample or some infomation, I've sent a little note on this paper. The paper has rosemary in the bottom corner and the backs of the envelopes have ALL the herbs. And I do love herbs: sage, rosemary, chives, chamomile, rosemary and tansy!

For the first time this week, I thought about the posting of the letter - have things gone too far you may ask? Probably. However, that didn't stop me buying the postage in the postoffice, but then insisting to Daz that we found "a pretty postbox". The recipient is unlikely to wonder where I posted her letter - I did explain about 52 Weeks of Mail in the letter, but I'm not sure she'll follow up and look here. If you do ... Hello Noriko! This is me posting your letter in Alnwick, Northumberland. The postbox says V R which means it was built in the reign of Queen Victoria ...