The Snail Mail post box service

When I returned from my committee meeting last night at about 9pm, I found two letters in colourful envelopes on the floor behind the front door. When I picked them up I saw they had unusually large and brightly coloured stamps. Then it twigged. I’d read on a local online newspaper earlier in the day that there was a service being provided to deliver Valentine Cards in the local area. All you needed to do was post them in a special box on Horns Road before 4pm today, and they would be hand delivered by the ‘snail mail’ people, within 5 miles of the box, and it was entirely voluntary.

I was too late to take up the service, but today when I opened them, I realised that Indie, our Bombay cat, must have taken up the offer as there was a Valentine card from her to me. What a loving cat! The other card came from a woodpecker of my close acquaintance. Aren’t I the lucky one!

On the pink post box you can see the replica of the postage stamp. I went searching and I stopped at the box on my way home today after driving Helena to work early this morning. It was still raining but only drizzling rather than torrential. A couple of yards to the right you might also be able to make out the library exchange box covered by a black sheet. It is that sort of neighbourhood I’m pleased to say. Our wonderful local pub is just fifty yards up the road.

By the end of the day, I’d finally achieved a task that has been nagging me for some time, so I felt a bit of relief. I’d been trying to print a special size of card with a particular image which I wanted to send to friend with a sad message. Once printed I wrote a difficult message and then drove to the actual Post Office Sorting Office to post the card. Soon after my return I had a call from Helena’s colleague Angela saying that the Elections Officer at Gloucester Council had taken Angela’s advice and was going to offer me an Election Day post as the Presiding Officer at one of the polling stations. I was a bit reluctant at first because of taking on the responsibility, but I’m glad I’ve now accepted the job. Another first.