One of my favorites: the bluebird ornament. I have two of them. This one has the indented center which works as a reflector. Something tells me they were called thumbprints, but I may be wrong about that. The other, which I found several years later, is a smooth bulb.
Well. Christmas is one week away. Suddenly, it’s almost here. I’m now wanting to slow time so it lasts longer. When I was a kid, I wanted it to come QUICKLY! Now, I want it to be ‘in the offing’ a bit longer. I want more time to listen to Christmas music, to indulge in being smack dab in the middle of the Christmas season.
USPS woes: My package, which came from Spain, landed at JFK, then went to the Jamaica, NY processing center where it went through customs, then went to the Metro NY Processing Facility, then suddenly ended up at a postal center in Pennsylvania. After two days, it landed at processing center in New Jersey, then traveled all the way back to the Jamaica, NY International processing center, where it sat for 3 days, then to the Queens NY facility, then to Newburgh where it sat for two days, and finally to my local post office. It’s being delivered today. It should have been here a week ago. Needless to say, I live 75 miles north of NYC – this should have been a no brainer.
My customer’s package – she paid for priority mail and lives in Virginia – left my local post office on the 14th, went to the Queens NY Distribution Center, left the center on the 15th, landed in Richmond, VA on the 15th, and then – for some reason – ended up in Grand Rapids, MI on the 16th, where it remains. It is now 2 days later and there has been no movement.
It makes me crazy. But it especially upsets me when a customer has paid for 2 day delivery and doesn’t get what they paid for. I am tracking it as best I can, but I can’t submit an inquirey until the 21st. Hopefully, she is tracking it as well.
I imagine that it all happens in the sorting. Packages mistakenly get put in the wrong bin. This has happened to me more often than not. Sigh. I imagine all of you have stories to tell about the same thing.
We’ve started watching a Christmas movie every night. Last night was A Christmas Story, tonight is White Christmas. We have no interest in modern movies, they’re not our thing. Yes, we’ve seen Elf. It was immediately disqualified from any future viewings – cute, but not something we want to revisit.
And finally, Queen Sophie, my first Blythe:
She always looks slightly skeptical, doesn’t she?
Stay safe.
Happy Wednesday.
You must be so frustrated with the postal system. Especially frustrating in the case of the outgoing “two day” package. Good luck — I hope it gets there in time for the holiday. And that you get yours today.
White Christmas is my all-time favorite and that might be tonight’s movie for me, too!
I cry every time they say “Attention” and Dean Jagger comes into the theater.
Stay safe, Jeanie.
Started off with a foggy morning. I like foggy mornings. Don’t know why.
Not only does packages take detours ( I had one that went to Oregon by way of Hawaii). We lived in Texas at the time. But, anyway, our daughter is coming to visit us for Christmas and she is flying up from NC to Virginia by way of Maryland. Why? We are the next state over!!!!.
I love the movie White Christmas. Have you seen the movie “It Happened on 5th Avenue”? Another favorite is “The Man who came to Dinner”. Didn’t care for Bette Davis as an actress until I saw her in this movie. Another actor I didn’t care for was Humphrey Bogart until I saw him in “Sabrina”.
I wonder if Queen Sophie is thinking “What are you up to now?” I hope you have a wonderful day.
Yes, I’ve seen It Happened on 5th Avenue as well as The Man Who Came to Dinner. Since I’ve coached the original play version of The Man Who Came to Dinner, I know how it can (and should) be done. I feel that the movie is a bit over the top, especially Monty Woolley’s performance where he seems to be yelling every line as if he’s onstage instead of in front of the camera. The only performance I like is that of Bette Davis. She’s wonderful in the role.
Stay safe, Trina.
You are so right about Monty Woolley.
xo
I have four out of six left of my parent’s indented ornaments. These are indented on three sides…with snowflakes, and all are tri-colored. Precious to me, and easy broken, unfortunately. Your bluebird ones are lovely. Were they originally from your parents collection?
Sounds like your packages both sending and receiving are getting the run-a-round. It is ridiculous that a Christmas card to a neighbor across the street has to travel to Milwaukee first to be processed, before it can return to Madison, 75+ miles away, to be delivered. Why? And, I don’t expect anything to improve either.
When our sons were young they didn’t care for movies like a White Christmas (boring), or It’s a Wonderful Life (where’s the color, mom?). So we watched a lot of the ‘new’ Christmas movies…they had more ‘action’. Now…I have two sets of Christmas movies to watch each Christmas….those I watched as a kid, and those I watched with my kids. So…we watch both.
Enjoy your day! ;)
No. I really don’t have any of my parents’ ornaments. There are a few that I wish I had.
Re: the post office. Louis DeJoy is ruining it. I know Biden can’t do anything about it, but the Board should vote him out.
Sounds like the perfect Christmas movie schedule!
Stay safe, Donnamae.
It’s so fun to have the vintage ornaments. I have some from my parents early trees. That’s so frustrating about the packages…I can only imagine what the postal system is like this time of year. Reminds me of the post office scene in the original Miracle on 34th Street. I saw The Bishop’s Wife last week…and I love White Christmas! Enjoy and stay warm!
We held off on The Bishop’s Wife because we like to see it closer to Christmas.TCM likes to program it on Christmas Eve.
Stay safe, Barrie.
I only have one of the indented ornaments left unfortunately. I had gotten a few from my mother-in-law a long time ago which broke through the years.
The post office is so frustrating. My sister just sent a package to my son in Delaware and it came back saying incomplete address. She texted me and asked me did they move? I said no and sent her his address. She had it correct on the package. Strange and aggravating.
Very aggravating, Carol.
I understand.
Stay safe.
“A Christmas Story” is my favorite! Never had soap in my mouth but I (and my husband) can relate to so many other things!
I had soap in my mouth! Maybe once? It was not pleasant.
Stay safe, Wendy.
I forgot to mention we have been enjoying on YouTube “Sting A Winter’s Night Live from Durham Cathedral 2009”. It just soothes the soul. We had a hard night Saturday and ended up watching this and are now trying to avoid politics until after the New Year.
Sounds like the perfect way to celebrate the holidays, Wendy.
Oh, Claudia, how I identified with your post today! Some of my USPS packages have literally circled the country when they originated in Atlanta (only 100 miles from me) — makes no sense to me! As for the modern movies, they hold no interest for us. We have no desire to watch them. Give us the old classics anytime! I hope you and Don enjoy every minute of this season.
Thank you, Dottie. The same to you!
Stay safe.
A Christmas movie I really like is The Homecoming. It’s from the 70s & was about the Waltons before the series. Patricia Neal played the mother. It takes place around the depression. Very good!
Yes, I saw that movie when it first aired. I remember it well. Excellent!
Stay safe, Julie.
I can sympathize with you about packages being delayed this Christmas season. Canada Post has been on strike but today we got our first mail delivery in a month. Miracle of miracles my little package from Spain arrived safely. I’m waiting for another one. They are asking for my comment on Etsy but I haven’t received it yet. Hope your client gets her package soon. That’s a lovely bluebird ornament. Miss Sophie seems to be saying, what’s she up to now, lol. Hugs, Elaine
I think that’s exactly what Sophie is saying!
Thanks, Elaine. Glad your package arrived!
Stay safe.
That is a CRAZY mail story!!! I can’t even imagine how that would happen. I hope you got your package.
Thanks so much, Jenny.
It is insane.
Stay safe.
I totally agree with you about modern Christmas movies. I cannot stand the National Lampoon movies, the Santa Clause movies, the remake of Miracle on 54 th Street. I can watch Elf every three years or so. I do like George C. Scott’s in A Christmas Carol.The old movies are so much better,I will not name them because I am sure you know which ones I mean. They are the same ones you have mentioned over the years.
I enjoyed seeing the girls as Queens. It was a fun series.
Greetings to Don.
Take Care,
Kaye
I liked Scott’s A Christmas Carol, too, but Alastair Sim will always be my favorite. I should rewatch Scott’s.
Thanks so much, Kaye.
Stay safe.
Absolutely unbelievable the travels your packages are embarking on. I count myself lucky that all my packages this season have been delivered in a timely manner. They keep talking about privatizing the USPS. Just imagine what a mess it would be then!
Five inches of snow fell today and it is beautiful out there. The biggest flakes were flying while we were driving to the veterinary clinic again late afternoon. Guess we’ll have a white Christmas after all.
Speaking of that, I’m with you on the vintage films for Christmas. But I haven’t watched “White Christmas” in years and years since I prefer the original film that introduced the song: “Holiday Inn.” I’m a big Astaire fan, he and Bing are cute together, and I just like the story better. I do love to watch one modern one: “The Family Stone.” There’s just something about it that just appeals and I’m always in tears or choked up at the end when they’re doing the tree without the mother (Diane Keaton).
Take care,
Kay
Oh, I watch both! I’ve been a major fan of Astaire since I was 12 years old and am (if I say so myself) a bit of an expert on his work.
Both movies are wonderful!
Stay safe, Kay.