Monday, February 7, 2011

Sometimes Life Makes Me Cry

Yesterday was a day for lists. There was the list of things I needed to get my taxes done. There was the small, but growing list of things I didn't get at the store or things I've run out of. There's the small list of people I should buy Valentine cards for. But the best list, and it was short, was of things that made me really happy.

Of course #1 on the list is shoveling out the drive and up to the mailbox. To start with this on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m....



 and awaken to this on Wednesday morning...

to finally arriving at this on Sunday, is #1 on the good things list.

But there are two more things that were so good yesterday. One of them involved the mystery box mentioned in yesterday's post.

I took the soggy box inside and set it on the floor. Instantly, it was surrounded and sniffed. There was a noise, best described as a "tinkle" as I shifted the box. I thought something inside had broken.

Now, I don't remember ordering anything lately, not a thing. I'm getting a tax refund this year so I'm going to indulge myself and get a collector's edition of "Nightmare Before Christmas", unless someone gives it to me for Valentine's Day. It's a great movie to cross-stitch to. But that has to wait until my refunds are direct deposited and, if you have tried to file you know the IRS is holding all filings until the 14th so they can verify that you didn't claim Fluffy or Fido, among other things. Plus, that's a fairly large box. So I was very curious as to what was inside of it.

Wouldn't you know it, I opened it upside down.
This was no help in figuring out what this was. I removed the item from the box and discovered it was a tea gift set. Here, Pilchard inspects it.
Now I'm really, really confused. I looked at the box label. That's my correct name and address but the return address is some company in Pennsylvania. Did I win a basket in a contest I don't remember entering?
In checking the label more closely, there was a phone number and I vaguely recognized the number. But, at my age, there are so many phone numbers of so many people stored in the great Rolodex that is your brain that your first cousin's phone number they had when they were 15 is, quite possibly, mixed up with your grandfather's phone number or maybe that's the phone number for the library. Who knows.

Digging further into the box, I came upon the packing slip. There, on the "Memo" line was the note, "Dear Deb. It's been a rough end of the year 2010 for you and not the greatest start to 2011. Here's hoping 2011 shapes up to be wonderful. Have a cup on us. Love Mary." That's when I recognized the phone number.

I sat down in the chair in the living room and looked at Mija chewing on the ribbon and burst into tears. Sometimes things happen for a reason. Of all the times I NEEDED a reminder that there are people who genuinely care, it was Sunday afternoon, after almost 2 hours of shoveling.
The basket contains a tea pot and the bag holder (That's what was making the noise as the holder hit the pot.), English Breakfast and Earl Grey teas and Honey Sticks. Now the Honey Sticks are something completely new to me. It's clover honey packages in plastic tubes you break open (getting some on your fingers in the process) and add to your tea. It's just the right amount.

There isn't a word for the warmth that I felt looking at this basket. Mary said it just seemed like the right thing to do for me right now. She was concerned about the tea choices as she drinks coffee or Lipton Iced in the summer. I love English Breakfast and Earl Grey is the perfect kind to go with reading. I took a shower, tossed those clothes down the chute and made myself a cup of tea with a pot for later. I pulled out my bone china cup, a Christmas present from Tonia some years ago. It seemed like the perfect cup to go with hot, fresh English Breakfast tea.

Thank you, Tom and Mary. What a wonderful gift to be discovered at the exact time I needed it.

Oh, item #3 on the good list? Gauss is resuming his For the Horde runs soon. I can't wait to be killed spectacularly over and over again as I defend Alliance cities. You bet I'll have a mug of hot tea sitting next to the computer.

Beverage:  Irish Breakfast tea

Deb

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