Speaking of Mail

A few months ago I was spending some R & R time in Barnes and Noble Book Store and found a book just calling out to me. The title -"Good Mail Day". Well, anything addressing the topic of good mail or happy mail catches my attention.

I thought I'd track down this book at the library, but it is not at the library. So after months of telling myself I don't need this book, I broke down and bought it online. You know what that means . . . the book was mailed to me. Yea! One day I went to my mailbox and there was this brown paper package (not) tied up with string and it was addressed to me.

This book is about making mail art and sending it. The idea is to make something unique and get it in the mail. There are chapters about making a mail art kit, getting inspiration for your art, refining penmanship & etiquette, etc. This is really a fun book.

"When you write to your friends, make your letters so beautiful in form and text that they will be read, re-read, and cherished a long time after as a fond memory. ~Book of Etiquette, 1922"

Rule #1 - to get a letter, write a letter.

I need to improve on rule #1. I have been rather distracted lately and always feeling too busy to follow through on thoughts of letters to write. So, of course, I am recommitted. My great aunt was a stellar letter writer. Whenever she met someone she asked for their address and said she would write. And write she did. And they wrote back. When she passed away she was corresponding with near 100 people on a regular basis. Wow! Now that's a lot of happy mail.

A Perfect Day

What would you write down if you were planning your perfect day? My darling hubby, Scott, gave me a blank schedule for Mother's Day on which I was to plan and enjoy my perfect day. The idea was to do something for myself since, as a wife and mother, I'm focused on doing for family most of the time. What a guy. I felt completely spoiled. I thought of what to plan; there were so many ideas from which to choose. I soon saw that I have a long list of perfect days in my life and they're all different. You know, some are holidays, time with family, giving quiet service, feeling loved beyond words, relishing in the many wonders of nature and regular moments in a day that all add up to "perfect". I cherish them all.

For my Perfect Day in May I chose to bike down to Utah Lake in the morning. . . .

Then do some shopping at noon. . . .

I tried watercoloring for the first time in the afternoon. It was really fun to see what would come out on paper. Scott was my teacher and he told me I show promising talent. . . .

Then spent the evening talking, laughing, reading, relaxing at Sundance Resort with my "watercolor instructor". How perfect is that?!

Everyone needs time to rejuvenate. Sometimes we get an hour or a day. Sometimes just 10 minutes to listen to soothing music before we close our eyes at night. But it's important to take time somewhere. It gives a lift to our worn down spirits, it's renewing, it helps keep us young.