A Leaf in the Tree

 

Spot the kitty?

I just totally LOVE this picture. Every time I look at it, I chuckle. HA!

It is not my tree or my kitty. Rather, one of my co-workers/colleagues/friends, was telling me about her new Christmas tree and snapped this picture of it with her new kitty, Leaf, "hanging out", getting in the Christmas spirit. Beautiful. A blessing for sure.

I printed it and posted it by my door so that my neighbors could also enjoy it as they passed by. I wonder how many will notice the special "Leaf"?

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Written Sunday 20 December 2020.

First Snow of the Season

 

View from my window this morning about 10 a.m.

This time the weather forecasters can be credited with a win (not like a week or so ago when the storm missed us and all we got was a bit of slush that melted by afternoon). It snowed overnight and into this morning. Looks like we got about the 12-inches or so that were forecast.

View from my window this afternoon, about 2 p.m.

Thankfully, many of us are working remote (from home) and don't have to travel. So no rush to go outside and shovel out the car. Instead, I can enjoy staying inside, in the warmth, and continue working (but enjoying the view). As you can see from the above pictures, our maintenance staff worked hard to get the sidewalks cleared.

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Written Sunday 20 December 2020.

Back to Bethlehem

 

Happy to be back to Bethlehem.

I almost didn't go this year. My colleague Lee alerted me to a recent news report that there would be no cachet stamping this year and also a good chance of no Bethlehem post mark. Last year I was crushed when I learned that my cards were postmarked "Hartford" rather than "Bethlehem."

Still, I've been traveling to Bethlehem since 1994. (I've made it there several times too).

And so I went again this year, hoping for a miracle...at Bethlehem. Maybe - perhaps - maybe I found one. Time will tell. The sign in the picture below states they will hand cancel the cards. And so I handed my bag of cards to one of the clerks and politely requested the Bethlehem postmark. She responded affirmatively. I've had miracles before at Bethlehem.

One year I drove after a snow storm only to find the post office closed. I put my bag of card in the mailbox with a note requesting the annual cachet. And a few days later I received my card with the annual cachet and Bethlehem postmark. Fantastic! It was a miracle for me.

Another year, I couldn't go on Saturday like I had normally done. So I took a day off and went on a weekday. To my surprise, I met a crippled guy working there that I knew from when I worked at Record Revolution (Parma OH) during college. Imagine that?!! Imagine the chances of running into someone like that years later? Of all places. Bethlehem. Miracles. Why not?

Postscript (Wednesday 16 Dec 2020): Mu prayer was answered in my favor. The card that I mailed to myself on Monday arrived and it had a big, red BETHLEHEM postmark (see pic below).

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Links:

https://www.wfsb.com/news/holiday-cachet-stamps-are-not-available-this-year-at-bethlehems-post-office/article_5fd4d67a-363e-11eb-af10-17481eeb7192.html
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1260037621515093421/7451828294134190437
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Written: Monday 14 December 2020

Updated Sunday 20 December 2020 for postmark