Joy!

I'm so lucky to have such great friends! Here is a funny story about how I was reminded of that this afternoon...

I generally alternate days doing fieldwork and days writing up notes, entering data and recording my thoughts (if I have any brain power left to have them!). Today is a writing day, and I usually have to move mid-way through the day. A walk to the post office, 3 miles round-trip, is great break. I was particularly happy to go today, because I've had a few questions about mail from J and friends, so I suspected there might be something there...

The walk was uneventful and arrived at the post-office sweaty but  excited. I waited inline and when my turn came, I gave the man behind the counter my name and asked if I had any mail. After I repeated my name for him twice, with clear enunciation so there could be no mistake, he looked in the M-O-P cubby, shuffled through the pile and shook his head no. I really wanted to climb over the counter and look in the random piles all over the post office certain that there must be some mail for me somewhere in the paper chaos (go here for my description of the Gros Islet PO in all its wonder), but I restrained myself. I was turning sadly to go,  when the door to my left opened very suddenly and a hand shot out, holding a bundle (yes a whole bundle!) of mail!!! This second man has apparently been stockpiling my mail in a secret location. He must have heard me repeating my name and decided it was time to reveal his secret...
I didn't care to stop and ask why my mail doesn't get to live in the alphabetized cubbies anymore. I just bounded out of the post office with enough mail that a rubber band was required :)
In my bundle were a note and photos from and adorable 3-month old girl (she is very advanced for her age!), Christmas cards from several friends, photos from my favorite Germs, the funniest Chrsitmas card I've ever seen, and get this- not one, but two sets of "Twelve Days of Christmas" themed mail (I've checked and they didn't conspire)...

One set is post cards, each with an adorable and humorous doodle that corresponds to each days theme (maids a milking etc)! So far cards 1, 3-6 and 8-10 have arrived- wonder what happened to #2 and #7?

The second set is Christmas cards, numbered with great messages and mailed 12 days in a row. In this case cards 3,4,5 and 6 have arrived... I can't wait for the others!

Thank you, thank you, thank you dear friends! I've just been grinning all afternoon :)