Hello
Today we are going to Muse about the post office box. If this is your first visit, welcome to Musings. If you have been here before, welcome back. Over time we are going to talk about many things: the past, the present, perhaps the future, travel, art, society and more. Wherever my musing takes me. I hope you will come along with me.
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TO THE LETTER
Today I sent three packages to their respective destinations: some salad plates, some western shirts and a snake skin I have have had for sixty years. Each went to a different address.
There is really nothing remarkable about that, but it did get me thinking about the post office.
Post Office box
When was the last time you went to a post office? I’ll bet it was a single purpose trip, not something you do very often. For me, that is not the case. I have a post office box. I go several times a week. I rarely see anyone collecting their mail. I rarely have mail.
Why I have a box is not clear to me anymore. Advertising and political testimonials … that is the vast majority of the mail that goes to my box. The rest goes to the house.
I think I have it because of my grandfather. He had a post office box all his adult life. For many years he had his own business which required a post office box.
My grandfather was 69 when I was born, so, by the time I focused on him, he was in his mid seventies. I would spend a week or two with my grandparents each summer. Each afternoon my grandfather and I would walk downtown to the post office. There was seldom any mail by that time.
After the post office we would walk to the Elks Club where he would have a drink and I would have a coke. Then we would walk home. A daily ritual.
My grandfather collected stamps. He would buy plate blocks, stamps that were still attached to their original sheet and including the serial number of the printing plate in the sheet’s margin or selvage. It’s a collector’s thing.
He would also send first day of issue letters to my brother and me when they were issued. I still have one.
As to the others, I was too young to think to keep them unfortunately; I just thought they were “neat”.
Stamps have changed. They no longer have the quality or charm that I remember from the past. I don’t know if first day of issue mailings are still done or if people collect them.
But I keep the post office box.
There is one valuable purpose the box serves. In the summer we often go to Mexico, staying more than a month. That creates a logistical problem. The postal service will “hold” residential mail, mail that goes to the house, for up to 30 days, not longer. What happens then I do not know. Is it discarded? Is it returned? It is a problem!
I have it forwarded to the post office box.
more to come
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thomas-tribby.pixels.com
North County Road GREETING CARD
Thomas-Tribby.pixels.com is now offering Coffee Mugs, Throw Pillows, Greeting Cards, Bath Towels, Hand Towels, Shower Curtains, Duvet Covers , Yoga Mats, Tote Bags, Women’s T Shirts, Men’s T Shirts and more with reproductions of my artwork. If you want to check them out, here are the steps:
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Have fun.
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Click on: thomas-tribby.pixels.com
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Works on Paper
On The Waterfront
Impressions of Florida
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