Mailboxes...

When I was growing up our mail came through a slot in the door - a little brass window into our lives. It was a handy little thing if someone other than the mailman needed to drop something off too (a key, an invitation, money...). If I was home I was immediately alerted that the mail had arrived by the banging of the metal on the door. And I imagine my childhood neighbours with dogs probably were alerted a few seconds faster that their mail had arrived.

I have fond memories of sitting on our stairs, with the sun warming me through the "windows"around the door (in quotations because they were yellow, textured glass that you couldn't see through and made the entrance way look yellow - ah the 70s and 80s), flipping through the mail.

But what I coveted as a child was a real honest to goodness mailbox...the kind you find at the end of a long driveway on top of a post. Something you might see in more rural areas I guess. The kind that has the little red flag that the mail carrier flips up once mail has been deposited inside - so fun!

My next few mailboxes at various homes all turned out to be cubbies with lock and key (around the corner, in the lobby and now, in a "gazebo" type locale)...and don't get me wrong - love my little cubby and especially when it fills up with fun mail (like a beautiful dress for my daughter from my aunt - just in case "she has the urge to dance." The chiffon even fans out when she twirls - it is precious).

What I dream of now is of the mailboxes I saw in Italy and England - gorgeous wrought iron beauties. I'm contemplating getting one for my house (even though we have a central mail pick up area) but maybe my friends would drop things off for me...I'm hoping to do a post of mailboxes I love (coming soon to a blog near you...well actually this blog, stay tuned).

356/1000 Three thank you notes, one wedding invite reply (yay) and one just for fun! 5 more into the great wide open.

And can I just add that I know lots of people send out email wedding invites (saves money, is convenient) but a mailed paper wedding invitation is a beautiful thing to receive! The design, the vellum and all the possible fun responses for the reply card. Love.