More LLV Adventures

I had a certified letter last weekend to be delivered, several actually.  Certified letters requires a signature, so they're a pain in the behind quite frankly. If no one is home or no one answers the door we need to fill out a PS Form 3800, notifying the person we tried and that they now need to go to the post office to sign and retrieve the letter\package themselves.

I'm finding that my success rate for obtaining the required signatures is poor at best.  Most folks just are not home during the day.  Dismounting the LLV, going to the door and waiting to see if someone answers takes time. When they don't answer there's a process to scan the certified item, fill out the form, and leave form behind, again all taking time.  It's really more of an annoyance than anything else.

Anyway, being it was a Saturday, I was successful in obtaining the persons signature for one of certified letters I had!

When I pulled into the driveway, there was a woman with hedge trimmers going to town on pruning some bushes; working on her fall clean up.  I think I startled her because she didn't hear me approach due to the noise of the trimmers.  I introduced myself and told her I had a certified letter that needed her signature.

As I scanned the letter and prepared the scanner for her signature, I realized this woman was listening a foreign language song, which was very familiar to me!  So, as she was trying to sign the scanner in the bright sunlight, making it difficult to see, I asked her if that was Greek music she was listening to and she said yes. SO, when she handed me back the signed scanner, I thought I would thank her in Greek and said "efkaristo"

"Efkaristo" (ef-kha-ree-STO) is the Greek word for "Thank you". The word comes from the ancient Greek word meaning "I give thanks" or "I show gratitude," and is a combination of "ef" (meaning well/good) and "charis" (grace/favor), literally meaning "I give good grace". 

She was a bit surprised and with a BIG grin she replied with "parakaló", which is a dual purpose response to efkaristo, meaning both "you're welcome" and "please". 

Sadly, I admitted to her that I could not speak Greek but for a few words and that wished I had listened to my mother and learned it when I was younger, when she was still around to help teach it; a regret.

This woman told me that she's working on teaching Greek to her young grandkids, how nice!

I'm pretty sure I made new friend! We both departed with BIG smiles and to be honest, it made my day! It helped usher in some wonderful memories of my mom, all be it with a tear or two.

#Blessed

Gobble 'Til You Wobble

Let's talk turkey, shall we...

These three Tom's were hang'n out in the front yard of 254 Orchard Street in Millis the other afternoon when I pulled up in the LLV.  A beautiful rustic historic house, just off the street. The boys were a bit skittish and camera shy but I was able to snap these pics before they got antsy and scurried off -

I even got a shot of the historical societies sign showing the age of the house -

I asked ChatGPT to tell me more about this house and Dr. Abijah Richardson and the below is what AI came back with, interesting -

Maura Tom turkeys!

I see them everywhere these days.  This flock was hang'n out in the Westwood cemetery yesterday late morning. Following my dental appointment in Needham, I stopped in to visit my parents grave.  Just before I stepped out of my car I was greeted with "gobble gobble gobble gobble".

It was SO peaceful and serene there.  I was the only one there (well except for the deceased - yeah, bad pun) and it was a beautiful morning -

Here the six of them are marching off in a straight line -

I was in no rush, so I drove across the street to BiBi Cafe & Bakery, grabbed a hot coffee and an apple maple scone (OMG, SO delicious), then back to the cemetery I went.  There's a little pond in this cemetery with a spewing fountain, see below, so I grabbed a spot on a sunny bench nearby and took it all in.

Reminiscing about my folks, while enjoying my coffee and scone, and taking in the sights and sounds - a pair of red-tailed hawks circling above and screeching, a grey heron wading in the pond, the turkey's gobbling, blue jays carrying on like they do, a frog croaking and the splashing water of the fountain.

Of course a tear or two rolling down my cheeks but SO thankful for the wonderful memories I have, where I am and what I have.

Well, seems this turkey post took an unexpected turn or did it?

#Blessed

A Time Gone By

Going through some old paperwork of my folks, I came across the below November 1977 Singer special event advertisements, which are in very good condition.

Suppose the prices listed were considered expensive back then.  Interestingly, I did a "Singer sewing machine" search on Amazon and the returned results show similar prices, see below.  However, I suspect the ones made back in the day were made with solid pieces and parts that lasted versus today's models are made with plastics and much less reliable -

FYI - Amazon returned results for "Singer sewing machines" -

Here are a couple of cash register receipts from the Singer Sewing Machine Company from back in 1955 and 1956.  I'm guessing these were receipts for a new sewing machine that my mother bought at that time. Although, I am confused at the name that's written on each but the address, 24 Staniford Street in Boston, is where my mom's family lived at that time.

I still have my mothers Singer sewing machine here at my place and it still works perfectly -

 

Here is a current map of 24 Staniford street today.  I'm guessing the old apartment building is long gone, having been replaced with something more modern and with more capacity.  Perhaps, when the weather warms come spring I'll take a ride into Boston one day and walk around this area to get a lay of the land - 

If we could only go back in time...

Dads Don't Die

 Hard to believe it's been seven years since you left us.

I miss you and think of you every day.

Yes, your number is still in my phone, listed first -

Although, I talk to you everyday, sure wish I could give you a call to hear your voice, get your advice and guidance.

#Blessed

"Oh, The Places You'll Go"!

I came across these .37 Dr. Seuss USPS postage stamps the other day, two pages of twenty.

I forgot I had them.  I don't recall exactly when but they were given to me by my dad.  It was at some time after 2002 since these stamps were released back on June 30 of that year.

Not that I send much mail out via USPS but I gave some thought to simply using these on the few things I do mail.  However, after doing a bit of research and for posterity sake, I opted to keep and display them.

I tried to find matting to fit the page size but no luck, as they're an odd size.  I toyed with the idea of having a custom matting done but too impatient, so I went with a standard 8x10 frame and a 4x6 matte.  It chops off some of the stamps but it doesn't look too bad -

Interestingly, Amazon has this same page of stamps listed for sale and as of this morning there are only (7) left in stock, so order soon if interested - 

2004 DR. SEUSS #3835 Pane of 20 x 37 cents US Postage Stamps by USPS

‼ Also, this "Oh, The Places You'll Go!" posting is my 309th of 2024, making it the most I've ever posted in a single year since I began blogging here back in 2006!

Remembering Mom

Hard to believe it's been 17 years.

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of you.

I miss you.

I love you

A Reminder of Times Gone By

As I mentioned in previous posts, I've been going through some of my old stuff, as well as my folks old stuff in an effort to make sense of what's what and to make some headway in cleaning and clearing things up.

I enjoy the process, which always brings back such fond and wonderful memories.  I cherish each and every one of the memories as they come back to me with smiles and tears.

Here are some of the signatures on cards and letters from loved ones no longer with us -