September 7, 2020

Pandemic Treasures

aus Deutschland

This morning, I was awaken by a very unfamiliar guest who was once a friendly face, my Postman! I was super happy to see him not just because he surely has something for me but also because it's been a while since I saw his friendly face. He handed me the claim slip for a package for me and I was super happy and amazed! I'm already 30 years old but receiving gifts for me has never been different from when I was 4 or 5.

Fast forward, I received this box of treasures that you see above from a very dear friend from Germany. She is one of the reasons why this pandemic because a little bearable for me because she has been a good friend and always there despite the distance and the fact that we have never seen each other yet! Just as always, the sentimental me, I did not just open it at once, I spent a good long minutes appreciating the box and how amazing it is that something from Germany is now in our house in the Philippines. I've always been amazed by the traditional mail system, and will always will.

A little "Diary" of the box

This was a very special gesture by my dear friend, to send me a box of happiness for my birthday as I turn 30. She was really sad that she was not able to send it on time even if she did her efforts to go all the way to her post office just to find out that our country is in code Red, meaning, not receiving mail from any country. (Fast forward to now, our COVID cases are a lot more worse than other countries) I was feeling shy already to my friend for all her efforts and she is just golden to be so sweet and thoughtful.

So what she did was write a diary on the box (isn't it the sweetest?) about the box's or as we both call it, Lil' Corrina's journey of waiting and longing. It's just so special not to post it so I can share it and also have a record of it. Seeing my friend's handwriting is just so special because aside from the fact that we somehow have similar penmanship, it's just so warming to read through a person's handwriting and not just printed computer fonts. Don't you agree? (Plus I super love the box's tape!)

Left Germany at July 28th, arrived after 42 days

So it did arrive after 6 weeks but the happiness it brought me was so much more than a million! Up until now, I cannot get over this beautiful present that my friend sent me. It has been a heavy last month at work and stresses plus the six month's worth of anxiety brought by COVID, but somehow this gave me so much joy that has been kind of absent in the past months. 

Gifts from Braunschweig 

I am just so touched by my dear friend's kindness. It's amazing that in a short span of time that we started being friends, she has known so much about me and was able to send me things that are both my favorites and also some things that I always wanted to try but cannot because they are not easily available here in the Philippines just like the Muesli. The Apple tea is a very beautiful treat for me too as a tea lover. I can't to steep a cup of this while I relax on my garden in the coming days. 

***

To my dearest friend from halfway around the world, thank you so much for being so generous not just with things but with love and thoughts. I am so grateful with the joy and happiness that your gesture has brought me. These yummy and beautiful things truly are treasures but you are one of those I can really call a pandemic treasure. Something like a silver lining or a golden star that we can rarely find in a big gray cloud of sadness and depression. Thank you for the friendship, and just I always tell you, I hope and pray that I can go back again to Europe on another trip  soon so that I can get to see you and have a beer with you! Thank you again a million!

Never Stop being Grateful!

Stevenson

57 comments:

  1. I always get excited, too, getting a parcel. Or postcard, or...
    It is a gift to stay being a child always, is it! In some things, I mean! ;-)
    Lil Corinna sure must be proud to be presented that way! Broken as she got, oh, boy.
    It was... oh. It was just a pressie! For any day to come!
    Bad to learn your country closes down just yet again! Still have to call my Brother if the kids go to school/kindy again.

    Haha, only kids write such a "diary", huh. Hello, there.
    Sorry about the handwriting, when do you do that these days anymore??? It´s awful!
    And really. It was no trouble at all. Giving joy is receiving joy, right.
    You don´t have Muesli???? How???
    To the Lil Corinna, shall we, an apple-tea!
    Depression is awful, I have it, also. But no meds! Friendship is much better!
    And a beer when you said hi to the "real" Henry!!

    P.S. "Päckchen" is a mini-parcel in German language. Hihi.

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    1. A very very big thanks from my joyful heart dearest Iris! I just can;t get over it and will not for a looong time! That is true, we have the longest quarantine time in any of the world right now and it sucks. The lockdown itself doesn;t suck since it's needed for the current situation but the way it just doesn;t stop really really sucks!

      Oh me too! I always ALWAYS start my year with a new journal and stuff but so far, the farthest I got too was June HAHAHA but usually by February or march, the writing stops HAHAHAHAHA

      Yas! I think I did saw a small bucket on an Australian Deli here but it's in the form that looks like oatmeal, not the way it looks like the one you sent that looks very delicious (I cant wait to try it soon but I decided that I will only try it on a special day or a sad day to cheer me up)

      You are right, friends and prayers work wonders against depression, better than chemicals. And yas! A beer soon on Henry's hometown would be a dream!

      Danke Schoen for the Päckchen dear Iris!

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  2. Dearest Stevenson, please. Open the Müsli bar now and enjoy!! Do not wait for special or even sad, every day is special, isn´t it! We all can die of a heart attack RIGHT NOW, no matter how healthy we live our lives! (I might go to prison in a minute killing my LOUD neighbour any instant! (kidding, but he drives me nuts since hours!))

    A cold Märzen is waiting here for you, as some Henries. As long as I... darn neighbour!!!

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    1. Iris you made me laugh again!!! Especially with the loud neighbor comment hahaha is he loud like using loud music speakers or loud because he himself is shouting and yelling? OMG, I hate that especially in the morning when my Dad would just decide to use loud voice ughhh! HEADACHE!!! With that dear iris, I shall eat the Müsli bar now! I'll chill it for an hour at the fridge (is it better when it's cool?) then feast on it!

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  3. Moving in. Mark the holes you wanna drill in one piece. ONCE. Nooo. He´s too dumb to do that. I understand you need to re-check but DRILLL. Silence... mark... Silence... DRILLLLLL!

    Call me old-fashioned, but when we moved in here (14 party-house) we went to every door to introduce ourselves, "hi, we´re your new neighbours". No one does that anymore and I think it´s sad and if I knew that guy I might go up to help!!!! GOSH, I´d HELP!!! For the sake of silence!

    Hmm. Yes, reckon cool is good for the Müsli - my head is steaming in 17C due to that neighbour! I´ll go sit at the fridge now, too (kidding, it´s up too high).
    I still don´t understand you do not have Müsli-bars!

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    1. That is definitely NOT Old-Fashioned Iris! Being classy and courteous will never go out of style. And you are right, if only he introduced himself, anybody could have lend him a hand of help not just for him to save efforts but for the whole household's peace! HAHA

      I popped it now on the fridge and am so excited to get it chilled! Oh dear Iris I'm really happy thanks to you!

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    2. Stevenson no!!!! Not that cold! Say... 20C! Oh, boy, hope you didn´t break your teeth!!!

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    3. Iris! Just as you advised, I had it yesterday and boy that was YUMM!!! I love the chunks of apple pieces on it so much. I munched it with closed eyes just like I was on an advertisement HAHAHAHA Thank you so much dear Iris!

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  4. Belated happy birthday, Stevenson. Kudos to your friend for her perseverance. It is indeed very special to receive gifts and as you point out, in this day of computerization and printed labels, it is heartwarming to see real handwriting. I hope you will be keeping the box as a special souvenir.

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    1. Thank you very much my friend David. She really is very thoughtful and I am so thankful for her gesture. You got that right David, seeing one's handwriting on anything makes it 10x more special. I sure will David, the box is a keeper :)

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  5. That is pretty special to have a blog friend like that.

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    1. That is absolutely true Anvil. Thank you very much and welcome to my blog :)

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  6. ...you can never have too many friends!

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    1. A giant Yes to that Tom! Happy Labor Day Weekend!

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  7. Happy birthday! What a beautiful gesture to someone who inspired such a meaningful friendship gift.

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    1. Thank you so much Penelope, I know it's been months ago but this year is a milestone for me for raching 30 years.

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  8. I know your little friend from her blog and she is a wonderful woman and I can tell from this, very kind and thoughtful. It had to be a super delight, especially during lockdown, to receive such a thoughtful gift. I believe in celebrating your birthday for as long as anyone will celebrate with you so keep it up! Surprises late are sometimes the best!

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    1. First of all dear Jeanie, you got that so perfectly, we are so blessed to have a friend like her just as we are blessed to have you as our friend!

      And Jeanie, that is such a beautiful thing you told which touched me so much, that celebrating birthdays can be as long as anybody likes to celebrate and yes, late surprises are always the sweetest!

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  9. What a nice entrance because it expresses the affection that both have. A great detail to send things and more at this time.

    I'm waiting for a package too, you made me want to tell it in an entry, it deserves it too.


    And here in Argentina we are still locked in by the pandemic. It is necessary if, there is no other way to combat this disease. Greetings and happy belated birthday!

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    1. That is very true my friend JLO! I am so happy that is why I really wanted to share my happiness with you all and luckily, my friend agreed when i asked her if I can post about it :)

      You are right, so as here in the Philippines! Thank you my friend and please whisper to your country that someday it takes me there to visit my most dreamed country in the world, Argentina!

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  10. It's always nice to have friends especially good ones. Enjoy your gifts!

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  11. What a precious post, gift and photos ~ Happy Birthday to you ~ and what treats and love the handwriting on the box ~ such a delight ~ Friends are treasures, for sure! Xox

    Live each moment with love,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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    1. Thank you so much dear Carol! It was a very heartwarming gift to celebrate my 30th! The best gifts do take time, this made me very happy :)

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  12. Dearest Stevenson,
    So happy you finally received it and guess that's because she sent it with DHL worldwide shipping. Don't think with regular mail it would have worked... We had very sad experiences with two birthdays, their cards took about 8 weeks to get to The Netherlands.
    For the very same reason, we opted for mailing out our books to the people that wrote the foreword, via UPS. More expensive but secure and fast; all of them got it within a week.
    But you sure got spoiled with yummy goodies.
    At the top of my blog post there is a Dutch Expat shop that also ships worldwide Dutch/Belgian/German goodies via FedEx. You might want to have a look into them. Very reasonable shipping.
    Sending you hugs and try to linger on these goodies - food for your soul and for the body!!!
    Mariette

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    1. That is very beautiful dearest Mariette, thank you very much. They really did make me happy and you are right I lingered on these sweets so much and will take them with a smile both on my face and my heart!

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  13. It was so considerate and loving for your friend to send you such a gift. Yes, it is good to see something written in hand script. The children here are only printing in block letters or usually just using their phones and computers to write. I guess I am getting that way too. My favorite tea is lemongrass tea. We grow a large clump of lemongrass in our back yard and it produces a beautiful green tea which has a unique taste and also may be loaded with anti-oxidants.

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    1. Thank you so much Kenneth and what you said is absolutely true, that is why most kids are not given the chance to have these happy moments that are special because they all rely to easier technology.

      Oh! Kenneth! At the moment I am drinking lemongrass-Pandan-Oregano tea we prepared :) You are very right they are loaded with anti-oxidants plus lemongrass helps with infections and edema as I have read :) We have those on our garden and its my favorite herb too :)

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  14. What a wonderful surprise to have received those treats from Iris and friends can be true friends without ever meeting, but hope you will do that one day! Belated 🎂wishes to you, Stevenson and hope the year will be a good one despite the current uncertainties and shutdowns and quarantines...indeed when will it end is what we all wonder? Yes handwritten cards and notes are always great to receive, although for very long letters I have been using a cursive font on my computer and also add a handwritten note. And, like Jeanie, said Birthdays should be celebrated the entire year because that number will only happen once in your life, so enjoy it and the treats as well😋

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    1. Beatrice, thank you so much for your heart-warming words, I very much appreciate them! i feel so grateful to Iris for making me so happy and making my 30th extra special with these goodies. And you are right, I hope and pray someday we can meet and laugh together in person. I pray everyday that the pandemic will ever get to end if not sooner. Hoping your week is gonna be well Beatrice :)

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  15. Your thoughtful friend is also my blogland friend. We are so blessed to be able to make such wonderful online friends from around the world. Enjoy your goodies :)

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    1. We are so blessed to have her as our blog friend dear Margaret as we are blessed to have you as our blog friend as well :) I am very grateful to all of you my dearest blog friends, especially on how you helped me with my bad anxiety especially in the beginning of this pandemic nightmare. Thanks Margaret :)

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  16. Unreal - That Is Beyond Inspiring There Brother Stevenson - Tell You What, Send Me Your Address - Be Well And Stay Grateful

    Love Ya

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    1. That is so nice of you my dear brother Padre! Oh my, you sure brother? Alrightee :) I'll search for your email and send it to you. I feel shy haha but thank you so much :) Will forever be grateful, have so many reasons to be, one of them is you and all my dearest blog friends.

      Love ya more brother and keep cycling and taking us with you on your trips :)

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  17. What a lovely surprise to receive in the mail Stevenson, I can't imagine anyone not getting excited about receiving a parcel 😉 Iris really is a special person as you will discover when you finally meet up for that beer, don't be surprised if she puts ice in her beer...oh no wait a moment, that was here because our Perth beer wasn't cold enough 😁😁 Just noticed you have a new vlog up, will watch now ✨

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    1. That is very true dear Grace! I was super super happy to receive it even up until now! THAT IS SO CUTE!!! If she'll do put that ice on her beer, I surely would do the same hahaha.

      OMG Thank you so so much dear Grace for tuning in to my VLOG Channel, that means so so much!

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  18. happy Birthday Stevenson - I do hope you are still enjoying the birthday and you package from Germany. I too love seeing handwritten letters and addresses!
    I also have noisy neighbors, with regular parties and loud music... so very annoying, especially late at night!
    An attitude of gratitude, joy, praise and thankfulness are the best antidote for depression, and I know that sometimes that takes a huge effort, but far better than chemicals (although they do have their place).
    Stay safe
    Blessings
    Maxine

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    1. Dearest Maxine, we are very much the same! Personal notes and crafts using the hand is just straight to the heart, from the heart. A big yes to your recipe of that depression antidote! To be able to count blessings and also be able to feel the love of friends and family does the key :) Thank you so much dear Maxine! Hugs to NZ :)

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  19. Gratitude is a gift. Thank you for the reminder. Sweet gift.

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    1. That is very beautiful to say Regine, it really is :) Thank you so much :)

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  20. Happy belated birthday Stevenson. Oh Iris is a wonderful and thoughtful friend. Hopefully one day you will be able to meet her in Germany :)
    Enjoy all the little goodies.

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    1. Thank you so so much dearest Sami! I am so thankful for your greeting and yes, I really hope and pray that I'll meet iris someday in Germany :) Oh and who knows, hopefully also you and Grace in Perth :)

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  21. You are a very lucky guy young Steve. You have admirers all over the world it seems. A pandemic treasure is certainly the correct title for this post where you shared both the gift and the wonderful understanding with someone you have never met. Take care my friend, and i am so pleased that the virus thing may be receding where you live.

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    1. My friend Phil, that is just so nice of you to say. Thank you so much for those kind words. It is still getting worse my friend but everything is starting to open to give priority to economy. Hop eyou are all well in there my friend!

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  22. What a great gift to get. I enjoy the post most times unless it is a bill haha! :-D

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    1. Hahaha you got that right! Bills are just an eye-closer HAHA Thank you so much Ananka :)

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  23. Boa noite meu querido amigo. Parabéns por tudo que foi postado. Espero um dia ver a foto do Brasil e Rio de Janeiro em baixo.

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    1. Muito Obrigado meu Amigo. That is a very big wish of mine as well, to see the beautiful Brasil! Hopefully I can someday my friend :)

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  24. What a wonderful friend you have. And yes, handwritten notes are still so much more personal than printed.

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    1. Thank you very much dear Rose, you said it right, handwritten notes are treasures that are so nice to check on again time to time.

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  25. Sorry I am late in saying good luck to your 30th years birthday, Stevenson.
    I wish you good health, happiness and success.

    I am very impressed by the care and concern of your friend from Germany, he is a very kind person.

    May your friendship last forever.

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    1. Thank you so much Himawan and thank you very much for your kind words and wishes! I am very blessed to have all of you my dear friends so much!

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  26. I am like you and I love getting packages in the mail. But yours is way better than mine. Yours is a treat! And from a special friend which is a wonderful thing also. Mine tend to be items I order so I don't have to go to the store and deal with the pandemic. Off to check out the towers in your latest post. Hugs-Erika

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    1. Oh dearest Erika! I also love getting packages from things I order online because just like you I also don;t get outside and get most of my stuff online now. Thank you so much dearest Erika!

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  27. Happy Belated (very belated) Birthday. What a kind and talented friend you have . ... I did not know that your country had closed off mail delivery from other countries. I’m glad the package was finally able to get through.

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    1. That is true dear Sallie, I also did not know it then , only when my friend told me that I found out. Thank you very much Sallie :)

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