A Thing Of The Past

A real pleasure....postcards on the mantle

I need to think "happy thoughts" today.
Yesterday I had a particularly unpleasant encounter at work which I know am more of a match for sorting and today I am going to a funeral . Two things that sadden but don't overwhelm even though I am still full of cold and had to miss choir last night after I had literally lost my voice on Saturday .

Today 's post is a lament for a changing fashion.
It's also a competition
It's all about the pleasure of receiving a post card.

We don't really send postcards anymore, certainly we don't from our holiday destinations, With the Internet , Instergram, blogging, postcards are now sent virtually with Facebook now able to proclaim instantly " look at us! Look at where we are!"
These "postcards" are seen but are seldom remembered.

And so today I'm setting you all a challenge
Send me a postcard from your small part of the world through the post.
No virtual cards will be accepted, all entries have to be posted with a stamp from your local post box!
All entries will be posted here and the most striking card will be given a traditionally Welsh prize.

A bit of frivolity is needed today. It's a grey, overcast depressing day here.

My address

John Gray
Bwthyn y Llan,
Cwm Road,
TRELAWNYD,
Flintshire
North Wales
LL 18 6EF

118 comments:

  1. Have you seen how much postage stamps cost? I'm not flaming John Paul Getty tha knows!

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  2. I am laughing my hairy gonads off at this, mostly because you forgot to say please. Surely it was forgetfulness? ;)

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  3. Anonymous10:27 am

    Will start looking for a striking postcard !!!!Vee

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  4. Agreed. Not the best of situations. And I LOVE the idea of postcards!!!

    xoxo

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  5. Have you warned your postman?

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    1. He'll be happy as long as they've got the postcode on

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  6. By Gawd, that address made my phone have a nervous collapse with trying to correct the spelling. Will do !

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  7. Well John i guess i'am archaic but i still send handmade postcards and letters through the post. I have had to find like minded people on the internet who will actually send me one back as my family 'does not like to write' ... but the last several years its been so much fun sending AND receiving mail from pen pals.. Hugs! deb

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    1. I too have found folks on the internet to exchange handmade mail art, mostly on swapbot, been there?

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    2. Plus-- will be participating in incowrimo this year, it happens in February, check it out..?

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    3. I make and send postcards all the time. Plus I have a few friends that send me postcards from places they visit.
      I tried this "send me a card and I will send you one back" several years ago You have a big fan base ! This will be fun for you.
      I have a wall in my home filled with postcards.

      cheers, parsnip

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    4. It's going to be fun for all of us x

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  8. Love frivolity .. easy done! I expect it will take a couple of weeks to get to you though from Oz, knowing how fast our snail mail moves these days.

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  9. Challenge accepted! I love pen pals!

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  10. Hilde in Germany11:46 am

    I still write postcards, and I even use a fountain pen! And now I am looking for a very special card for you.

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  11. Now to find the perfect card. I recently found my postcard collection from the 1960's.

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  12. Will try - if I can find a postcard that's interesting.

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    Replies
    1. Now THATS the challenge....I may have to organise some categories

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  13. When I was a kid my aunt Lil spent vacations with us. She was an art teacher in a middle school and sent a postcard to every student in the school. I remember her saying "When you go to town bring another 100 postcards". In those days the stamp was a penny.

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  14. I love getting postcards. My Step-mum always sends them when she's away, but she's about the only one that does these days. One will be winging it's way to you from Somerset very shortly.

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  15. I send postcards home when I am away.

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    1. I look forward to yours

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    2. I posted it tonight when I was coming home. Please feel free to publish it in whatever you wish, both sides is fine with me.

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    3. I hope yours is the first

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  16. Replies
    1. Yes...I can't wait to see how many scotch egg, bulldog or walking dead themed postcards I may get xx

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  17. No sooner said than done! :)
    Gail x

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  18. We are wintering in sunny Florida, avoiding the snowstorm up north. I would love to send you a postcard, but won't guarantee its delivery. You see, the United States Postal Service, whose mission statement is loosely paraphrased as 'neither rain, nor snow, nor dark of night will keep us from our appointed rounds' has failed miserably at forwarding our mail. We've been here a month now, and have received mail twice. Two postmasters have blamed it on each other, and so far there's no resolution. But, yeah, I'll send you a postcard....let me know if it shows up....

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    1. Come on Catrina get posting have faith

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  19. OK! I used to send postcards (dozens of them) whenever I traveled. I don't anymore, except to my brother. And he receives a weekly postcard no matter what.

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  21. I always send postcards and I also keep some for myself.
    I was given a pretty box as a gift from someone very thoughtful and I keep the postcards in it.
    A long time ago I tried something and it came out so much better than I expected.
    I have a cedar toy chest made by my uncle when I was a baby.
    Over the years it’s been a toy box for other children but then one day I knew it needed something.
    So I painted the box dark green and I used old cards/ greeting and Christmas etc and made a decoupage lid for the old toy chest.
    It’s really pretty and enjoying a new life with books instead of toys.

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  22. This sounds fun, I'll have a look in my cupboards.

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  23. I like this . . .
    You’ll no doubt fill up another suitcase!

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    Replies
    1. I'm going to use it as wall art on one wall of my bedroom

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  24. I will start looking for a postcard tomorrow. Not sure where to find one locally but I will give it a go.

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  25. Perhaps a stupid question but from the US,
    do I need some kind of international stamp?
    I’d love to send a card!

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    1. No a regular US stamp will do but it may cost a bit more

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    2. A postcard from US to UK will need stamps to the value of $1.15.
      Love this, looking for a card right now.
      Pam in Texas.xx

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    3. Barbara Anne5:33 pm

      I used an international letter stamp for the postcard that's waiting for the postman to pick it up. That's more postage than it needed, but better to be safe than to get it back for insufficient postage!

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  26. At age 79 I'm trying to decide what to do with my many collections, one of which is post cards, really old ones. One group of them I especially treasure are those sent between an Irish immigrant family here and their family in Ireland in the early 1900's. It's so sad to me that people saved them, only to become lost when someone dies, or maybe descendants don't value them.

    How well I remember penny postcards - it'll be $1.15 from here to Wales - quite a bargain considering mailing costs these days! The thought just occurred to me - be careful what you ask for - I can see you inundated with post cards. A great thing for you to look forward to!

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  27. Don’t forget the UK in the address.

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  28. You are going to need a bigger Postman!

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  29. Carol Pavlik2:43 pm

    John what a lovely idea. Will you send one in return? You have more lovely views than northeast Ohio. I think any photo can be used with an address and first class stamp on the back.

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    1. Put your address on them and I will return a postcard yes xx

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    2. That would be lovely to receive one from you as well. :)
      MIssFifi

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    3. If anyone puts a return address on their card they will get a postcard in return

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  30. OK Will do.
    Feel sorry for your postman!

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  31. I'm so excited to pick one out for you. Can't wait to see all of the mail you get.

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  32. MaggieB3:35 pm

    Categories - would be a good idea. Let’s see, Humourous, gay-themed (per your suggestion), Inspirational, any other suggestions?

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    1. I'll. judge them in categories after I get them to increase people's imagination xx

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  33. Barbara Anne3:48 pm

    Oh! Your entire address at last!! I've been amazed that the couple of things I sent you had "address mimimus" but they got to you.

    Stay tuned ...!

    Hugs!

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  34. Now you've bloomin done it. I'm sifting through my large collection, oh, which one to send? Animal, food, drink, handsome man, comedy? The choice would be so much easier if I wasn't so competitive, ha ha.

    Jean

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  35. Gemma4:13 pm

    Great idea. Genius. Though wish you hadn't made it about winning a prize. As soon as any fun project has a competitive element to it my creative juices clam up. Don't know why.

    My most immediate problem is of a logistical nature. No, I am not in prison. I am in Outer Mongolia and post boxes are hard to come by.

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  36. P.S. U.S. International Forever stamps are $1.15 now - our Postmistress says the postage will be going up again the end of January! (Our "Forever" stamps can be used forever, no matter if the rate goes up.) Might be good to buy more than one.

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    1. The follow up post will give you the categories

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  37. What a fab idea. I'll get looking for a camp, colourful, tongue in cheek, doggy, flowery, downright rude, arty, profound and gay card immediately. Now there's a challenge.

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  38. What a great challenge ! Doubt I shall find anything very interesting in Harpenden though! Will do my best.

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    1. Oh dear, I hope we don't end up sending the same one. I'm in Elstree!

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  39. Great idea! I wish people sent postcards and letters these days. I still send written thank you letters or notelets and am a bit of a stationery addict! But finding an appropriately themed postcard? A new challenge 🙂

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  40. Anonymous5:05 pm

    Card(s) written and will be posted on the bedtime dog walk! Great to have your address at last, as have so often wanted to contact you. You'd blog keeps me sane, so great to be able to give a little payback. God bless.
    Liz

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  41. OK....lets see what I can find.

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  42. Challenge accepted xx

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  43. Be careful what you ask for because I don't think you've enough mantle for what you're about to receive. :-)

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  44. I have visions of postmen with bags of postcards like that scene in 'Miracle on 34th Street'. (the old one!) One coming at you from Scotland soon. x

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  45. Anonymous6:16 pm

    As a proper Cockney living in a seaside resort now l still love those saucy Gill type cards.
    Gonna find one and send it, you're on
    Off to the beach shop tomorra,
    Tess x

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    1. There is a category for most dirty card

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  46. ooooooooooooooh, a challenge! let's see what I can do!

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    1. There is a gay category you may enter

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  47. It's on its way. Also more than happy to be your penfriend, should you need/want one. Taking the card to the post tonight.

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    1. If you put a return address on it you will get one back

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  48. adrienne from worcestershire6:47 pm

    postcard coming soon from The Midlands :)

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  49. Give me a couple of days John to get into town and then to post the card. Then it will be on its way.

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  50. What a fun challenge! A postcard from London won't be very exciting for you, but I'll see what I can come up with. :)

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    1. Send me a gay one, we have a best gay category

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    2. Anonymous10:51 pm

      Postcards have sexual orientation...I never knew!
      Traveller

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  51. Anonymous7:39 pm

    OOOOOOOO this is so exciting! Now I have to dig through the ones I have, I like to collect post cards, and choose which one has the pleasure of going to Wales :)
    MissFifi

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    1. I've decided that there will be lots of postcard categories

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  52. Lovely idea. When I was seventeen, one summer two friends and I sent postcards to,another friends mother all summer long saying they were from some distant aunt. It was such a giggle watching her read them. She loved the prank , happy days xx

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  53. I guess you mean it literally when you say, 'Answers on a Postcard'... Lol.

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    1. One of my fav phrases...well apart from " two scotch eggs please!"

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  54. Tell the postman to start working out! What a fun idea :)

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  55. It’ll be interesting to see where they all come from! Poor postman is going to be busy...

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  56. I once had a weekend with friends in Devon. At the end of it, the organiser gave us all a postcard and asked us to write our best memories of the weekend on it and what our friendship meant to each other. She kept the cards. Almost a year later, she posted the card with our memories to us with a little message. It really meant a lot.

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  57. Off to the Post Office today!

    I hope your Postie has a motor bike !!!

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    Replies
    1. I'm so excited I may get some tommorrow

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  58. Just rummaged through my stash and have one winging its way to you from Sydney!

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  59. I have no idea if I will be able to find any postcards but I will definitely try! Day off tomorrow so going looking.

    Jo in Auckland

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  60. DONE, you'll recognise it ... please and thank you :-)

    What IS all this bloody fuss about manners, don't folk know you are the most well mannered blogger around.

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