Deliveries.

I would like to tell you a story.  But in order to tell you THAT story, I have to tell you THIS story:

Have you ever thought about how the mail system works?  It is something we grow up just KNOWING in the States.  I mean, I'm pretty sure the postman is a character in The Busy World of Richard Scarry.  They dress in blue and drive trucks with the steering wheel on the wrong side.  Depending on the neighborhood they either stay in the truck and drive to each mailbox or grouping of mail boxes, or they simply walk door to door.  You with me so far?  Sounds pretty simple, yeah?  

I knew it!

Well.  Of all the things you have to reconsider when you move to a different country, the Postman was just not one of the things I...considered.  

In Australia, the mail is delivered by someone called a Postie. They ride a motor bike and wear fluorescent clothes.*  They zoom around on their motorbikes, very rarely climbing off.  So if you don't want a dirt track worn across your yard you had better put your letter box as close to the road as you can get it.  And, you can hear the sound of the engines as they are coming and going - and probably as they are coming and going to all of your neighbors within a half mile as well.  

Australian Postie.  Image from news.com.au

 Which brings me back to the story I would like to tell you.

One day last week I was happily sitting on our couch, drinking my tea and watching the baby crawl around the room.  And then, I heard the sound of a loud motor approaching.  I didn't really think anything of it - usually we just get bills in the mail, and I wasn't expecting anything.  But then I noticed the sound of a motor idling outside for a couple of minutes instead of the normal quick drive by signifying that our mail has arrived.

"Hm,"  I thought, "must not be the postie, must be a visitor at one of our neighbors." But then I saw him zoom away.  Well now I'm curious.  What could have taken the postie so long?  So I grab my slippers and walk out to see what was going on.  When I got to the letterbox I just laughed and left the package he had spent so long jamming into place right where it was.  Then went back inside to get my phone so I could take a photo.

Ta-da!!!

You see, I have just about the best friends in the entire world.  Which is good, because they are just about an entire world away from where I have chosen to live.  I am so thrilled beyond words that my kid gets to grow up with so much love from so many people all around the globe.  This particular package full of love was from Amy, who told me she was knitting him a hat. 

So thank you, Amy!  Thank you thank you thank you!  And thank you to all of my other magnificent friends who love me and who love this baby enough to hand-make things for him, and then spend the money on postage to get it all the way from Virginia to Port Willunga.  We love you, all of you.  

*In fact, most people working in almost any sort of physical job here have to wear "flouros."  It is so widespread that on a construction site, someone is ALMOST safer NOT wearing bright clothes, because they stand out more.