Soul in my mailbox

I've gotten three (3) packages from friends this week. Must be something in the air. Just when I'm feeling my lowest, friends have sent me love in a box.

The first was a couple of very hard-to-come-by jars of Korean honey tea from our friends and former neighbors Rick and Amanda. I am now supplied with hot tea (or hot toddies) for the rest of this winter.

Then, I got a cookbook of Vietnamese and Asian-fusion food from Ferne. The book is a hard cover with beautiful photography that looks like a good “Cook The Book” project - if I can just find ingredients or suitable substitutes here. Both of these gifts are reminding me of living in the culturally diverse neighborhood of el Rancho de WereMonster. I'm kinda in, to quote Mr. Nick, Whitey McWhiteville now. There are some interesting places in nearby cities but this place is like a WASP retirement home.

The latest, biggest box came today. It was a home-made care package from Gillian and Meg, filled with home-made treats (like Gilli’s famous holiday bourbon balls) and craft supplies and puzzles to try to keep my brain from going to mush here, along with a few other girlie treats - which is something I really needed in this dry place.

Where is the mail?

At the house, we have not been able to get a mail delivery since last week before the snow. Yesterday, on a national holiday when I was not expecting it, we got a mail delivery that consisted of one very recent purchase made a couple of days ago and a few bits of junk mail. That was all, but I was quite surprised the postal carrier showed up on the holiday, precisely one week after all deliveries had stopped.

My question: Where is all the mail we should have gotten last week? Will it finally be delivered today or have all of last week's deliveries of post and package been returned to sender? MonsterMustDie does not think that would happen, but I am not as optimistic about these things as he always is. I guess we’ll find out today if the glass - or mailbox - is half empty or half full.