Two big boxes in one week

The arrival of parcels has begun again. I like to say that no one who loves mail ( males.. just a joke) the way I do but really it is a family thing. Like so many weird things about my family, it started with my Dad. He remembers receving mail when he was overseas during the war and what it meant to him. Also with Dad if he is not talking , he is writing. Some might say the same of me. He has bought most of my postage since I left home in 1970. He regularly calls Canada Post in Antigonish to ask them to send me stamps of every denomination. In fact I often send some stamps on to friends who I know would love certain designs.

The parcels that my parents send are decorated with stamps. He does not settle for a piece of paper a machine spits out with the amount of postage due. No, he stands there and licks $40.00 or $50.00 worth of stamps so that my students can study the different designs. At one time it was more expensive to mail parcels to the north so Dad would shop the post offices from Digby to Yarmouth trying to find a post office without a computer so he could say that the parcels could be trucked to Salluit. Then he would not have to pay air postage.

Dad has a bit of a heart condition so he cannot carry these heavy parcels from the car to the office. He loiters outside waiting for some young strapping youth ( male or female) to help him. I fear some day he will be arrested. For him it is part of the game.

My dear sainted mother has to pack these parcels up and keep an inventory in her head so that she can answer the question:" Shirley, what parcel had Pearl's cough drops?" She has magical hands as the parcles arrive with little or no damage. Although dad is the one who shops for the deal on tomato soup, chocolate bars, trail mix, peach liqueur, down coats, baby clothes and school supplies, my dear sainted mother sends treats like bottles of scotch, rum and rye. Her visit up here made her well acquainted with my friends' tastes and she has been an angel remembering. What a mother! It was the bottle of dark rum that got us thru Dec.

Frenchie's has been a great place for them both to shop for clothes for this community. One of the teachers told me that she was looking for clothes of a particular size for a girl in her class. Within a month that girl had a full wardrobe. The down filled jackets are well received here. I am lucky to have parents who have the time and money to help out.

My great friend Roxanne tells several parcel stories. I always share up the loot. One time Mum had told me she was sending a bottle of Port. One day we were opening up a box and I felt a bottle... but it could have been cooking oil so I said to Roxanne: "Start Praying!" . She prayed: "Dear Lord , let it be what Pearl wants it to be so I can have half."

But they are not the only ones sending parcels. One day I received an entire Canada Post bag full of letters and parcels. I suppose I should not mention this as people will stop sending things . Don't do that as it is one of my life lines to the south. One of Aran's friends sent me cards one year that were rather risque. I decorated the bathroom with them. I love e-mail but I really love mail I can hold in my hand. I have lined the inside of my kitchen cupboards with address labels from packages. Aran sent one addressed to: Momma Pearl, Salluit ect. Sara sent one with photos all over the box, as did Leslie. Sue drew a Santa on a box she sent. It is one of the few things that is normal here, if being here is normal.

Most of the time I feel part of this community but other days I wonder what the hell I am thinking. I am a people person and yet I have few real friends here. Luckily I do have some friends here and I also have friends who are able to fly in and out. It is a rare month that someone doesn't pop in. I am luckier than most.

I am missing political chats and reading newpaper articles about the election. ( I do read them on line). I hope someone will be here the night of the 23rd so I can watch and talk the election returns. We teachers just found out we cannot vote in Salluit. This is a major disappointment. Had I known I would have registered to vote down south. I thought since I have been here over 3 years that I would be able to vote here. Everything is always so difficult here.

I hope that this Friday the 13th was a good luck day for you all.
Pearl