Postcard Arrival: Nizhny Novgorod

Nizhny Novgorod, Russia

6,078 miles 15 days

Postcard Arrivals: Netherlands, Finland and Estonia

It's been awhile since I have sent or received any postcards but I recently started back up and got a few new postcards to share!

Tallinn, Estonia

5,561 miles 12 days 

Zwolle, Finland

5,429 miles 10 days

Helsinki, Finland

5,525 miles 12 days

In related stamp/nerdy news I am super pumped for the new holiday stamps that were announced in September! This year they are Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, my favorite Holiday movie!! Expect to see one of those stamps if you are on my Christmas card list! Not on the list? Send me your address and I'd love to send you one! (you can use the email North of 10th handy-dandy link at the top of the page)

aaand one more nerdy stamp news addition. If you too enjoy Postcrossing, here is the seasonal International stamp! 

Postcard Arrival: Czeh Republic & Taiwan

Brno, Czech Republic

5,194 miles

11 days 

I really love this postcard! I have seen this painting "The Wave" when NiBo and I went to the Chicago Art Museum last year! 

New Taipei City, Taiwan

7,088 miles

80 days

Postcard Arrival: China

Hangzhou City, China

6,877 miles

19 days

Postcard Arrival: Goslar, Germany

5,592 miles

8 days

Goslar, Germany

Postcard Arrival: Amsterdam, Holland

5,397 miles
8 days

From: Amsterdam, Holland

Room Reveal: My Outdoor Space

This is my little piece of outdoor paradise, which didn't exist until today. Day after day I would come home to nothing in this space just screaming to be filled with something. I really really wanted a wicker loveseat to put out here but I didn't really feel like shelling out $200+ for just something to sit on.

This morning the weather was so nice (65° and a lot windy, with a high of 72°) and though there is a community area with picnic tables and such, I just needed something a little more 'my space' that was all it took to get me out of my pajamas and headed to Target (you know Target is my weakness) 

There has been an adorable little bistro set at Target that I have been eyeing for awhile but at $210 I still wasn't convinced. I really did want a loveseat but decided against it. Then I noticed these plastic Adirondack chairs for $20 and a little glass side table for $16. No they aren't the fanciest, but they sure are comfy, I tried them out! So for $56 I have a little outdoor oasis right outside my front door. 

I plan to add more little touches as I run across things to add some color. I found some really cute red outdoor pillows for $14 each, so maybe next time. I would like to find a little footstool or something to put my feet up while I'm out there enjoying my iced tea. Maybe some planted pots to spruce it up too, but let me tell you it looks a lot better than it did! Maybe a nice outdoor rug to put over the turf look?

While I was at Target I may have discovered that the watermelon Oreo's are back for summer! I really shouldn't have even got them considering the whole lets get in shape thing, but I couldn't resist. I'll have to limit my intake and not have the whole bag all at once, but they are yummy! 

I even got some mail back home! Mom sent me a text that gma had told her I got a new postcard. I was really confused because I should not be getting my postcards back home and I have even gotten one here already, which confirmed I got everything updated. So I told her to send me a picture of the front and back so I could get it registered so the person who sent it could get a postcard of their own. Well when I went to register it the mystery was solved!

This postcard had been sent from Russia way back on November 13th, it's been traveling for 165 days! That's why it went there, it was supposed to have arrived a long time ago! It traveled 4,712 miles from St. Petersburg, Russia. I imagine it had got lost somewhere along the way, which happens from time to time. I have 2 postcards that never got registered so they must have got lost somewhere along the way too. I'm glad this one finally made it! 

Postcard Arrival: Ishikawa, Japan

Today I got my very first postcard at my new address! This postcard traveled 5,915 miles in 10 days. I love all the different kinds of stamps I get to see from my Postcrossing! Have any of you signed up for Postcrossing yet? I'd love to hear what you think of it if you have :) 

Today's To-Do List

I'm officially on my own! It was with mixed feelings that I dropped mom and dad off at the airport this morning. On one had I'm super glad to have them gone (sorry mom) but now I can get into my own schedule and find my Arizona groove. I don't care who you are but two weeks is a long time to have anyone in your house! Then on the other hand, I'm sad to see them go. As annoying as they were lol, they were nice playmates for Oliver, and it was kind of nice to have a chauffeur everyday. Now I'll have to worry about finding parking at our crowded work place.

I had originally planned on going back to sleep after I dropped them off (it is my day off!) but I tried, then I was up. Maybe I'll start being one of those productive morning people? Doubt it, but ya never know. So then what to do? Well first off since I no longer need to separate the car keys and the condo keys, I decided my first task would be to combine the two. 

They whole key situation going on right now with my key chain is a little redic, I'll give ya that, but I kinda need all these keys. Prior to moving I had exactly 2 keys on my chain; my car key, a key to the back door at my parents house (which they actually changed and wasn't even current) and a few store key cards. Now I have no less than five keys present. My car key, mailbox key, pool key, door key, my work desk key AND my store discount cards. Ay yi yi! Then on top of these keys, I have several new work items to keep track of: a parking permit, a desk key (which I carry on my key-chain), a laptop locking key, and then a key to the docking station. Redic! I currently have them situated how I think they will work best, stay tuned.

Embarrassed that I literally sat there and fiddled with the key situation for the better part of an hour, then needing to make myself feel slightly accomplished, I ventured out to the local library (2.3 miles) to check it out and get a library card. (since I'll be poor now and the more free things the better!) So lets get a group read going PT. Any shorter good reads? 

It was a very easy process, show ID and proof of address then, Boom! Library card, and you had 8 artist designs to choose from. I went with a lovely mountain scene, original art by Bud Heiss. I even have a keychain option, like I need more! 

Then, I popped on over to the local post office (2.7 miles from my house) to pick up some stamps. Since I'm all settled I've reactivated my Postcrossing and I'm ready to send and receive new post cards from all over the globe. I was not terribly impressed with their stamp collection. I asked for three different kinds of stamps that they didn't have in stock. Even small town post office had better selections. So I went with the American flag and fireworks forever stamp and will order the rest online, which I'm fine with, one less reason to leave the house! 

Then like a lazy bum I stopped at McDonalds for some lunch. I went out on a limb and tried the new bacon habanero ranch quarter pounder. I know habanero means hot by holy s@#! was that hot. I won't make that mistake again! My mouth was on fiya!

Then I was left with the whole rest of the afternoon. I accomplished much (not really) I've been on the computer for basically the whole day. I cleaned up my gmail inboxes, got 2 postcards done heading out to China and Russia. I checked the mail, already getting some things trickling in (mostly junk/ads) I have a small list going of things I need to pick up at the store etc etc. Basically if I never had to leave the house I'd be good lol

Oliver is rather enjoying himself too I think. This is his favorite perch (though he has many) he likes to sit here and take in all the outdoors has to offer and in a sunspot no less. Every once in awhile he'll stand up and get real close to the window, usually that means there is a dog walking by and he wants to know what's up.

Tomorrow I think I shall sleep in. I'm hoping friends in Illinois remember that I am 2 hours behind them so when it's 9am there it's 7am here, which equals Heather sleepy time ;) My body is still on IL time I think, because right now it's 9:30pm and it feels every bit of the IL 11:30pm. I am one tired pup! 

Postcard Arrival: Liviv, Ukraine

Traveled 5002 miles in 16 days

This sender is my age and likes to read books, a perfect postcard for the occasion. She recommended 'The Help' by Kathryn Stockett, which is a great book that the Page Turners read a few years back.

Postcard Arrivals: Ukraine & Belarus

Brest, Belarus

4,886 miles in 21 days.

This post card is from 1984 of the USSR period.

Donetsk, Ukraine

5,525 miles in 15 days

Postcard Arrival: Chongqing, China

This postcard traveled 7,543 miles in 46 days. 

That's the longest travel time so far.

This postcard is from Chongqing, China, and the sender says the city is known as "mountain city" and "foggy city" She also says that the famous food there is hot pot, which she says is very delicious and spicy.

Post Card Arrival: Leipzig, Germany

"All that I love loses half it's pleasure if you are not there to share it." 

- Clara Ortega

4,546 miles in 9 days.

Postcard Arrival: The Philippines

8,244 miles in 16 days from the Philippines.

Postcard Arrival: Regensburg, Germany

Traveling for 10 days and 4,622 miles this postcard arrived all the way from Germany.This sender has actually been through our great state of Illinois on a train trip to Minnesota, what a small world.

Postcard Arrival: Minsk, Belarus

This postcard traveled for 33 days and 4,923 miles all the way from Minsk, Belarus. This postcard is a picture of the palace in Pruzhany which is on the Western edge of Belarus. There were lots of stamps on this postcard too! 

Postcard Arrival: Germany

4,347 miles in 12 days all the way from Northern Germany. This postcrosser works in a school that will be celebrating it's 425th anniversary this year. He said his town was a Medieval city with cobbled streets and half timbered houses, which sounds like such a beautiful city! 

2 Postcard Arrivals: Spain & Austrailia

This postcard traveled 4,461 miles in 10 days all the way from Valencia, Spain. The sender says this is a picture of Paella, a typical food from the region. It's a rice dish with different ingredients and meat or seafood, looks yummy to me! 

This postcard traveled 9,618 miles all the way from Gisborne, Australia in 11 days. This sender works in the library of the local high school and enjoys quilting! 

Postcard Arrival: Kaohsiung,Taiwan

You can never go wrong with a postcard of a cat! This postcard from Taiwan traveled 7,741 miles in 14 days. I had to show you guys the back of this one too, you might have to click it to make it bigger, but this sender wrote several things in Chinese, including my name! The stamps have been neat to see on the postcards as well.

I mentioned last time that I needed new stamps. I went to the USPS website to check my options and I'm torn. They have really cute new global stamps for the holidays.. 

But if I combine two stamps, a 0.66 and the regular stamp of 0.47 (yes I would be giving the postal service an extra three cents) then I can get all the cool forever stamps that are out. A Harry Potter stamp series will be announced on November 19, but here is my favorite holiday stamps.

Can you help me pick a favorite?