On the way to the post office...

Not so long ago, maybe only two decades ago, postmen had a lot of work to do during December. Christmas holidays and New Year are dates that are celebrated all over the world and family members and friends like to congratulate each other. Quite a normal thing, right? People have done it in the past, they are doing it now, and I assume that the good wishes and the spreading of the same will continue in the future. The only difference is how we do it. Sending Christmas cards was very popular until we started using mobile phones en masse to send SMS messages. Later internet came and all the applications and social media platforms that are used brought a definite death to Christmas cards. Still, here and there we do like to receive or send that piece of cardboard. That is a different feeling from receiving a message on your screen.

Call me old-fashioned or just sentimental, but this year I have decided I am going to send postcards to members of my close family. I know I should ship on time because usually, this service is late. There were cases when the postcards I sent a few days before Christmas arrived at their destination in February. To prevent something like that from happening again, this year I took measures to send them on time. This Monday I was on my way to the post office to send good wishes to several parts of the world.

I had just a few postcards to send but I had to wait in the post office for some time. It was 20 minutes, maybe 30 minutes. For sure not just 7 seconds that I was waiting. Finally, it was my turn. The lady behind the counter took the postcards, measured their weight and told me the amount I had to pay. Surprise!

$10 just for the shipping fee? Plus the cost of Christmas cards I paid earlier.

Not the cheapest way to say someone Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
But I know those who will receive these cards will have a happy moment while reading my handwriting. At least, I hope they will be able to decipher what I wanted to write. Btw, did you notice that our handwriting is getting worse? I do notice the consequences of typing just on the keyboard, even though I am trying to write on paper at least my schedule and shopping list or little notes and reminders.

...while waiting my turn in the post office...

Christmas cards were sent and the day was still so beautiful and with blue skies. Time should not be wasted at home, better to enjoy a bit of sunshine and flowers and palm tree scenes. It is December, a month that always gives nice weather to this part of the world. Although we had some rainy days last week, maybe that is the reason why is everything still so green.

The flowers seem to like this climate too. Those that grow in form of bushes and are planted along the fences are decorating nicely the streets. This type is present during the whole year and can appear in different colours.

From another fence but the same flower in various colours:

Looking at the fence from the street is not always the most interesting thing, so here I peeked into the yard. One wall was decorated with pots and plants growing out of them.

But usually, I don't do this. I am satisfied if I see those lovely flowers that grow over the fence. This white flower was growing on a tree, I don't know the name of it, although it looks like Lilium (but I guess it is not)

The yellow flower was also growing high, on a tree, the same that we can see in the cover photo. Maybe not a clear photo, but still, I like the contrast the yellow flowers make with the blue sky.

Hidden among the branches of a bush, I saw a small bird's nest. There were no birds inside just dry leaves, but it is normal I suppose. Probably the small nest will be occupied again by little birds in spring. And anyway, this post is full of postcards and flowers and not animals... That is what I thought until I saw the last scenery, again including some palm trees.

The high palm tree from this house was a playground for two squirrels :D
They are fast, it is not easy to take a photo of them running up and down on those trees. So agile they are, but in the end, one photo is what I got.

And the zoomed version of the same squirrel, while it took some pause from its athletic performance! Maybe it was also running to the post office to send some Christmas greetings to family and relatives? 😂

Hurry, hurry, little squirrel, Christmas is around the corner!!