Oops, I've bought more stationery!

Oops, don't I have enough stationery for my letter writing hobby? Yes, but that doesn't stop me from buying more. This month, I have ordered and received enough ink for a footbath! 

The latest to arrive is the Diamine Inkvent calendar, 2025 edition. I wasn't going to, but...  Anyway, it arrived today, on 8th December. I bought it just after December had started, however, the company I bought it from must have been quite overwhelmed with orders, it was sent on its way late on the 4th. My postie was overwhelmed on Saturday with mail, and as I'm late on the round, he didn't get to deliver it to me. He's off for a few days, so someone else delivered it first thing.

I opened the door to day 8, but haven't yet unwrapped the bottle. Do I do day 8 first, or should I start at the beginning? 

I also received other items of stationery including washi tape. Why oh why does it say, "mt for kids" ??? It should read, "mt for all!"

I really should be OK for pens, ink, paper, stickers, washi, wax seals, postage stamps... but well... if not in financial distress, then why not... For me, snail mail is a long term hobby; it brings me joy, creates connections, makes the world a smaller place. And while there are postal services... use them or lose them. Just look at Denmark. 

Stamps of Queen Victoria

Last month, Royal Mail issued a set of stamps showing some of the stamps of Queen Victoria's reign. I bought some: 1 miniature sheet, and 2 rows from the two sheets. I used some of them as postage for Christmas cards sent via airmail. 2 x 1st is the current airmail rate. Not exactly cheap, but convenient. 

Postage stamps celebrating stamps of Queen Victoria.

Norvic is having a little guess the 2026 stamp programme over on his blog, and I've submitted my guesses. Plenty of ideas for issues, but only submitted 12. Some TV shows would look nice on stamps - comedies, though maybe not all of them age well with the humour (didn't stop Only Fools and Horses). Maybe Keeping Up Appearances and Fawlty Towers would be good - both Patricia Routledge and Prunella Scales were the Ladies of Letters (on the radio - an excellent show). 

While Royal Mail keep us guessing, Deutsche Post via the Bundesfinanzministerium website have announced their intentions for 2027! And USPS has revealed some of its 2026 stamp program. So, I'll just twiddle thumbs, though that'll make it difficult to write more letters, send Christmas/Season's Greetings cards!