Mail!

 I got mail!  In my new mailbox!  I got mail!

And what was the mail I got?  I'll show you...

First up, a letter in what is quite possible the fanciest envelope I've ever seen.  

I almost didn't even want to open it.  It's like cutting one of those high dollar cakes.   But open it I did, and found a real, honest to goodness letter inside!  It made me so happy!  Not only was there a letter in there, but the sender included some different types of paper made just for fountain pens!  I can't wait to try it out!

Do you know what else was in my mailbox?  A package!!  

My friend Kristine is back to making candles and pottery for her Etsy shop, Stormy Blue after a brief hiatus.  She's slowly building her inventory back up, but she recently announced a few new candles -- one of which I just had to have.  This one:

If you can't read it, the label says, "100% Guaranteed to repel nine out of ten Jim Cantores*  *Not guaranteed." It smells like petrichor, which is one of my favorite scents.  It's arrival is timely, as we've already had four named storms, and this is what the tropics look like today:

As soon as a storm forms in the Gulf, I'll be lighting that sucker up!  Oh, if you want one, she's still got a couple left, and says it's going to be a regular in her shop, but she might change the name.  She's thinking of "Tryin' to Reason with Hurricane Season" Catchy, huh?

The second candle I bought is one I'd been looking at for a while, and finally ordered it.

I would tell you it smells so good, but that pretty much goes without saying.  Kristine has never made a bad smelling candle.  If you've ever watched Call The Midwife, you know that Nonnatus House is where all the nuns and nurses live while they're ministering to the poor, and this candle smells exactly what I would imagine that kitchen would smell like...good things baking, and good friends gathered round the table.  

Lastly, Kristine included a secret surprise, not yet released to the public candle:  

Edgar Allan Poe, which smells of tobacco and absinth.  I had to google absinth, by the way.  I'd  heard of it, and knew it was a type of alcoholic beverage, but never really knew exactly what it was.  Let me just say, stalk her shop until she gets this one up, then buy it.  Do not pass GO, do not collect $200.  Just buy it.  Trust me on this one. 

I'm going to try to blog more often, but that may mean my posts will be shorter, at least until busy season at work is over.  So, regular readers...both of you...would you prefer short but frequent posts, or longer posts less often?  Let me know in the comments.

OK, now I must go practice my piano.  Laters.  

OH, one last thing!  I cooked some chicken thighs in my new air fryer, and they turned out so very moist and delicious!  It was the first time I'd cooked anything other than frozen foods, but I can assure you it won't be the last.  

Now, I really must go...