I was beginning to think it would never get there.
Once when I sent a friend in the USA a package (which contained items specific for a certain holiday), it took it around eight (!) months to get there (including getting back to Israel and being sent again - for no apparent reason I could understand - and of course, all the holiday-specific items were completely moot by the time it actually arrived). The Israeli post office is not the best in what it's supposed to do, I'm afraid.
I haven't picked it up yet - I have to coordinate a time in which the post office is open, I am not at work, and both PiBoy and Pi++Toddler are at their kindergarden and daycare respectively. I'm pretty sure I'll cry when opening the package, and I don't want either of them to worry about it if I can help it.
(PiBoy has his mind pretty occupied with death as it is, what with both his grandfathers passing away relatively recently, and Pi++Toddler takes it to heart when she even senses that something is not as it should be.[Edit: sorry, I'm not phrasing this right.])
I don't know if it's the right way to deal with this sort of thing, but I'm still far from being able to reasonably process how hard I took ita's death (goodness, I had to type and re-type several times before I could write it down so straightforwardly) - and continue to take it, I'm afraid - myself, and I don't think either of them needs to be burdened with that.
Ahem, where was I? Oh, yes. Lee, the package is here safely. And if I don't get to open it for some time now, it's entirely because of me, and I'm grateful you've sent it. I didn't dare ask for anything, both for the postage as well as because I figured there were so many more Buffistas more deserving of any of that then me. Thank you so much for thinking of me and for doing this - for many of us, as well as for me. Thank you.
It is so good to read your words, Nilly
Hi, Nilly. If you've haven't had the time to read this thread, MANY of us didn't feel worthy to ask for a memento, but ita's family and The People With The Gorgeous Shiny Hair were very generous and thoughtful.
I cried when I got her Supernatural shirt. I opened it, because the mail cam when I was alone, and then I folded it carefully and placed in a drawer.
I didn't actually WEAR it until March, because I was going to Kansas City's PLanetComiCon and J. August Richards was a guest, and he knew ita said some very kind words at her passing, and I volunteered to thank him in person.
So I wore it. It's talismanic for me now.
I'm pretty sure I'll cry when opening the package, and I don't want either of them to worry about it if I can help it.
I suspect this is a good idea. I honestly couldn't think of anyone better for the thing I sent you, but I also thought that it would probably make you cry.
I am sorry to hear about your father and father in law.
Thanks, -t (though I really didn't write anything, did I? And even that took several large paragraphs...).
Strix, thanks for re-talling that story for my sake. It's lovely. I'm sure you wore it very well indeed.
I honestly couldn't think of anyone better for the thing I sent you, but I also thought that it would probably make you cry.
Thank you so much. I still don't think I'm deserving enough of it, and I definitely cried whn opening the package.
(Lee sent me the booklet - beautifully crafted, with a thread name at the head of each of its lovely pages, its cover has "Buffistas" written on it, just like at the top of the board, and on the inside something which looks like a Chinese symbol, with "thanks" underneath it. Was it candyb who made this, to thank ita for building the Phoenix board? Or am I misremembering and it was somebody else? Either way, it's beautiful. And I'm so grateful to have something of hers here with me. Oh, and a small dragonfly!)
The tears came very easy, today of all days - on this Hebrew date, exactly two years ago, was the last time I saw my father alive. He was at home by then (he was so weak, and there was nothing they could do for him at the hospital, and he preferred being at home, in his own bed, rather than anywhere else). Pi++Toddler was a baby of two months old at the time (oh, how grateful I am that he not only managed to see her, but also to see her smile), and PiBoy was the same age she is now. We couldn't spend long periods of time at my parents' place, because the noise and mess and action brought in by a then-two-years-old energetic toddler were too much for my father, so we tried to arrive for short visits whenever we could (the arrival of the grandchildren were a breath of fresh air for my mother, who needed that so very much at the time). I remember the date distinctly because it's a minor holiday (bonfires are being lit in the evening - in fact, we're going to one this evening, pretty soon). We showed Pi-then-toddler the fires scattered around when we left my parents' place that evening. Two nights later my father passed away, at home, like he wanted. On Friday we're going to go to his grave, and on Sundey there's the annual memorial service. Last year I couldn't attend, because on that very evening PiBoy had an extremely high fever which turned out to be penumonia. Goodness, that's way more meMeME than I thought it would be, and probably too meMeME for this thread, isn't it? I'll delete or whitefont if you think it's necessary. Sorry.)
Never.
I hope that having the bonfires every year brings you comfort and fond memories of your father.
Aww, Nilly.
It was candyb. She made them for all the Stompies, and they're so gorgeous.
Nilly, I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. May his neshama (soul) have an aliyah (ascension).
I love the bonfires. We'll do one tonight at our house, although it's less about the tradition which isn't that big here in the US, and more about my joy in burning stuff.
Also, it gives me an opportunity to teach the kids about fire safety. Yeah, I'm going with that reason.
Nilly, I'm glad you were able to share that story with us. And I'm glad one of the booklets went to you. Peace and comfort wishes to you.
