Tuesday, January 18, 2011

at the p.o.


A clump of little silver bells jingles pleasantly every time the door opens. Once I'm inside my senses are met with wonderful scents and soft music. There's not a flourescent light in the place, and the carpet is soft under my feet. I join a short line and look at the four women (and one man) wearing aprons at the counters. I'm at a post office "store" that I discovered in a nearby town. I try to save all my postal business for the days I'm in that town because it is simply delightful there. Seems I often go on a rainy day, and the place is just a whopping dose of coziness.

I watch carefully hoping that when my turn comes it's a woman whose station is free. Seems the women are not just strictly business like the man tends to be. They let me take my time picking out stamps; it's obvious they have the same appreciation of stamp beauty that I do. We may talk about who I'm mailing my package to, the new stamps, or some other chit chat. Last time I was there each woman opened her drawer in search of a cartoon stamp for me to use on my niece's birthday card. Before long they were all laughing and carrying on about it. And the women seem to understand it takes a few seconds to gather things together before leaving the counter.

On the way out, there is a whole counter of resale things, soft chairs to sit on, and a table for kids to play at. Whoever planned this place knew what they were doing.

17 comments:

  1. Ok - WHERE is this place...email me please! This sounds way better than the place I typically go :)

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  2. Sounds great! I love the Hepburn stamp!

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  3. Podso,
    Perfect timing! On my list of errands today is the U.S. Post Office! Thank you for such a sweet reminder to enjoy and embrace even the smallest task that we do!
    Fondly,
    Pat

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  4. We have a place here --- in Omaha, Nebraska --- that is the same way. I could spend hours there! It saddens me that good old-fashioned letter writing is becoming increasingly rare, and that there is talk of cutting mail delivery by another day. It may not seem like a big deal to many people, but to me it's devastating. I always await the mail each day with anticipation, looking forward to looking through the bills and junk mail in search of finding that all too rare treasure --- a handwritten letter! I'm delighted to learn you have a lovely post office "store" there!

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  5. The store sounds like a delightful place to visit!! I cringe when I have to go buy stamps at our local post office.

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  6. That sounds like a destination, alright.
    Over here the post offices seem to be in the back of sterile drug stores, manned by surly people who have landed this position simply because they are able to speak our two official languages. It's never a very pleasant experience.

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  7. I go there in my dreams! Carpet in a post office? Patient people? What a rare find these days.
    Love the stamps.

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  8. That sounds like a wonderful place to buy stamps... take us too please! Relaxation is not expensive nor out of reach on any certain day, yet we often bypass it or miss it altogether. You have reminded me today to be on the look-out for it. thank you....

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  9. That sounds like a wonderful post office...wish I could say the same for the one in the small town I live in...

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  10. This sounds wonderful...my post office is as sterile and joyless as jail!

    I really love the Hepburn stamps, I will have to ask for them next time.

    XO
    Jane

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  11. This sounds like a wonderful place to buy stamps..I loved the cats and dog ones you bought in your photo. My local post office is pretty small and always has a long line. I always feel rushed when I go there and just end up with the dull "forever" stamps even though I love commemorative stamps and have a large collection of them that I've collected from mail over the years.

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  12. Dotsie,
    What a wonderful place you have. I must look and see if we have one nearby. Your stamp selection is wonderful.

    Carol

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  13. I would love that post office. The ladies at Beall's are always happy to look through their selection to see if there is anything I like.

    I have the animal ones and Kathryn also. My kids both love the variety of postage stamps too.

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  14. I never dreamed going to buy stamps would be a delightful errand. Sad to say I buy mine at the grocery store.

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  15. Let me tell you about MY trip to the Post Office yesterday..... it was a beautiful sunny day with blue sky, the High Street was very quiet indeed, not many out in the beautiful afternoon air. I made my way down the street to the door of the PO .... and then I knew WHY the streets were empty! Everyone was in the Post Office!!! But I had to wait, if you have time to peek at my blog you will see the reason why my parcel was so important :0)
    Hope to see you there!
    love Val xx Oxfordshire UK

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  16. Sounds lovely, a step back in time!
    Everyone is surly at our PO. A few inches of snow, and no delivery. Leaf clean up truck on the street, and they skip the street. The guy who delivers the newspaper makes it, but sadly, not the mailman. I think they have to change their motto.

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  17. Can you take me there? :)

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