Month: August 2016

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with love from Keswick (1979)

Keswick 1979

Dear Hilary, Ged here in Keswick and believe it or not its sunny for a change. Ta for your letter and postcard from up North. As you can see I’m in Keswick still but I go home on the 6th of September to my new house the address of which is 14 …. I’ve got to work till next Thursday so I’ll write a proper letter then from ….. So I’ll be able to tell you all my news then, tarra for now. Gerard xx P.S Don’t think much of the hotel on the other side. P.S.S. Hope you had a nice holiday! xx

Here’s another postcard being used to update an address change.  It’s amazing how often we all did that, back in the day! It is unclear whether Ged is staying in the hotel or working in it – the latter I suspect. Either way he’s obviously not a fan, despite the ‘warm welcome, courtesy and friendliness’ promised in print at the bottom!

Sunshine in Keswick is, of course, worthy of a comment 🙂  My postcard to him was from even further ‘up North’ – our family holiday that year was spent driving and camping round the north coast of Scotland.

Postmarked ‘KESWICK 11.30am 31 AUG 1979 CUMBRIA’, this card was posted exactly 37 years ago today! The other postmark is the old favourite ‘REMEMBER to use the POST CODE!’ which he hasn’t.

The card carries 10p worth of stamps which is approximately 52p today (2016).

This is three years after Ged and I first met and the correspondence was still fairly regular; these were the days long before texts, emails, Whatsapp, Facebook; when there were only 3 channels on UK tv and expensive long distance phone calls were made by special appointment and only with permission of the bill payer (Dad), who was generally sat in the same room listening in! Letter writing was the only option 🙂 

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with love from Costa del Sol, Spain (1983)

Costa del Sol Spain 1983

14.10.83 Dear Hilary, Having a super time here in Spain. Weather has been great since we arrived – over 85° every day. Enjoying the cheap food & drink. We met up with another couple but they went back today. We’ve got another week, before it’s back to the grind. Best wishes Janet xx

Algarrobo features on the front of the card – the town is possibly more picturesque than the photo suggests!  There is no postmark, but Janet has helpfully included the date, October 1983

As ever when Brits travel to sunnier climes, the fascination with the temperature prevails and value for money when eating and drinking is an added bonus!

The two 13 peseta stamps feature King Juan Carlos I and are from the 1976-84 definitive series.

Another, earlier one from Janet who I have known for around 45 years!

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with love from Chamonix, France (2016)

With love from Chamonix

To Mum, It’s my birthday. I’m sat in a pizza place with Jake. It rained today so we slept and ate a lot of nutella. Tomorrow we are getting up early to go up to the Aguille du Midi to do a famous/classic climb called Cosmique’s Arête, which finishes by climbing over the fence onto the veranda of the Aguille du Midi. for your blog. Love Stormé xxx

The poster style design on this card really appeals to me, I love the paring down of information and use of colour blocks.  Chamonix is, of course, a world famous centre for skiing and mountaineering and was the venue of the first ever Winter Olympics in 1924. Stormé is obviously taking the opportunity to explore as much as she can.

Postmark dated 04-07-16 the card also carries the 2013 Marianne stamp.

Stormé is my daughter, she embraces life and has travelled extensively; a keen skier and mountaineer, who loves a challenge.  Despite having a summer birthday it generally rains for her; so the weather comment is no surprise!  Stormé loves chocolate in any form. She is caring and beautiful;  I love her unconditionally and I am very proud of her.

 

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with love from California (2016)

With love from US

Here is a super special bonus card. it takes me hours to make something like this so i just want to let you know that you’re a great postcard pal! You’re so busy, always doing intresting places. You sent me cards when i wasn’t replying that really made me feel good. Love CBC “fish lips” 7/16

This is a beautiful original painting on a postcard, that I received the other day.  CBC has called it ‘fish lips’ – see how all the fish have big lips 🙂  I was lucky to receive it, as the number was wrong on the address; a kind hearted person obviously took it back to the post office for a second chance.

The card is postmarked ‘OAKLAND CA PM 25 Jul 2016’ and carries an unusual circular stamp, featuring an image of the moon.  This global stamp was issued earlier in 2016 and can be used to mail a one-ounce letter from the US to any country which has a First-Class international mail service.

CBC (aka Crazyruthie) follows this blog; about six months we began exchanging postcards via snail mail.  We do the odd email too, but receiving the postcards is far more exciting!  CBC always sends me an original painted one, or something hand drawn and coloured; they’re all different depending on what technique she’s experimenting with at the time.  We have become postcard pals as a result of this blog, maybe one day we’ll meet in person 🙂

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with love from Armaçāo de Pêra, Portugal (1986)

With love from Portugal

WED Sun very hot but a constant cool breeze – just right. Being very lazy this week but will try and be a bit more energetic next week and look around the area.  Love Jo & John

A brief status update that concentrates on the weather 🙂

Armaçāo de Pêra is in the Algarve region of Portugal, on the southern coast.

The clear postmark reads ’20H 26-VI-1986 ARMACAO DE PERA’ and the card carries stamps to the value of 37.50 escudos (the currency in use before the euro was introduced in 2002).

The 25.00 escudos stamp is from the Traditional Architecture series issued in 1985 and the other two are from the 1978 Instruments Working definitive series.

Another card from Jo & John; as well as being my Mum’s cousin, John was also cousin to Betty and Ted.  (Family trees are always much easier to understand in diagrams rather than words!)