Boxes of Goodies.

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I did a post, years back called ‘Little Boxes’.

It was prompted by the song of the same title.

The boxes I was referring to then,

were boxes of things I had that needed restoring.

Today, however, I am prompted by totally different boxes,

in fact parcels.

I will now flip back to just after World War II,

around 1946-7 when I was five, and living at Thackeray Road.

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Little B at Thackeray.

I can remember a very impressive box that arrived there one day.

It had come from a family in the United States.

When opened, it revealed its precious contents - food!!

Yes, it was a food parcel!

You are going to ask how I could remember this.

Well some things stick in your memory don’t they.

I can remember things from those days better than I can remember phone numbers and even names from yesterday!

And why does it remain a memory?

Because the parcel contained amongst other things, a tin of pineapple.

After all the dull flavours of war rations, this taste, my first taste of pineapple in fact, was something ‘out of this world’.

These parcels were sent over from the US by kind Americans and Canadians who made up boxes of goodies that they thought we might enjoy.

There was a name and address enclosed

and Mom would have written to the family to thank them.

How families were chosen to receive these I have no idea,

but every food parcel being made up, would be different.

I can only remember the pineapple,

but I expect there were other things like tins of ham, sausages, fruit and even tinned cream. Of course there could not be anything fresh as these parcels came over by boat and the journey would have taken weeks.

I vaguely remember a tin of salmon being included but I don’t recall trying it. I bet my Mom polished that off.

She adored salmon.

Back now to December 2011.

This morning at 9:05am I found this in the porch.

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A parcel from California.

It had not taken five weeks to ship, but just over five days!

And on reading the ‘Customs Declaration’ - it contained food!

To be honest I had been tipped off

and was looking out for the postie.

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He rode straight past at eight thirty -

not even a Christmas card today.

This parcel arrived half a hour later by courier.

It was from my blogger pal, Jan,

in Sloughhouse, California

and contained the promised home-made Cookies.

I mailed her straight away to thank her

and to let her know that it was safe

and sound and not just a box of 'Cookie Crumbs!'

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"....boxes of goodies that they thought we might enjoy."

You bet!

Gosh Jan. You have packed those well.

Each Cookie type in its own wee box.

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Chocolate Chip Cookies

and

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Chocolate Cookies

and

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Peanut Butter Cookies.

That, by the way, is Jan's message on the box!

He, he!

And to cap it all, a 'Christmas Pressie'.

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I shall open that nearer Christmas Jan.

Thanks ever so much. {Hugs}

Now as the saying goes -

"The Proof of the Pudding is in the Eating"

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Time for Cookies and coffee.

Mmmmmm.

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Says it all, really!

Many, many thanks. More {hugs}

I popped up all the pictures above so Jan could see that her excellent packing protected all the important contents which all arrived safely.

Not one broken biscuit. (sorry- cookie!).

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PS How long will they keep Jan?

(in a Biccie tin of course).

(Cookie jar?)

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