It is over 5 weeks since I sent my parcel to my niece in Australia , which I wrote about here. She still hasn't received it! I just hope it isn't lost. I cannot recall any of the parcels I have sent in the past ever taking so long.
I am going to give it another week and then I will have to go back to the Post Office here and see what they can do about it... tch!
🔔🔔Whoopee! The parcel has arrived...that's about 6 weeks to get there but at least I don't have to worry now!! (added 25th March) !
Sunday morning
After a rainy,chilly and windy week with snow falling on the mountain peaks it cleared up just right for our Sunday outing. The outing still wasn't up in the mountains as we had previously planned but instead we went for a walk along Urbanova beach 10 minutes drive outside of the city.
There was a chilly wind at the beach but the sun was shining and the skies were blue again and quite a few people were flying kites on the beach which was good to watch.
It was such a pleasant stroll along the promenade watching the children in the sand and youngsters playing ball or just sitting on a bench curled up reading a book. I saw the police patrolling checking that people were wearing their masks and also wearing them correctly and not under their chins.There was a really pleasant ambience,people enjoying the walk and chatting with family members and children happily running around playing as children do. An enjoyable sight which impressed me because it was so normal and frankly it was just so good to feel the normality of it all.
Can you see the snow on the mountain tops in the background?
Big Red Rose RAOCK , the size of my hand, all ready to go in my stash to be left out this week.
. Such a shame the camera hasn't picked up the little sparkly red gems I left under some petals.
RAOCKs are great for using up bits of yarn. Hook 4, Mixed yarn, No Pattern
Books
My sister sent me this book last week from the UK.
She knows how much I like to find out the origin of idioms. The English language is packed full of popular phrases and sayings(idioms) that we use frequently in our daily life. I often find myself wondering where certain phrases or expressions come from. I am finding this book is clarifying for me that question I constantly ask myself.
Let me just give you an example I found out about this curious idiom quite some time ago :
e.g "There is no room to swing a cat in here. no room to swing a cat is the idiom
This actually originated from Navy jargon around about 16th century. When they referred to a cat in the Navy they were talking about a whip, a rather horrendous instrument called "cat' o nine tails" which was used to punish any unruly sailor. The whip itself had nine long tails studded with spikes and to be able to strike the poor sailor in question ample space was required so they had to do so on the deck of the ship were there was plenty of space. Today we use this phrase when we want to indicate that a certain space is excessively small because there is no room to swing a cat.
Fascinating,isn't it? 😊
Hope you are having a good week
Keep well
Amanda :-)
I hope that the parcel isn't lost Amanda that does seem like a long time, hopefully it's just delayed because of the pandemic. What a lovely walk, it looks heavenly on the beach and thankfully not too crowded. The promenade and beach gets really crowded in my tiny town when there's a bit of sunshine and I don't feel safe walking there as it's impossible to socially distance. The RAOCK is beautiful whoever finds that will be very lucky. That looks like a very useful book to have I may get a copy myself. Have a great week. 😊
ReplyDeleteHi Linda,thank you. The book is fascinating... at least for me. It is amazing where some idioms come from, some actually go way back. Unfortunately some idioms are disappearing from the English Language due to lack of use and because a lot TV jingles and expressions are taking over. A x
DeleteLovely seaside pictures, I'm so missing the sea at the moment. I do hope your parcel arrives safely. It's always a concern when you send something precious through the post. Fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteJean. x
Thanks for calling in :-) Fingers crossed worked because it has arrived my niece sent me a PM this morning..what a relief! A x
DeleteIt is so worrying when a parcel doesn't arrive. I sent a parcel for a friend's big birthday - she lives in Canada. It was seriously delayed and missed her birthday by a long way, but it did eventually arrive. I always put tracking on anything I send (if it is important/precious/expensive) now.
ReplyDeleteIt was nice to see the beach photos.
I think I may have a copy of that book too - I must hunt it out and read it!
Best wishes
Ellie
Hi Ellie, Thankfully it has arrived at last...that is 6 weeks since I posted it. A x
DeleteI think any deliveries take longer now, specially to the other side of the world.
ReplyDeleteHere in UK any purchase order online comes with a warning regarding delivery delays due to Covid ( I do realise that yours is not in that category); hope it ends well :-)
xx
Hi Radka Thank you for stopping by :-) They certainly are taking much longer than usual. Nevertheless I am happy to say my niece has finally received the parcel....big sigh of relief! A x
DeleteOh I hope your package is not lost-sometimes it will stuck in one place for a long time-that happens here sometimes-I track all my packages that I can now to see where they are.
ReplyDeleteLove your little rose, and sounds a perfect day at the beach-I have not seen a kite fly in years-so fun I would enjoy that book too-Happy week hugs Kathy
Hi Kathy,thanks :-) It has been quite sometime since I saw kites flying too. I was useless at that when I was a child but I like to see others flying kites. A x
DeleteI sent a Christmas card to Kuwait in November. My friend just received it yesterday! I think everything is taking much, much longer now.
ReplyDeleteLove the lates RAOCK and the walk on the beach. It's been a long, long time since I've done that and now I'm moving further inland. :-(
I never knew where that expression originated but it makes perfect sense, even if a bit gruesome.
Blessings and love,
Betsy
My goodness Betsy that is awful! That's nearly 5 months, at least she did get it eventually! Well happy ending for me as my niece finally received the parcel the day before yesterday. A X
DeleteI hope the parcel arrives eventually. It's not a nice feeling to put effort and love into something for it to just disappear! The picture of the kites reminded me of how much we used to love flying kites when our children were little. I think I've still got one somewhere. It was a very cheap kite that flew beautifully even if there was little wind. Must get it out and head to the beach. Talking of idioms, there's definitely enough blue in those skies to make a sailor a pair of trousers! xx
ReplyDeleteJust seen your update. Great news on the parcel. xx
DeleteThanks HH :-) Now I haven't heard that idiom before. I wonder if it is from your part of the UK because they can also be regional. It isn't in the book ... going to look online. Curious! A x
DeleteWhile doing some baking , I was giving a thought about what you mentioned in your latest post , it is indeed very interesting to know about these idioms origins ,not only we can learn more about the English language but we can speak it more fluently ,so thank you again for your post .
ReplyDeleteBy the way ,don´t worry about the parcel , very soon it will arrive to its destination!
HI, and you were right it arrived yeasterday. Thanks for popping by A x
DeleteOh no - hope the parcel is just 'resting' somewhere and will soon arrive, fingers crossed (and I do love a good idiom) xx
ReplyDelete"HI thanks for dropping by :-) It seems the parcel was "resting" somewhere but was fortunately pushed on its way as my niece received it finally the day before yesterday...phew! A x
DeleteLove photos
ReplyDeleteThank you for the info. That expression was difficult, thinking it meant a real cat.
Hi thanks for popping by :-) It is a very confusing expression but very interesting how it came about :-) A x
DeleteWhat a beautiful beach and so nice to have families enjoying it all again. You do live near some scenic places. I'm glad we have our Columbia River Gorge near enough to drive up and enjoy the panoramic views. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Teresa, I do remember the postcards ( I still have them) that Gracie sent me and the scenery in your part of the USA is really breathtaking. Is it possible to go swimming in the river near you? A x
DeleteI hope your package has arrived by now.
ReplyDeleteVery nice pictures of the beach and the crochet rose is also very beautiful.
Each language has its own expressions, with us the whip is also called a cat.
Hi Loes, It has arrived ...thank goodness :-) Thank you I am back doing flowers now for more RAOCKs. I think it must be the spring air :-) A x
DeleteJust popping by & am so pleased to read the parcel has arrived Amanda - I am finding the post system is taking ages lately. Your red rose is just beautiful!! Have a great weekend Amanda. xx
ReplyDeleteHi Julie,Thanks :-) Thank you for calling it. The PO is very slow but as long as my parcels get to the destinations that is good I suppose. A x
DeleteI'm glad that your parcel sent to Australia arrived as it would have been a shame if it had got lost or stuck somewhere in the system. Your crochet items are always lovely. The Sunday stroll along the beach did you good, I'm sure. It looks as if those people flying kites had a suitably windy day which made the activity a lot of fun. The photos are great. Even though your beach scene is different it reminds me of the mountains near our home in Italy that are snow capped at this time of the year. I miss being there. Have a good weekend Amanda.
ReplyDeleteHi Linda,thanks for calling in. I glad this post brought back some happy memories for you. I can well imagine you miss your home in Italy. Lets hope this situation comes to an end soon! A x
DeleteAmanda I have to get that book! I had a been given a book of literary allusions that I loved in high school . I wish I could find it. But your book may do!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Kathy thanks for popping by :-) Amazon is offering Spring discounts at the moment and on books. It might be the moment to get this book that bit cheaper. A x
DeleteCan you send your police to Florida because I can guarantee you no one is wearing a mask on these beaches. Stay safe my friend.
ReplyDeleteHi Mere,I am sure the police would love to pop over to Florida to help out but I don't expect they would be very successful. As it is yesterday numbers went up here of more infected!! Some people just think this is a party and it doesn't help that AstraZeneca still hasn't fulfilled its contract and has supplied less than a quarter of the vaccine paid for by the EU to Europe... so we wait! Vaccination is very slow! A x
DeleteHi quite agree Amanda, our language is fascinating! Never knew that about cat o nine tails, but makes sense!
ReplyDelete6 weeks is fast.. mail from Australiato Canada takes 9 weeks.. or sometimes 7 or 8. Canada is closer to us than Spain. They generally arrive, but take forever. Very glad it arrived at long last.
Lovely photosand views. Thanks for sharing, and may God bless and keep you and all whom you love safe and well.
Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz. X
{Wonderful Words of Life - Shaz in Oz}
{Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz}
Thanks for calling in Shaz :-) Incredibly slow worldwide post but as long as the post gets there I suppose that is the main thing A x
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