London is starting to open up bit by bit with new rules and guidelines - I never thought I'd be so excited to stay in an online queue for an hour to book a ticket for a specific time to enter the zoo, or be so enthused that I can now choose OnE sUpEr SpEcIaL person to be allowed into my home. I'm still debating who to pick for my 'social bubble'. I have also, thankfully, been allowed back to work!

In the meantime, here are my thank you's for the last two weeks!

u/DazeyFerry I completely forgot whatever the topic I set you was as well! But it hardly matters when I'm a recipient of another lovely handmade card - this time with encouraging vibes and sunflowers! Shit's improving, there's light appearing at the end of the tunnel now, but I'm trying not to get all overly optimistic and complacent too early.

u/sailor_em Sent a postcard of Nagasaki at night and encouraged a visit to the Peace Museum if I'm ever over there. I think we are all hoping for some peace right now, and I hope you are staying sane.

u/New_Year_Baby - what a cracking lighthouse! Thank you for sharing your trials and tribulations in trying to get a bike and the escalating kerfuffle that came of it. I'm glad to hear the bike turned out to be a goodie!

u/raggycatempress for the beautiful fish and mermaid card and the wishing of happiness and good health. May the same be wished upon you!

u/700Gigi700 for the postcard and the card (I have sent one back!) - I too feel slightly able to breathe again now things are less rigid, but I completely agree that this year needs a do-over. We're in the worst timeline and I don't like it and we're only halfway through! What next? Aliens landing? All volcanoes erupting at the same time? Cat sized spiders? Horse sized cats (that then see us as prey?). Anything feels possible!

u/ecstatic-safe - I wonder what Venice right now is like for the local Venetians? Imagine living in a small town that always has many more tourists in it than natives and then, suddenly, the tourists are gone? It must be a serene, surreal and majestic experience! I hope they enjoy it before we go and cock it all up again.

u/ignposts for regailing me with the tale of the inevitable end of your father's new coffee machine. I hope he has become suitably subdued in his panicked appliance buying now, but, who knows what's next? And, of course, for yet another gorgeous and beautifully designed card!!

u/babewithamobilityaid I'm glad to hear you're holding fast though, bloody hell, the hospital sure wants to just try your sanity at times. I'm amazed at your patience. Thanks for such a lovely long and , once again, immaculately written card!

u/StephenFromReno88 for the Hobbit postcard! I hope shit hasn't hit the fan too awfully where you are (which, I'm guessing, is Reno). I hope you have other fantasy to retreat into when need be.

u/mmmyesplease____ on her mission to stoke us to Save What Franklin Made. The loss of USPS would be an awful and sad thing and I hope it pulls through. Thank you for such a meaningful offer.

u/TheFeistyFox...wow there really is nothing like German folklore! It starts all normal with a woman who checks a child is being tidy and rewards them if they are...but if they aren't they get cut open and the clutter is sewn up inside them! Well, I'd definitely have been too scared to be anything but a tidy kid. I remember my first brush with German folklore was one about a man who went around cutting off the eyelids of children that wouldn't go to sleep so they could never sleep again. And the eyelids? They were sewn into pairs and that's what's butterflies are.

u/nutriyum you sent the most naked fireman to the most noble cause! Did I instinctively lick him? Maybe...

u/toastttme Thank you for taking the time to send me the poem 'No Title Required' by Wistawa Szymborska. I really love poetry and thank you for introducing me to someone new. I think there's great consolation and endurance to be inspired from a lot of verse right now.

u/dirtytightsdelano x 10 - another fiiiiiiiine batch of card. I do really like the old Colchester ones and the kitty is a great addition (I agree, envelopes within envelopes is definitely epic). I LOVE the chilli pepper one - do you remember the 'Spicy' card I did for the challenge where I painted with chillis? Did you ever get that one?! I also hope the Vagina Museum opens up again. It should do, I only fear that visiting the hall of vulvas will not be the biggest priority for Londoners so I must endeavour to get the word out!