First, no matter how much I apologize, it can and never will be enough. I have so many wonderful people to Thank... this has been a horrific year for us all, and the connectivity brought by a card, a postcard, a note has been vital to my sanity. I finally came home on Friday, with my 4 legged fur baby after a long spring, and summer. In March, my state was in the grips of the pandemic, at a time when we barely understood everything about this novel virus. I don’t consider myself an essential worker, but a higher being decided I was essential to the essential workers, those incredible people on the front lines of caring for those who had the virus. No amount of Thank You would ever be enough to the people who directly cares for patients with COVID-19, who holds their hands as they say goodbye to loved ones over a video call. I love my work, I really, really do, and many of you may find it incredibly odd when I say, my job isn’t a job, it’s a privilege, and everyday is like inhaling happy gas, but for the first time ever, it wasn’t happy gas... not in the least. I had been asked to come to a couple of cities to provide “relief”, and that’s not unusual in what I do, but it was just longer this time, and it was lonelier because there’s really nowhere to go. I desperately missed home, in the worst possible way, and combined with erratic work hours, I was on the verge of insanity. I finally came home on Friday, and will be in self isolation for 14 days... my furry friend couldn’t be happier, because there were many days he hated me for dragging him along, but I came home to so much happy mail !!!! It literally moved me to tears !! My mom had organized it all by date, so I have been opening one after another, and I can’t even begin to express the amount of gratitude I have for each and every one of you... beautiful cards, with beautiful messages...I hope I haven’t forgotten anyone.

I have a list of wonderful people to send happy mail back, and will be doing that during this time. I got 2 pieces of mail sent out back, so I’m going to be reaching out to them to confirm the address I have is correct. They came back in a ziplock bag with half the card missing, and it never ceases to amaze me that the USPS with all it has to do right now, somehow managed to get it back to the sender. I hope the cards I send, will be enjoyed. I have tried to make them as special as I possibly can. Some of them will reflect what can only be described as a unique sense of humor.

I humbly ask all of you to please, please forgive the late Thank You, but please know every card, every message has been healing for my soul. The kindness of strangers is amazing, and it is through that kindness strangers become friends.

I love adding pictures for you all to see, and I will do that ASAP... I love you all ❤️

u/suzette393 : Thank You !! I LOVED your card !! Who doesn’t know “Sweet Caroline” ? I didn’t know he has Parkinson’s Disease... very sad to hear. But thank you for taking me back !!

u/loko_lo : Thank you so much for the beautiful card !! I loved reading about your hobbies... I feel like this summer has somehow slipped away too fast, and definitely not a normal summer. You seem to very outdoorsy, but I’m the total opposite !!

u/postcardsfromjenna : Thank you for the beautiful Vancouver artwork card !! I love Vancouver !! I always have a wonderful time when I’m there...

u/kecr101 : Thank You for the Disney Pinocchio postcard !! The running joke in our house, is my mom refuses to acknowledge that our fur baby is not a real boy, so we tease her that’s she’s waiting for him to turn into a real boy. This summer has been a crazy summer... I have done some cooking, not as much art as I would have loved to do, but most of all I miss our family getting together for our family holiday.

u/travellincat : Thank you so much for the World Postcard Day postcard !! I didn’t even know it was a thing, but I’m happy to celebrate the day ! Your wish that my card brings joy to my mailbox is exactly what it did, and I can’t thank you enough !!

u/lavender_icedtea : Thank you for the Mae Jemison card !! I really love these women in science card !! I have made your Chocolate Chip cookies, and they didn’t even make it off the baking sheet !! I added a ridiculous amount of chocolate chips and chocolate chunks... but thank you so much !!

u/KingnBanter : Thank you so much for the Horse card drawn from a child’s perspective !! It’s adorable and I love that the horse has only 3 legs and highlights in its mane !! Thank you for the Michigan sticker !! I love the message of things to be happy about, but here are my top favorites 1. Platters of good things to eat- no way will I ever turn down a good food platter... a charcuterie for one. 2. Reading outside on a blanket wearing a big sweater... Indian summers are my favorite 3. Traveling by bicycle... you didn’t mean long distance right ? Cause that’s never gonna happen, but I do enjoy riding my bike a lot. 4. Dozing... I’m a Gold Medalist at dozing u/shepanda : Thank you so much for the cutest amount Rainier card !! I love that it’s vintage !! Chemistry was my favorite class too... I took General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry but for some reason I loved General Chem (it might have to do with the fact I nearly blew up the organic chem lab, almost burnt my lab partner (who happened to be my sister)

u/msmomona : Thank you for the awesome Pantone card... I go through phases of favorite colors and this months favorite happens to be Teal... I know the card said Bottle Green but I really looks more real to me. Thank you for the happy mail.

u/Mareepharos : OMG so cute !! Thank you for the Wine Dogs postcard !! I loved reading about Boe !! Naughtiest Deed : Eating the contents of a burst piñata... Epic ❤️

u/ganzhimaself : Thank you for the Wisconsin Card !! I’m a huge cheese fan !! I love cheese !! I’ve been to the Wisconsin Dells and it was beautiful !! I think after reading your facts about Wisconsin being biggest cheese producer and having over 40 Breweries... it might be time to visit again ☺️

u/mf1ish : Thank you so much for the postcard from the Louvre !! I loved visiting the Louvre as well, but you really do need more than one day to appreciate all the art. True Story : when we visited the Louvre someone stole a painting, so huge barriers came down and we all had to go into the center of the museum and they were checking everyone as they let them out... so, yours truly here decides that would be the best time to pass out... yep. I don’t remember if they ever found the painting.

u/HufflepuffPuff_ Pass : Thank you for the card with the yummy tarts... I love it !! I have accepted and now take pride in being a Hufflepuff !! What you say is true... loyal and hardworking with the added perk of being next to the kitchen.

u/ImOkReally : Thank you for the kitten card !! It’s so adorable !! I also love yarn !! Thank you for the stickers and lovely note... I hope it’s cooled down for you and Knuckles ☺️

u/aneemo : Thank you for the adorable card and stickers !! Sourdough sounds like a cute book... my sister was obsessed with making sourdough and after a million tries has finally done it !!

u/Qknowsbest : ok I have never seen such incredible handwriting !! Thank you so much for the Never Stop Looking Up... it’s been tough but we are all trying to figure out how to navigate this new normal. I love the quote “Difficult roads often lead to Beautiful Destinations”... nothing could be more true

u/lovescraftswidow : OMG I loved your card so so much !! It was so unique and fun !! I adored it !! Thank you for the book recommendation... I will have to look up The amulets of Samarkand... fantasy is normally not my genre, but you know what ? I’ve read and loved books I never would have read if it weren’t for recommendations ☺️

u/indleaf : How do I begin to say Thank You for the gorgeous photographs ? I loved them all !! I loved seeing things through your lens and I truly appreciate the extra monkey card !! I love to take photographs, but am not nearly as talented as you... I love taking pictures of people, especially children... they’re fascinating subjects and are always full of emotions... I realized I sound like a weirdo. I will definitely be looking forward to seeing more of your work on Instagram, and thank you for answering all my prompts...☺️

u/xlez : Thank you so much for the astronaut postcard !! I absolutely loved the quote !! You have been so kind, with the 2 cards you have sent... I can’t thank you enough for brightening my day !!

u/msmomona : Thank you so much for my very first Lou Paper postcard !! I love it !! I love Las Vegas, not for the gambling but I just love staying on the strip and looking at all the lights and people watch, and to catch a show or two.

u/twerpto : Thank you so much for the handmade card, it really is so special. I lost my uncle a month ago to Covid-19, and never got a chance to say goodbye as he lives in another country, and his passing was so sudden, but I kid you not... I was just thinking about him like literally 15 minutes before your card arrived, and then there was this gorgeous cardinal inside. They always say a Cardinal represents a loved one.

u/earthfireairwater : Thank you for the Georgia O’Keefe card !! It is one of my favorites !! I loved the red wine sticker !! This quarantine has reduced my life to coffee time and wine time !! I just finished the book “Ask again Yes” by Mary Beth Keane... and wow !! I have a book hangover.

u/komalya13 : Thank you for the Elizabeth Blackwell card !! I love it !! It’s funny because another awesome Redditor sent me a Marjorie Stone Douglas card !! It’s nice to meet a fellow Desi... I’m from Idli-Vada-Sambar Land, Andhra ☺️

u/Alfie-Solomon : Thank you for the awesome card and stickers !! I have always wanted to study law, and I can see how Torts would be your favorite... we definitely do need more Federal Judges, and we need more people to understand Constitutional Law... it seems the Constitution has been chucked out the window.

u/StephenfromReno88 : Thank you so much for Mt. Whitney card !! It really did make my day much better !!

u/wyrmfang : Thank You so much for the beautiful Emma Golden Retriever card !! Emma is my favorite Jane Austen book and I adore dogs !! I think we have the same wish list of travel destinations !! I loved Italy... my favorite city being Venice !! I hope we will all be able to travel again soon, I think we all just have to find a new normal .

I’m sorry I don’t have the username but I received a card with a beautiful wax seal on the back... I just want to Thank you for the wonderful note !! I love the wax stamp on the back... it made me feel fancy ! I loved your fun facts, I never would think Dolphins gave names for each other. The vintage ticket stickers are so cute !! I saved all my tickets from when I was younger, but now I forgot where they are !!

I have another lovely person whose username I don’t have... Thank you so much for the recipe cards !! I loved them so much... thank you for sending 3 !! I can’t wait to try them...I’m going to start with the cobbler, cause who doesn’t love cobbler !! You were so kind to share these recipes, and I’m so happy to have met someone who shares my passion for baking !! I’m trying to teach myself to embroider and I got a sewing machine which I’m hoping to get the hang of soon... I used to sew so much many moons ago !! The machines are awesome now, with so many stitch options... they have machines for embroidery but I’m nowhere ready for that yet 😜