Gimmicks

Earlier this month was the 185th anniversary of issue of the Penny Black stamp. Did I mark it? No. An old blog post of mine mentioned giving myself the day off from writing letters on World Letter Writing Day. Seems gimmicky, a one-off, a one-night stand. While a brief intimacy may be a good thing... penfriendship isn't a one-time wonder. To me, it is a connection, a conversation, dialogue, contains meaning, emotion, compassion, thought, humanity, friendship. When I write a letter, I put a piece of my soul on the page, but if there is no response, no acknowledgement, unrequited, then I am lessened. I sent a fan-letter to an author several years ago, but afterwards felt empty. I have also written to two actors, but have had acknowledgement and thanks. According to Meatloaf, 2 out of 3 ain't bad. 

There are snail mailers out there who've never participated in the February daily snail mail challenges. Those 2 February projects seem to be more about checkbox ticking rather than anything meaningful. While I have taken part in both, supported both, promoted both, the one thanks me by having the software automatically marking my posts as spam, and the other did not allow me to correct outdated information (and was just one of the reasons I deleted my account there) To send a postal response internationally for something that barely said anything now costs over £3 (currently over 4 USD). Sadly, I cannot justify spending more than £3 on postage just for a postcard, very often. Such a shame as I'll unlikely not be sending my full allowance of Postcrossing postcards 

2024 starts with no Old Spice!

So, Royal Mail have finally announced their 2024 stamp programme, although images of the Spice Girls stamps appeared on ebay last month. 

11 Jan - Spice Girls

1 Feb - Weather Forecasting (170th anniversary of the Meteorological Office, and also the centenary of the Shipping Forecast)

20 Feb - Viking Britain (Jorvik Centre in York opened 40 years ago this year)

12 March - Age of the Dinosaurs

16 April - 100 Years of Commemorative Stamps

16 May - Peppa Pig (20 years of Peppa Pig!)

6 June - Dogs

20 June - Red Arrows-60th anniversary.

25 July - Dungeons & Dragons (wonder which will be better, RM's stamps or USPS's)

13 Aug - Tower of London

3 Sep - Porridge (the TV series, first aired in 1974)

26 Sep - Spiders

17 Oct - The Who

5 Nov - Christmas 2024

30 Nov - Winston Churchill

A mix of themes, but missing is a stamp set commemorating 200th anniversary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI), but other postal authorities are.

It is also the 200th anniversary of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), so wonder if that can be bundled in with the Dogs. 

Another 200th anniversary that could be celebrated is one for The National Gallery. 

I hoped there would be a nature/environmental theme, but hadn't expected Spiders. Also, the Europa theme this year is Underwater Flora & Fauna, so nothing here (though there is a diving bell spider).

I was hoping for Bagpuss, first aired in 1974. 

2023 almost at an end

Incowrimo - someone wrote in their address post about wanting long-term penpals, but although received a fair few letters, and replied, however none of the replies were responded to. The Feb projects do seem to have more participants only wanting a one-off letters. OK, there’s no contract to continue correspondence, nor to respond by the next day. Life/events do happen, and snail mail is a hobby, not a full time job with wages based on how many letters get written. This month, I received a letter in reply to an incowrimo missive I sent this February. Although it may be nice to receive letters sooner rather than later, late is better than even later/never!

I did throw my hat in the ring for the Feb letter projects but haven’t decided if I will participate in 2024. Early days. I am possibly at my limit of penfriendships I can manage in a timely manner (yes, I know what I wrote above, but I still would prefer to get replies out within a month of receipt). 

There were 2 postage rate rises. 1st class was 95p, then up to £1.10 and has finished the year on £1.25. 2nd class was 68p, now 75p but there’s rumours of it increasing more than by a few pennies next time. I am sending domestic post mostly by 2nd class post. International rates also increased, from £1.85 to £2.20 for airmail, and economy from £1.60 to £2 for letters outside of Europe. Royal Mail say that it is still offers good value, but putting £1.25 into a currency exchange, brings it out as more than the price of a global forever stamp from the USPS. 

On the stamps front, Royal Mail changed the silhouettes over in March for the Flowers issue. QEII’s last silhouette was on The Flying Scotsman issue. I like the flowers, and am finding it psychologically difficult to use them for postage, and same also for Discworld. There have been some curious values of stamps issued. £2 is OK, as that is the international surface mail rate, but £1… what is that? Half-way between 2nd and 1st class! The stamps celebrating the coronation were uninspiring. I don’t really know what Royal Mail is playing at. 

We approach the end of the year and we are none the wiser for next year’s stamp calendar. Deutsche Post’s was up by the end of May. USPS end of October with more issues announced later. Stamp dealers get advanced news but they can’t say have agreements with embargo dates perhaps lifted just under a week before the stamps’ issue. Less than a week, well, how can I plan which stamps I want to buy? As a stamp user, I need to know what values the stamps are, as well as the themes. 

Then there’s been the debacle over non-barcoded ordinary stamps. Those just with the Queen’s head, or country icons for the country definitives. Stamps Royal Mail have supplied in their exchange scheme, when used, some have been marked as counterfeit/fake, and others that are fake/counterfeit/used have been let through as OK. A right Royal (!) Fail. 

September round-up

Tomorrow is World Postcard Day, a celebration for the anniversary of the postcard. This year’s theme from Postcrossing for it is Postal Hugs. A lovely thought as a postcard can feel like a hug from a stranger. I am a Postcrosser but due to postage costs, am not as active as I used to be. Postage then was 50p to Europe but now that rate is £2.20. I will still send a few postcards now and again, and will write some tomorrow. 

Postcard designed by Christina Liew Jia Hui

Nowadays, I prefer to send letters, and getting to know strangers around the world. I am generally not looking for new penpals but sometimes it is hard to say no to a quality letter. A letter I am partway through replying to was written in August but for InCoWriMo (life got in the way sometime during February for the correspondent). 

3 stamp combination for postage from 2nd October

For the first rate of international postage, Monday will feel somewhat like a postage rate decrease, because the domestic first class stamp price will increase from £1,10 to £1.25. I have used mostly first class stamps, the current rate of airmail being 2 x 1st, but that will overpay on Monday. Domestic mail, what with all the woes Royal Mail have, especially overwhelmed with parcels they neglect to deliver letters daily quite often, I will be using 2nd class mostly - this remains at 75p (for now!). I know that Covid is doing the rounds again, and some posties call in sick, but there’s no cover available to do those rounds. 

Some stamps issued September 2023

September saw 2 stamp issues, one celebrating Paddington, and the other Dame Shirley Bassey. I wasn’t intending to buy that many Paddington stamps, but in the end, I bought a few, ahead of the price rise. Next up will be a stamp issue celebrating Harry Potter (yet again). All first class stamps. I will buy a few stamps, but not as many, perhaps, due to the price rise. The stamps are all 1st class. 

Today is also the last day of Stampex, a stamp exhibition in London. I have never attended, but have seen pictures and heard stories. I’ve imagined it to have been a grand affair, with stamp dealers selling old stamps, auction houses promoting upcoming sales, and Royal Mail selling modern stamps. However, the latter hasn’t happened this year because Royal Mail, in their wisdom (or lack of it), have not attended this year. A shame, not only because there are still some people collecting modern Royal Mail offerings, but also because there was a Postcrossing meet up with many postcards being written & signed needing postage to be sent on their way. 

Elsewhere, I find it a little sad someone with a stamp collection has never actually used a stamp, and has no interest at all in correcting that. Still, there are some people out there who will use stamps. I guess many of the postal authorities will have stamps for sale on their websites, and offer a decent choice of stamps available to use for postage. Surely there is at least one “adequate” issue they would be happy to use for postage… I know I buy more stamps from the issues I really like, and not so many of issues I’m not keen on. 

Blackadder stamps..

Today, Royal Mail issued stamps celebrating the TV series Blackadder. So, forth I went to a little post office to buy the stamps and the miniature sheet. There was however a problem - they didn't have any of the Blackadder miniature sheets for me to buy, so I will have to be patient, and wait until next month as the post office will order in the miniature sheet for me to buy when I go for the next issue of stamps. Fine! 

But what about the other stamps?  I bought 8 first class stamps, and 8 £2.20 stamps, although there were also 2nd class stamps, and £2.00 which is the current international surface mail rate for letters/postcards outside Europe, but didn't buy these values. I can't see many people using the £2.00 rate. Before the postage rate change in April, airmail first rate was £1.85 but that covered 20g worldwide, whereas the surface mail/international economy rate was £1.60 for 100g. 100g airmail was £2.55 so quite a difference.

What did surprise me was that they still had 6 miniature sheets of A New Reign issue. My local main post office was only sent 2 miniature sheets and they sold out within the first hour. The little post office had been sent over a dozen. So, I bought 2 sheets. Maybe I'll buy the rest if they have any left next month when Warhammer comes out. 

Royal Mail hit by ransomware - international outgoing affected

 It has been a week since Royal Mail reported a cyber incident affecting their International Export Services. For me, I thought this would only mean parcels, as due to Brexit, all parcels heading out of the UK would need a CN22 or CN23 customs declaration form affixed, and postcards & letters don't require customs declarations. So, I posted a letter to a penpal in the US on 12th January bearing a new postage stamp celebrating Iron Maiden - sorry R.C., it'll be a while before my letter should arrive. International outgoing mail problems started on the 10th (and public notified on the 11th). So, everything is affected - no outgoing letters, postcards (bah humbug for UK-based Postcrossers), parcels... for the time being. The cause wasn't reported in their service updates, but elsewhere, it was announced as ransomware. It doesn't look like a ransom has been paid, but I wouldn't expect them to confirm if they've paid one if they decide to pay. 

Royal Mail's parcel competitors must be laughing and rubbing their hands with glee at all the extra business that could come their way.. So much is exported from the UK and quite a bit of that in small packages was sent via Royal Mail. Royal Mail's parent group rebranded themselves last year as International Distributions Services. How's that working out?!  L.O.L. !!! 

Royal Mail have no competition on the ordinary letter / postcard delivery front. They are required by law for 6 days delivery a week, and cover all UK addresses (I suppose weather/tide exceptions happen in the highlands, and islands). My hobby relies solely on Royal Mail being able to do their job. Without a postal service, this snail mail hobby of mine cannot survive. The only other choice is to quit snail mail and correspond directly with people only through electronic means - that is not a prospect I would relish: I love the texture and feel of paper; the flow of ink writing words across the page; the stickers & washi tape I use to decorate the missives; the postage stamps I use for postage and see on replies; the offline-ness of the hobby; a few moments of calm while I write.....

When that Icelandic volcano erupted a few years back bringing to a halt practically all air traffic in the northern part of the globe, Royal Mail sought other means to get post overseas. There's ferries from quite a few locations on the UK coast, and then there's the Channel Tunnel. Mail to continental Europe didn't seem to be delayed much. They made the effort to get capacity for shipping across the Atlantic. This time, with the cyber incident, they don't seem to be a in a particular hurry to sort it out (from what I can see).

I do hope post will be moving again abroad before February starts, when there are the letter postal projects of INternational COrrespondence WRIting MOnth (InCoWriMo), and A Month of Letters (LetterMo). I'm signed up and all on the latter, but am undecided about InCoWriMo as I write this. 

Mail is still making its way to the UK. This week, I've had letters from Canada, and from MN/USA. 

[edit 18th January 2023 - letters and postcards, those that don't need customs declarations, can be sent abroad, from 7pm today]

Sunday Stamps - Love / Hearts

 As Valentine's Day approaches, time to celebrate Love and Hearts on stamps, a theme set by a blog See it on a Postcard

The US Postal Service loves stamps and loves issuing love on stamps. So, here is a small selection I have received on letters. 

I don't have a huge choice of Royal Mail issued stamps for the theme, the best I could find was this one celebrating Shakespeare. 

Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs

Sunday Stamps - Winter Sports

Well, the Winter Olympics have started, and I remembered that there are stamps with the games and sports on them. Today's theme is Winter Sports, set by See it on a Postcard

I've watched a few ends of Curling, and think it could be interesting to try. Quite a bit of skill. Fascinated by the way they glide and sweep on the ice. Never played myself but did play some lawn bowls in town several years ago. 

Then, there's the lenticular Alpine Skiing stamps from Finland issued in 2008. I think I have received them all one way or another on Postcrossing postcards. I have never been skiing. Although the hills/mountains near where I live do get snow, in recent years not usually enough for skiing. There are some dry ski slopes within 30 miles though. 
 

Sunday Stamps - Flags

 For Sunday Stamps, the theme set by See it on a Postcard is maps, flags. 

So, I bring you the one and only Y Ddraig Goch, the Welsh flag; the best there is! Cymru am byth!

Sunday Stamps - Writers/Composers

Sunday Stamps is set by the blog See it on a Postcard and today's theme is Writers, Composers, so I bring you a mix.

I have not read any of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's works, but have heard/seen adaptations of Sherlock Holmes. This stamp was one of 10 commemorating 10 Eminent Britons back in 2009.

Next up is Benjamin Britten, a composer and pianist. This stamp was one of 10 commemorating 10 Great Britons in 2013.

These stamps, Hollywood Composers, I found in an antiques store, a whole sheet for less than face value at the then exchange rate. I bought it, and started enclosing a few stamps to a couple of US penpals for them to use (to me or to anyone else, or even to scrapbook/journal). 

Sunday Stamps - Blue

The theme for Sunday Stamps is set by See it on a Postcard, and this time, the theme is blue.

A Postcrossing friend wanted to thank me for some information and had this postcard sent to me with a special postmark cancellation.

Also via Postcrossing, I received many postcards from Thailand, and on this one, was a stamp made with Thai Silk. Other nations have issued fabric stamps. 
 

Sunday Stamps - New / Recent

 See it on a Postcard sets the themes for Sunday Stamps. Today's is new / recent stamps, so first I'm bringing you one of my favourite issues of 2021 from Royal Mail.

I think this is a well designed miniature sheet, issued in August 2021. I haven't used any from the miniature sheet, I don't think. Maybe an electric bill payment could be sent in with the 2nd class stamp!

The DC Comics stamps are another recent issue, from September 2021 and I have been using some of these stamps on outgoing mail.

I don't show much received post these days so I thought I'd show an envelope from the US received last month. All three stamps had been issued last year, the Raven Story, a Japanese American soldier in WWII, and a Heritage Breeds stamp with a Milking Devon Cow. 

Sunday Stamps - Christmas

See in on a Postcard sets the Sunday Stamps theme, and today's is Christmas. I hope you've all had a pleasant 25th December.

We didn't put up a Christmas tree this year, although did have a little festive decoration up. I have a USB string of lights attached to my computer, and we have other festive lights up on the dining table. I do still quite like illuminations, cheering up a corner or a street or a square, whether with patterns or shapes*. Long gone are the days I'd be taken to Oxford Street or Regent Street in London and gaze up at the lights or look in the shop windows at their displays. I could spend hours and hours in Hamleys. I think at least one of my string puppets came from there, but hasn't been played with much in over 40 years.

*The lights can be mesmerizing.

Christmas can be full of characters. I haven't read this particular Little Miss, but have read some of the others in the series. I like Mr Messy, which can sum up Christmas Day and neighbouring days, what with food preparation (I remember the first time I cooked Christmas dinner...) and with wrapping/unwrapping...

2021 round up.

 

Well, the year started much like the end of the year before. Quiet, and with Covid here to stay for a while. Socialising in person limited, however as a letter writer, I was socialising as usual on paper. 

Sunday Stamps - Winter

See in on a Postcard sets the Sunday Stamps theme, and today's is Winter. I've had a quick search through my image files and found some.

I like this  Löwenburg Kassel stamp from Germany. Pretty winter view.

Royal Mail issued some postbox scenes on Christmas stamps. I love a nice postbox stamp or three!

I really do like these Christmas 2018 postage stamps from Royal Mail. 

Sunday Stamps - Mountains.

 Using the weekly theme set by See it on a Postcard we come to mountains. 

Just the one stamp I'd like to showcase.... a stamp featuring Snowdonia National Park. The national park is quite big, but I just live a few miles outside the perimeter. This mountain in the stamp is Tryfan, and the lake is Llyn Ogwen. Snowdonia is gorgeous but it is a shame many tourists treat it as a rubbish dump :(