In the Mail...

I happen to live on a road referred to by our town as a "private way with public access" and as such we are prohibited from having mail boxes on our properties. Instead they must be posted out on the main street a short walk from our home. While some may consider this situation a nuisance I have found it to bring a bit of a village air to our block. More often than not a fellow neighbor is encountered along the way and several minutes are easily passed exchanging pleasantries.

The delivery of a package, however, is a different story. Our mailman is kind enough to provide doorstep drop off on these rare occasions resulting in an uproar of excitement amongst the wee ones as his truck passes down our road. Small faces are pressed against the windows and squealing voices wonder who the lucky recipient could be. Today, by chance, it was little Lucy's turn! A lovely brown parcel, tied with string and labeled "Handle With Care" was delivered in her care along with a small envelope addressed to the "Proprietor" of #22 Wayside Cottage.

The envelope was quickly opened and the letter revealed. "Dear Proprietor," it read, "I have heard tell of your jumbled cottage for rent. Being a bit of a fixer-upper myself I feel we would be a very good match! Most Interested, Lily Red."

The rest of the afternoon was spent in joyful anticipation. Lucy was most anxious for Lily Red's arrival and sat right down to her ribbon work. It was a bit difficult for her to keep her mind on the task at hand due to her curiosity concerning the contents of the brown box. Luckily another book selection had been posted as entry to the Sweet Heart Giveaway and we were both quickly swept up in the adventures of dear little Hitty!

It's amazing how one thing leads to another and how easily distracted I can become. By page two I was hooked on the Hitty book. By page four I was dreaming that my husband would carve me a Hitty doll out of mountain-ash wood being that he graduated from college as a sculpture major and all. By page seven I faced reality and accepted the fact that he would do no such thing. A few more pages and I remembered a name, a name of someone who did make Hitty dolls. The book went down, the computer went on, and Lucy was on her own. Within moments I was there...Gail Wilson Designs! Oh how I love her Hitty dolls and their accessories too! It was a delight to browse through her site until I browsed one step too far. I found myself looking at her Early American Doll series within which is included the Basic Doll kit. Not only did I have that kit but I started it two years ago. A walk upstairs to my sewing closet followed by a brief search and she was discovered. The poor thing is still in pieces...and her little doll too! How could I be so cruel? I'm afraid now dear Hitty will have to wait as a guilty conscience will not allow me to ignore my poor "Basic Doll" any longer.