It’s unusual for me to blog twice in one day, but hey, today itself has been unusual. First, the swine flu has officially spread to Chicago. Why does that affect me? Because we were planning a trip there this weekend for my nephew’s first birthday party. We were up in the air about going for financial reasons, but we decided to go ahead and do it because we really wanted to. Plus, my grandparents live there, and they are elderly and housebound, so going to Illinois is the only way I can see them and the only way they can see my kids. I hated leaving everyone up in the air until the last minute about our visit (we were waiting to hear about my husband’s business deal – no word yet!), so we just decided to bite the bullet and commit to going. So I called my Grandma and my sister yesterday, and I told my daughter and emailed my mom this morning, and everyone is ecstatic. But now I see that this dreaded swine flu has hit Illinois – especially the counties where we are going to be visiting. I don’t know how big of a deal this is – I mean, it seems as if it will be here in NW Ohio in no time as well, but I don’t know that I want to be the family that brings it! Ok, I shouldn’t joke about it. But with 4 little kids, it is an issue that makes me reconsider our decision. I guess all we can do is wait and see where things with this are on Friday or Saturday when we plan to leave. Darn swine flu!
There were a few other weird things that happened today (surprise 99¢ / gallon milk at Walgreens, for one!), but they are just little things, too many and too little to mention. Add them all up, and that’s why I’m making a second post of the day. The other major weird event is this – I got a mysterious letter in the mail today, and I have to say, it scared me. I think I’ve been watching too many stalker movies (blogging about that tomorrow). But this letter had my name on it – just my name, not my husband’s name or The _____ Family or anything – just MY name. And it seems to be typewritten, not even printed on a computer – typewritten. Seeing a letter in a security envelope with your name and address typewritten on it without a return address is enough to give anyone pause, I think – but I am also a paranoid person. If I had gotten this letter in 2001 during the Anthrax attacks (someone was sending the deadly material Anthrax through the mail, and people were killed), I definitely wouldn’t have opened it. So anyway, I opened the mysterious letter I got today, and guess what was inside? A thick green piece of paper that turned out to be blank – weird. Even more strange was that there was a Meijer gift card wrapped in the green paper. An activated gift card – the TO and FROM are blank.
So who sent this? Is it a joke? An anonymous good deed? A scary stalker? I just don’t know… I do appreciate it, if the generous gifter is reading this, I want you to know that I’m thankful, but I’m also a little bit freaked out. It’s just a very strange thing to happen, and I hope to get to the bottom of it, at least so the person can get their deserved “thanks!”. If you or someone you know sent it, maybe drop me a hint… I am thoroughly confused!
WOW… a mystery. A generous stalker. I have no idea.
Maybe you did something nice for someone and they know you would never accept anything in return from them, so they just decided to send it in the mail.
If you find out who it was from, I’ll forward you my address to give to them….. 😉
EXCELLENT pont, Mare. Are you sure you haven’t met them before? 😉
Sometimes I feel I already know all of you….just from reading blogs, crazy!!!! I guess she just seems to be the type of person that would do something good for someone and refuse anything in return.
very perceptive.
Years ago, our family was having a hard time, financially, around Christmas. Someone anonymously sent us $50 in a Christmas card. It was a wonderful gift, and we never found out who sent it.
Now with this, I thing Mary has a valid point. You did something nice for someone and they found a way to pay you back. I have a feeling that unless the person/s wants you to find out, you never will. You give so much of yourselves, I don’t think there would be many ways to narrow down the search parameters. Hmmm… A mystery!
Somebody with access to a typewriter, security envelopes, green paper. Everything on that list is easy to come by, except for maybe the typewriter. I can’t remember the last time I saw one. On the technical side, is there a computer font that replicates old typewriters? That expands the field a bit, but could narrow it down to us tech types.
I’ll have to get my magnifying glass and deerstalker cap out…
Look what I found….
http://simplythebest.net/fonts/typewriter_fonts.html
It was you JustJ, just admit it! 😀
Derek
I have a daughter getting married, one graduating and a grandchild on the way, do you really think I have any extra money lying around for a gift certificate. Heck we just got them a new microwave. 😉 I know it wasn’t me, I would send cash….
I may NOT know who it was but I definitely know who it was NOT
GREEN paper? The color of the paper MIGHT be a clue.
Thank you all for thinking so highly of us… But it was addressed to JUST me, and my husband is usually the ringleader of generosity… I just don’t know. If they are reading my blog – THANKS AGAIN! We really appreciate it!!!
Really? I think I have noticed a streak of generosity from you as well.
And I’m sure there’s a font that replicates typewriter, but the INK just seems so typewriter-ish.
I’ve got it!!! Could it be the rat people? Maybe they felt so guilty for dumping their pets on you that they would maybe pay you for some of your trouble?????
Eh, I’m going with the good deed returned thing….from what I hear from all your friends, you are quite worthy…. 😉
does the font drop its “y”s? If so, do you know any good maids?
That was some movie Jamiahsh, right? Sounds familiar.
Taylhis… your post… can you elaborate?
elaborate on what? I’ve missed something somewhere… I have to admit I don’t know what we’re talking about 🙂
I doubt it was the rat people – they don’t really look at having pets or getting rid of them the same way most people do. They acted like they were giving us something – which they were, they were free rats and a free cage… but they never go to Toledo either.
a typewriter that drops its “y”s (a few comments above) was an important clue in an episode of a television series featuring a live-in maid.
Brady Bunch?
Very good Derek. Someone sent a locket to middle child Jan and the mystery of who sent it came down to a typewriter that dropped its “y”s
I undoubtedly saw the episode, which was why the plotline was vaguely familiar to me. I haven’t seen that Bunch in years.