Mail Bag, Part One - My Fantastic Secret Pal

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I love mail! I love it even more when it isn't someone asking me for money. I've gotten such great stuff lately, I'm having to split it up into multiple posts. Let me just say that after a stressful day at work, it is really nice to come home to this:

Okay, technically that isn't new mail. That is actually the amaryllis that my Cheap @$$ Secret Pal sent me a few weeks ago. But I'm so pleasantly surprised that (a) I haven't killed it and (2) it has bloomed already (the package said 8-12 weeks - they totally lie) that I thought I would share.

But I did get another lovely surprise from my Secret Pal in the mail this week. It came in the cutest little flowered package.

And check out the insides:

Some mulling spices (do you know the part in It's a Wonderful Life when George Bailey and Clarence the Angel go to the bar and Clarence orders a flaming rum punch, then decides it isn't nearly cold enough for that, and instead orders mulled wine, heavy on the cinnamon, light on the cloves? no? just me? all right, forget you then - I'm not sharing my mulled wine), vanilla & lavender fabric softener, a knitting gauge finder (perhaps now my hats will fit my head on the first try?), 2 pairs of knitting needles (both in sizes I was missing, hurray!), a pair of embroidery scissors (uh oh - did she see the nail clippers I had been using?), some pretty flowered coasters and a pack of holiday mint scented cleaning wipes. Once again, I am being totally spoiled and I quite like it.