Well it would seem that my cunning plan to keep the Good Mail Day book has been a failure as several people seem only too happy to take it off my hands - and there's still time to add your name to the list!
I was into Happy Mail from a very young age. Back in 1968 I was a huge fan of The Monkees. Davy Jones in particular. Loved their music and loved their tv programme. Even joined their fan club! In one edition of the Fan Newsletter was an article where you could be matched up with another fan and become Pen Pals. I immediately knew I wanted to join up. I asked for a pen pal in California as that was the only exotic place in the USA I could think of (well, I was only 10 at the time!) I had a letter back saying they had no members in California who wished to be pen pals but they had matched me with a girl in Chicago - guess they went through the country alphabetically and Chicago was next on the list from California. So I started writing to Cindy and we have continued to write to each other for the last 43 years. Well, more often than not it's an email now or message via Facebook but back in my teenage years, letters was the only way to go. I spent much pocket money on pretty notepads, Holly Hobby being a favourite and also Charlie Brown. I even used to seal them with pretty sealing wax, stickers, cartoons out of newspapers, you name it, I would stick it on the outside of my envelopes. And she would do the same back, only hers were better because hers had come from AMERICA!
We've met a few times now, she came over when in about 1978 and we met up when I went on holiday to Florida with my family in 1998, and then she came to visit when she was stopping off for 48 hours in the UK after going on a cruise around the Mediterranean. Which can only mean one thing ... it's time for me to go and visit her again!
Sounds like a plan,Deb [as my daughter would say!].
ReplyDeleteThat's a great story! Imagine keeping in touch for all those years - that is really something to be proud of
ReplyDeleteThat's a very long time to have been 'penpals'...I had one in Germany once, but it really only lasted through High School...and I reckon -out of politenesss,of course- that you definately owe her a visit!
ReplyDeleteAlison xx
Oh, I see an album devoted to the penpals and hopefully some postmarked envelopes and letters AND pics of you together therefore you must go see her for another pic ;)
ReplyDeleteSounds good to me!
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to have a friend for such a long time. David is a big fan of pen and paper and writes to Gracia every week!
ReplyDeleteDEB! I was (am) a Monkees fan as well, although somewhat 2nd generation, or late-generation or something. My sisters, all older than I, would listen to their albums and in the 80's when they re-ran the shows on VH-1 I was addicted, finally connecting the music I'd heard as a young child to the TV show. I was in the fan club too, but alas, they weren't doing pen pals (that I knew of) then. How much fun that you've kept in touch with yours through all these years!!! That's simply fabulous!
ReplyDeleteFabulous, Deb :) I had penpals a couple of times, but sadly our correspondence fizzled out :(
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to be a part of the Great Mart Art Thwarting Conspiracy!
ReplyDeleteI never had a penpal, but the children do, we only started it this year and it is with a blogging friend in Australia who lives in the outback, a hugely diverse environment compared to our suburban life style.
gasp. You're coming to America?!?! When? Where?
ReplyDeleteI vote that you meet up in Arizona. It's beautiful this time of year...