What's In The Box?

Our local post office is staffed by an Asian couple and, from time to time, an English man who I took against some years ago because he tried to sell me insurance every time I went in.  As I may have mentioned before I dislike it when I’m asked what is in any parcel I’m posting.

A little while ago I got this message from a friend on Twitter

“Please don't think I'm cheeky, but do you knit baby hats?  Northumbria Healthcare just got in touch to say they've ran out of the baby gift bags I give them to hand out to families who have had a baby with Down's Syndrome.  I am in the process of making up some new ones and looking for some hats knitting!  Feel free to tell me to jog on if you're busy 😂 Happy to buy wool x” 

I replied “I can do, and when knit'n'natter is back up to speed I can get our ladies to do some.” 

Then I remembered the Easter Chicks somewhere in LDNE’s loft.  They were shoved up there with all sorts of other stuff when the building was deep cleaned, and the staff didn’t and haven’t had the time to do anything other than cart stuff up and stuff stuff wherever there was space. 

I sent another message

“Would these little chicks be of any use for the baby gift bags?  Before the pandemic we used to knit these, put a chocolate egg up them and sell them, any that didn't sell got put up in the loft 'for next year'.  Sadly we haven't been able to do that for the past two years, and probably won't again.  Last Friday Carrie (volunteer) and I braved the loft and found the bags of chicks.  We've taken out any eggs - and thrown them away 😦 - and are stuffing and sewing them up to make little grab toys.  I'm not sure how many dozen we'll have by the end, but you're welcome to as many as you'd like.”

Twitter friend replied “Those chicks are adorable! Yes please could we have them? I can give a donation.”

Carrie took the rest of the chicks home and finished stuffing and sewing them.  

 Last Friday I took in a cardboard box and she put them all in.   

Then I messaged

“The knit'n'natter ladies have finished stuffing and stitching the chicks and they're all boxed up and ready to go.  Please may I have an address to send them to and I'll pop them in the post next week.  Or I could bring them around to your house if you prefer and feel that would be Covid-safe and appropriate.  It would be lovely to have a picture of some little ones with them to show the ladies.”

Which is why, when I went into the post office on Monday morning, and the Englishman asked

“What’s in the parcel?”

I replied

“You’re going to like this …”

He raised an eyebrow.

Then with some relish I said “Five dozen knitted chicks.”

I explained what they were for

He smiled and replied roguishly “But there aren’t any air holes…”