Christmas is coming........Cuddlies are away to their Forever Homes!

Hello once more everyone!

Isobel has just returned after a short stay with Philippa, and now she's really got to get down to sewing and meeting all the Christmas orders, as well as those that were postponed until Christmas orders were completed!

There seems to have been a rush in the past few days, and today, we're sending two Cuddlies on their way to their new, Forever Homes:  two more are scheduled to be off shortly and we thought you'd like to see some of them, as well as those already en route.

These were the Cuddlies whose destination was the home of MrsEB at the delightful address of Sunnybank Hills in Queensland, Australia.  The Pink Fleece Baby Rabbit, with its white front (Etsy Listing #166947912)  is going as a "Welcome to the World" present to a little girl due to arrive sometime in the New Year.  Mummy Rabbit (Etsy Listing #60491625) is going to little girl's Mum and the Panda Bear Glove Puppet (Etsy Listing #91356474)  is being sent so that Dad can keep Baby amused and give her Mum some respite:  at least that is the plan!

There's always a lot of mixed feelings on these occasions.  Whilst Isobel and I are always pleased that our Cuddlies have found Forever Homes, we know we're going to miss them when they go.  So, if I'm looking a little solemn in the photograph above, that is the reason.

Here are the other three recent Replacement Rabbits making sure that I know what I'm doing!  Of course I do!  I'm just checking that Isobel has got all the needful pieces of paper on the parcel before she takes it to the Post Office.  It's not just a case of checking that the address is correct, you know:  we have to put our own address on, so that the parcel can come back if it can't find its way.  Then Isobel always puts a "Fragile" label on every envelope.  Even though Cuddlies are all plush or fabric toys - and therefore unlikely to break en route - international travel can be hazardous and uncomfortable, and we do like to try to ensure that our friends are as carefully cushioned from being hurt as we possibly can.  I have heard that parcels do get thrown about, and I'm jolly glad I stay safely at home on these occasions.

Then we have to put an Air Mail sticker on every envelope (Isobel likes to put a sticker on both sides, so that the post men can see where the way the parcel is meant to go whichever side happens to be facing them when they are handling them).  It would take even longer than it already does for a parcel to reach Australia if we didn't put that sticker on our parcels.  Finally, the last piece of paper that has to go on all our parcels (except those going to European addresses) is the Customs Label. We just have to put what the parcel holds and the value of the contents.  That's for the Customs authorities in each country to which the parcel is travelling, so that they don't have to open it up to make sure what is inside it.

This parcel left England last Friday (November 29) and we're hoping it will reach Queensland in the next two weeks.  Even though it is not needed until next year, that is now only 4 weeks away, I'm told, and the Christmas Festive Season is now upon us - which means there could be delays in parcels getting through to where they are meant to go.

Then today, Isobel took two more parcels to the Warminster Post Office - which is where most of us Cuddlies are handled when we leave for pastures new.  Our Village Post Office can only take really small Small Packets - as we are categorised - so it's easier for us to be taken to either Warminster Post Office where they can handle ALL SIZES and shapes - or Codford Post Office (which is in the other direction, and is on the way to Isobel's weekly Zumba classes).  These two are destined for different addresses in America - one in Texas and the other in Virginia.

Grey Bunny on the furthest right of this photograph is the one travelling to Winchester, Virginia later today.

While it's the Lady Fox (Etsy Listing #65456642) in the centre of this picture, with the yellow ric rac trimming to her dress that is wending her way to Richmond, Texas.

Here they are lined up for their final photo before being wrapped up in their individual tissue paper and bubble wrap travel protection.

The Leopard Slippers (Etsy Listing #156616186) are actually not now travelling.  They were needed for a specific task - appearing in a play apparently - and had to be at their destination by December 16.  Alas, international postal services are not known for being the most reliable, especially when there is the likelihood of delays during the VERY BUSY Christmas period.  So, when Isobel pointed out that she could not  GUARANTEE the Leopards would get there for that specific date, and the buyer was not prepared to pay the extra postage cost to ENSURE they would, it was mutually decided to cancel the transaction.  No wonder Left Slipper is looking just a little disappointed:  although all of us are pleased that the decision was made in time for no recriminations on either side had we not had that discussion! Wouldn't it have been awful if we'd sent the Slippers and they hadn't arrived on time?

That's it for this dispatch (pun not intended!).  Hope to be back here again very soon - we've been a bit bad about posting on this blog (again, pun not intended!) just recently, but we've both been very busy!!  Hope everyone is well!  Your Friend Cy Bear