The following is a copy of a thank you letter to my bestest bud Natasha.  She sent me a beautiful birthday gift this week and I wanted to share the experience with you.

April 16, 2009

Dearest Natalia,

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!  You are such a thoughtful and beautiful friend.  Your timing of my birthday gift couldn't have been planned better!  You just never know with the post these days eh?!

Speaking of the post...You are probably wondering why I even opened my birthday gift prior to my birth - date.  Well, I must explain a little situation.

Your parcel arrived beautifully squished into the perfect shape of my mailbox.  I looked for the return address to see who this package was from, but it was nowhere to be found due to a large blue sticker taped to death that carried a simple message reading: Please open immediately.  Quarantine documents enclosed.  Well!  thought I, Surely they know my birthday isn't for another few days but it's clear there is a surprise in this package that quarantine doesn't want me to miss.  Open it, I shall.

Settling inside on the couch with my lumpy, squished package I slowly peel back the tape.  This time in gift opening is generally a cherished moment but it sort of looses it's sparkle after battling an ever growing tape ball for 5 minutes.  I finally get it open, pour the contents onto my lap along with a small novel's worth of 'important looking documents' that I toss aside.

I pick up the unwrapped gifts, assuming there is colourful ribbon and matching paper in the bins at quarantine office and I start to get that 'special day' feeling.  A round jar of ginger tea and strainer.  What a thoughtful  and delicious gift.  Natasha, you spoil me!  I read through your kind words of well wishing  and the description of how these 2 jars of tea are your absolute favorite....Hang on...2 jars of tea???  There is only 1 jar of tea...

I remember about the ' important looking documents' that are now in my recycle bin and I fish them out.

ATTN: MISS HAIRY FAERY.

INTERNATIONAL MAIL:NOTICE OF INTENTION TO SEIZE GOODS

Hmmmm.... This looks important.....So I read on....

The items listed above....blah blah....inspected at Sydney....blah .....Authorized quarantine officer...blah blah..... in accordance with sub section 68(3) blah blah blaha......items will be seized and destroyed....SEIZED AND DESTROYED?

So there you have it Natalia, your beautiful tea has been seized into the questioning room, sweating to answer the the right questions about it's intended stay in Australia.  Closely scrutinized by the tip of a nuclear laser beam ready and willing to vaporize the toxic mass that clearly only the Canadian hard eating culture has the stomach lining for...All because it contains lemon peels...That, or it's on the shelf in the staff room at quarantine.

So, I will enjoy my ginger tea, and I look forward to sharing a cup on the balcony with you too.

Love you, miss you

Hairy Faery

tks

jennine