My Dad always wanted to be stamp collector but in his words – if we get stamps we can’t not afford to use them. Sadly the only stamps he ever had went on letters and parcels.

So he would have loved this parcel that was delivered to us. That’s a stamp collection started right there.

It’s a work of art.

Fast forward several decades since Dad left us and I’m not sure we are still spending any money on a stamp collection. Since Brexit prices here have been rising, especially fuel costs. We have a home oil heating system. Just a few years ago it cost about £250 to fill the tank. Since brexit that rose to over £500. Today it cost over £800. That’s serious money. We can still budget to cover this, sadly many families.

I was looking at the bills, shaking me head and then the awful news played out on the radio again. Living in this safe, warm house, we are truly fortunate. My heart bleeds for so many in this crazy world.

60 thoughts on “Stamps”

  1. In a world where there’s enough, some use the resources to prat. This makes a world where people have to make choices whether to have hot water on tap regularly for a bath or insurance on their car, fuel for the fire that day or the bread they like…
    In a world where there’s enough, some use the resources meant for everyone, to prat and waste it on war, HS2, palaces, private jets…

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      1. Friendships I guess might have been happily made in school or perhaps friends of friends of friends… Of course I’m not thinking of the average school, intended to churn out cannon and factory fodder. This one that comes to mind, is where each pupil is supported in person and each subject to the max. It’s a registered charity and benefits from substantial tax breaks. An intelligent guess is that pupils are trained and practiced in avoiding answering questions, wiggling out of tricky situations and getting they own way along with their chums. Pupils rub shoulders with other privileged pupils, as it generates future heads of state. Enrolled in this powerful club, you’re supported and support the members for life, plus their friends, friends of friends including external billionaire friends too. So often we despair of state school on your blog, as I repeat how I’m totally not a fan. So let’s end with a sing song shall we:

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  5. That stamp collage truly is a work of art indeed.

    And I hear you on your musing around the current state of the world. Everything seems to be rising in cost but as you noted, the news going on in the world, helps put it all into context what’s important.

    Stay safe over there! 🙏

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  6. Petrol prices are going mad here. I heard it’s over $5/gal in SoCal, $7 in some areas. This is not a walkable nor public transit area. It’s gonna hurt when I refill next week. Thank gobs I don’t have a long commute anymore!
    But since I won’t abandon my cats in order to help Ukraine in person, I’ll thank gawd it’s not yet a world war and take my share of burden.

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      1. We’re almost at $2 per litre. Would be about $8 A gallon. Driving a plug in hybrid car, all my local trips use no gasoline. Went all last summer without purchasing gas. Have solar panels to charge my car.

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      3. Eeegads!
        I was thinking we’re approaching EU prices. Calif is far more expensive than most of the US. We have a lot add’l taxes but a lot of it is based on the area not having good public transit. There’s little you can do without a car.

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  9. I bought groceries yesterday. In the recent past, if the bill came up to US$170, I felt things were a bit amiss, yet yesterday the bill was US$226.72.

    I am a retiree, but am secure enough, thanks to good financial planning before I retired in 2009. Sadly, many, too many other Americans are finding themselves in the situation Over Soil, above, describes.

    Like Over Soil, I live in a rural area where public transportation oftentimes is inadequate to take people to doctor’s appointments in other towns. Yes, many specialists are available to us, but they often are in practices at clinics and hospitals hours away by car.

    Again, I am fortunate in that I have my fuel-efficient VW Golf Sportwagen to get me to those out-of-town appointments. I have helped others get to their appointments, but I am not always available, thanks to my own health issues and their treatment schedule.

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  13. True, the rising costs are definitely not fun but nothing compared to what those people have been going through, losing everything, leaving all they built up, the fear that constantly accompanies them and probably feelings, we never even thought of… and this all happened from one moment to the other.

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  14. I think we all feel the same. One wants to do something, but what? Those stamps are beautiful. I am looking for a good home for my father’s collection. You might have fun with it but I would have to send it in stages as it’s in a large heavy box. I just want someone to enjoy it.

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  15. The stamps are fabulous. Watch out though Gary, the Post Office are introducing bar codes and any old stamps will have to be used before the end of the year. You can exchange them using a form from the Post Office after March 31st apparently.
    When we had oil we’d top up our 1300 litre tank once a year with about 800 litres, it was so economical. With the silliness about gas, we are seriously considering going back to it.

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      1. I have loads for Christmas but they should all be OK because they don’t become obsolete until January 2023. I believe you can still exchange them by post up to March 2023 though. I’m just not buying any at the moment, even though prices are going up again.

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  18. I love the stamp collector potential there. I started in school but it’s all in a pine chest waiting for some future grandchild to love it. Hang in there on the inflation! We’re turning the thermostat off some afternoons. Glad for spring around the corner.

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  19. That’s a sure lot of stamps on a single package. Each war waged in a distant land affects us in some way. The rise in fuel costs also increases the cost of all of our consumer items.

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  21. My mother passed away at age 93. One of the many things i inherited is the 20 volumes of her stamp collections. Over 80 years of collecting sitting on the top shelf in the spare bedroom. What focus and dedication.

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  22. I love that photo – it is indeed a work of art. Yes, prices here are rocketing upward, our hydro bill has doubled and the price of gas (petro) has increased to over $1.50 a litre here, some places in Canada it has risen to nearly $2 per litre. I think we’re in for quite a rough ride. I join my prayers with the people of this world for a swift end to the war in Ukraine.

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  25. the price of fuel and electricity and all had skyrocketed, its not cool! I am not sure how I’ll fare this year. Hope I can manage to live comfortably. Xx

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