Just Settled our Brains for a Long Winter's Soak

Was this the penultimate phase preventing passage to the Long & Noble Crusade 3.0? My burgeoning tea-box of Canada on-paper remains un-soaked but US, UK and worldwide hit the soaking dish this week. I premiered a second-hand stamp-drying book - the stamps do indeed dry, albeit for at least the 24 hours mentioned in the instructions and come out flat, not requiring further flattening. They've now been sorted into the zip-loc bags for Europe, Africa, Asia, Middle East/North Africa, French Colonies, etc.

Just after that, an envelope of mainly recent UK landed in our mailbox, thanks to a neighbour. Tracing the transition from Queen Elizabeth II's reign to that of King Charles III , they provide a phascinating philatelic phinale to the soaking step. (Most are self-adhesive, many are barcoded, therefore remaining un-soaked, just clipped.

Now, there's nothing preventing the start of the crusade! Let the further sorting and albumizing begin!

JANUARY 1 UPDATE: The Long & Noble Crusade 3.0 began on the first day of the year. An easy way to remember when it began. The British Commonwealth baggie was burgeoning and beckoning!

Merry Christmas - Happy New Year 2026!

In the course of sending and receiving stamps from exchange partners, I've noticed that some don't write much with their exchanges, others do. Garden results, the weather, family news and once in a while, politics. In this case, US-Canada relations. I'm happy to engage on the topic, because in talking about it, we can seek and find common ground.

An American exchange partner sent a nice Christmas card with a blessing inside (top photo) that no matter your political stripe or beliefs, rings true. Here's to more Peace, more Justice and more stamps (of course!) in 2026.

 

My New Stamping Grounds are Old!

You can work stamps anywhere. 

You can work stamps on a train. 

You can work stamps on a plane.

If working stamps is your quest,

How about this new old stamp desk?

The real-wood(!) desk has been in our family for generations, and it actually got used! I've always liked the drop-down work surface, and it's at a slight downward angle which helps aligning stamps and albumizing them. The scroll work on its exterior adds interest, and who doesn't like the old-timey pigeon-holes on the interior? There's plenty of space below for photo-boxes holding stamps for sorting, and some vintage stamp collections and reference material. And space above for some other items on display highlighting some of my eclectic interests!

Previously, my issue has been getting to the desk. A recent blitz cleared out some of the obstructing material and today I was able to do a proof-of-concept by sorting some donated and accumulated material: Colombia covers and stampshow-find early US. 

It worked - success! Warm beverage standing by, music playing in the background, my wife working on her crafts a few feet away, plus I can choose to 'button up' the desk when finished, or just leave it down to resume the session.