For 45 years of of my life (ever since I first moved away from my parents' house to live on my own), I've had my mail, and newspapers, delivered through a slot in my door, and landing with a 'thump' on the doormat. (Or a doormat. I've moved a few times and worn out a few doormats along the way.)
As of next week, I won't be hearing that sound again. Postboxes have been installed down in the entrance of my building; and next week our apartment doors will be exchanged for new 'safety doors', without any letter slots in them.
(I think we'll be getting some sort of holder for newspapers next to the door. If not, I'll probably switch to digital subscription sooner rather than later. I still do really like the 'paper paper' with my breakfast rather than reading it on the tablet, though... What about you??)
As it's all part of upgrading safety, I don't want to complain. Just sayin' it may take me a while before I stop missing the familiar excitement of the sound of mail pushed through the letter slot - usually making me get up straight away to check if it includes postcards or letters...
As the mail does not arrive at a fixed time every day, but sometimes before noon and sometimes not until hours later, I now won't know when to go down and check the postbox.
On the whole, I guess the new routine will mean less exercise for the posties, and all the more for me!
(The top image is my own photo of my door - soon to be exchanged. The rest I found online - hopefully not infringing on anyone's copyright.)
It sure would have been nice if they had waited until the pandemic was over because we've had so many changes in the past 6 months and I don't know about you but I for one am tired of changes our phones keep changing our blogger keeps changing your door is changing. It won't be as convenient for sure
ReplyDeleteSandra, yes, it's a lot to keep up with. Sometimes I feel like more often than not when I turn on my appliances they want to do something completely different than what I had in mind! (updates and security checks and reading through and confirming 24 pages of new terms, or whatever...) As for the installation of our new doors here, though, I think that project may actually have been moved forward by the pandemic. Other various repair projects inside apartments have been put on hold and instead they are moving forward with projects that can be done without too much intrusion into people's homes.
DeleteMoving with the times can be confronting but millions of people have done it before us. New routines take time to learn and to become the new normal. COVID19 has forced us all to examine health and safety not only of ourselves but of those less fortunate.
ReplyDeleteIn my country, we have never had mail poked through a letterbox in the door. We usually have a letterbox attached to the front fence. Letterboxes also exist at the Post Office and people rent them. I live in a flat and the building has a mail room filled with letterboxes, but that arrangement is unusual. Some people have newspapers delivered to their homes; that means rolled in plastic and thrown over the fence. Digital subscriptions to the newspapers are common although having them stopped is tricky. I buy a newspaper only at the weekend and enjoy that walk to the shop. Otherwise I get news from the radio or television.
I'm sure you will enjoy the news on a tablet as you have breakfast. Collect your mail at the end of the working day. Read and relax with a cuppa. Look after yourself and stay healthy.
Louise, I agree life and routines keep changing all the time - and we adjust. Even minor changes may still give cause for a bit of looking back and reflecting, though. (Which is all this post is really aiming at.) Here in Sweden, getting the mail through the door has been standard for apartments (but my building is neither the first nor the last to change system). If you live in your own house, you have a letterbox at the garden gate/fence. (Newspapers go in the same box.) Out in the countryside, maybe even further away (like where your small road joins a bigger road). With digital services increasing, postal services are changing - focusing more on parcels these days, than small items like letters and postcards.
DeleteAs for enjoying the news on the tablet at breakfast - I find that it does not go well with toast!!! (...buttery fingers...)
(Don't worry... I'll work it out if I have to...)
So has there been more crime aound there lately? I guess you have an elevator, and will have to go down a few floors to retrieve your mail? I really do enjoy an actual newspaper made of paper. I enjoy reading it with my coffee. Plus I am on the computer enough already.
ReplyDeleteGinny, I don't know if these changes are related to recent incidents or not. The estate belongs to a big municipal housing corporation and it's probably in their plan to upgrade security on all their properties, one area at a time. - I agree about reading enough on screens anyway these days, so feel a bit reluctant to give up the newspaper.
DeleteNever in my life have I lived anywhere without a proper mailbox outside the house or even at the end of the garden or yard, posties usually only coming up to ring the doorbell if they have anything that needs signing. I don't think we have ever been in the habit of having mail slots in our doors in this country, but I know it from England where nobody seems to have a mailbox but all is pushed through the door.
ReplyDeleteHere, too, we never know exactly at what time the post will be delivered. It is very rare for me to spend an entire day without leaving the house at least once, and I check my mailbox every time I come back home.
As for papers, I read my weekly paper (Die Zeit) as a physical paper. It is very large which sometimes makes for uncomfortable holding up the pages unless I fold them over, which is why I never take it on the train with me but always read it on my yellow armchair or sometimes at my kitchen table during lunch break.
Meike, here in Sweden mail slots in the door has been the standard for apartments all my life (at least in the cities where I've lived). But that's gradually changing now to postboxes in the entrances. I've been expecting it to happen here for years - but now that it did, it happened very suddenly (only a couple of weeks notice - which is why I suspect it may be a project moved forward, cf other replies above). Unlike England, people living in their own houses have their mailbox outdoors at the garden gate or driveway, though. Or in the remote countryside, even further away.
DeleteOf course if you're away at work all day it's natural to just check the mailbox when you get back home. Myself, I'm often out and back home again before the mail arrives though - which is why the new arrangement may make me forget sometimes. (Or curiosity may make me take an extra turn downstairs later, even if not going out! - Time will tell...)
our live changed a lot due to this pandemic.
ReplyDeleteHope, it will over soon
That's true, the pandemic has brought a lot of changes. This particular change for me would have come sooner or later anyway, though.
DeleteI must say that has never been a thing here in NZ, we have letterboxes out the front of properties, it's not as secure as having your mail put through your front door though.
ReplyDeleteAmy, I have to admit I've never given much thought to what is considered "normal" letterboxes in other countries, except maybe England and the US. (My impression from films and TV is that getting your mail through the door is common in England as well; and as for the US I think of "Peanuts" (Snoopy) kind of mailboxes for private houses... But that's about it!)
DeleteI'd guess that will be quite a change for you, a part of daily life that will be different. As you say, you will adjust but that make it any more appealing, does it?
ReplyDeletePauline, you sum it up: it's a part of daily life that will be different. In a few years time, I may even have forgotten when exactly it was that it changed - just as one has with so many other things (TV, telephone, computers...) - On the other hand, as this (for me) happened to coincide with both the Corona year 2020, and just having become an Old Age pensioner, I may also remember!
ReplyDelete