New Year's gift!

I have been packing for the Big Trip, and so have been focused on rounding up clothes and stuff that will be used, such as cameras and video. What used to be a small pile of things to take has become a large array of press stuff, and it's not light.

It was during this time of going back and forth getting ready that I got a package from the neighborhood postman. It wasn't something I was expecting - it was an Amazon.com box that came from...Japan? Well, that stopped my packing.

I opened the box with a little care, and found a red bag filled with...books. The red bag was interesting because it was red with a graphic of a LEGO cow on it and the title of "CATTLE" under it. The other side was black with brick outlines screened on it. Taped on the bag was as an envelope. "for Joe"was written on it in ink.

Inside the envelope was a Christmas card and a business card for a website: Brickzen.com. The card came from the head of the site, Nathan Kayo Bryan, and was actually a LEGO card. He congratulated me for launching BrickJournal and sent me the package as a gift! The books were copies of a LEGO book I know of in Japan by Saito Yoshikazo, Volume One and Volume Two - I only recently learned about Volume Two!

I also got a yellow bag  with the same pattern - it turns out that 2009 is the Year of the Cow in Japan and their LEGO stores (ClickBrick) have a range of products to celebrate, as well as sticker sheets. And last but not least, there was a keychain.

I was very surprised and delighted by the package, to say the least. Thank you, Nathan - this is all very much appreciated!