Yitzchak’s mother sent us a big box of stuff. Well, she didn’t want to send a box; she wanted to send stuff with someone who was traveling to Israel. But El Al changed their suitcase allowance from two to one, and someone was already paying for said traveler to take a suitcase #2. That is, he was paying the airline’s fee for a second suitcase, and possibly paying the traveler, as well. And this person didn’t want to take suitcase #3. Plus, it would have cost at least $150 in airline fees for the suitcase. So, MIL sent a box. It cost $100 for the box, and they said it would get here in ten days.
When the box didn’t show up after ten days, we figured that they had meant ten business days. It took a month. When we finally received the notice that we had a package, I went up to the post office (against Yitzchak’s direction, because it was heavy, and I already had Shlomo in tow), and asked for it. Turns out, I couldn’t receive the box, because a) In my excited rush to leave, I had forgotten my identity card, and b) I had to pay 245 shekels in customs tax. In my rush to leave, I had also forgotten my wallet.
I called Yitzchak and told him. He arranged to come home a bit early, take the notice, go to the post office, pay the fee, and pick up the box. So, he did. He came home, went to the bank and the post office, and came back home carrying a BIG box.
In the box were some toys and a LOT of clothes. There was also a coat, snow pants, boots, and gloves, the last of which Shlomo hates.
And now we have a big box on the floor, that I don’t want to get rid of, because it is such a good toy. So the big box stays. It takes up space in our small living room, because it is a great toy.
As they say, the packaging is more fun than the contents.
(This one from July 1, 2013. Boxes are still a lot of fun, but Shlomo has learned that the stuff in the box is often worth a second glance.)
