Lunar New Year of the Rooster Stamps from Canada Post

Happy Chinese or Lunar New Year! I'm a little late to it, but I hope you all had a chance to eat some dim sum or dumplings. If not, there's no time like the present! Every year, Canada Post comes out with a new stamp around this time to commemorate the new lunar animal, and this year it's the year of the rooster. I really enjoyed last year's monkeys, so I was looking forward to the roosters. Many of the post offices will have the domestic (85 cent) rooster stamps in the sticker booklet, along with the international ($2.50), but some larger post offices will have the full lick and stick panes like in the picture below, the difference being that the "lick and stick" types are the ones that are perforated, and that you have to lick in order to stick. If your post office doesn't have it, you can always order it online here. The online shop typically has much more selection and stock than a local post office, although post offices will generally have the newest releases. Since we started our new $4 Lettermail shipping option, all self-restraint has gone out the window when it comes to stamp buying, as we use stamps to put on the lettermail envelopes that go out. What heretofore even I conceded was a bit overkill for a humble and tardy letter writer has now blossomed into an overflowing box of beauties. Some of Canada Post's previous lunar new year stamps - top row is the rooster, ram, monkey, and the bottom two are the horse and the dog.
There is also soon to be a release of opera singers that I think look great. I am definitely no real opera buff, but I used to play opera (along with other kinds of music) for my students during tests, and it made for both a really peaceful and satisfying classroom moment for the teacher, along with a somewhat dramatic test situation for the kids.

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In case you missed it, we just got in our 2017 Lamy Al-Star of the Year, the Pacific. It's gorgeous, although these peacock/turquoise sort of blues with a hint of green are hard to capture on camera just right. I don't keep every edition, but I'm holding onto one of these.

We only received cartridges of the ink, but have been promised bottles soon (around 2 weeks!). The cartridges may be a good test for you to see if you like the new Pacific Blue colour, which is a light, but still very readable sort of blue with a hint of turquoise. More on both the ink and the pen to come on the blog!