Thorny1

The Story of Thorny1 Many, many years ago, when the Earth was a much larger and wilder place then it is now and there were only three channels on our TV, a bunch of us were out playing Cowboys and Indians in our fort in the woods across from our house. After one of the glorious battles where Daniel Boone and his men had beaten the redskins and saved our families from being scalped, we were resting before the next battle and a "friend" of mine came to me and told me there was no Santa Claus. I didn't believe him at first, but this same "friend" went on to explain that The Tooth Fairy, The Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, and various other nymphs and goblins in my life were all made up and tools of those evil folks called adults and parents. I was horrified and being the upstanding and stalwart lad I was then, I called him a liar and whooped my “friend”, who was no longer my friend. But his words stayed with me and a part of me died that day. After that day, I looked at things differently and the years passed and the wonder of it all became a distant memory. Cynicism and doubt ruled my life and a prickly SOB I was. Life was tough and you looked after yourself and trusted no one. There were no free lunches and miracles didn’t happen. I scoffed at those around me who said they did. I questioned everything and looked for the other shoe to drop. It was a dog eat dog world and I was wearing milk bone underwear. Then one Christmas Eve, as I was eating my lunch at my hated, dead end job and worrying about how I was going to take care of all the “holidays”, the boss hollered out that I had a phone call. It was my wife and she was excited and crying and laughing all at the same time. I thought she was having a breakdown or something and I couldn’t understand her over the phone at all. Something about a mysterious package and no one there or some such nonsense. I begged the boss to let me go home early, since my wife was clearly sick, and after promising to work late to make up for my lost time, he relented. When I arrived home, I found my wife still sitting on the floor next to a large box. With tears in her eyes she explained someone had knocked on the door and when she went to answer it, no one was there but a box with a note attached. I scoffed at her story and told her someone had obviously put it there and had probably been around the side of the house laughing their heads off at her gullibility. She just shook her head and pushed the note into my hands to read. The note was handwritten and simple: Merry Christmas to my friends, Thorny1 and Fate, may your day be truly magical, Santa Claus I laughed at the note and the idea that Santa was my friend or that there was even a Santa Claus at all. Then I looked into the box. There were all kinds of things in there, each individually wrapped and tagged for various members of my family and friends that would be at my house. And on the bottom I found two big packages for me - one that said open immediately and one that said open on Christmas Day. I looked at my wife but she was no help here so I shrugged and opened it up. What was inside is between Santa and I, maybe one day I’ll tell you what it was, but there was a simple note attached to them that said “Believe”. I started crying and hugged my wife and wonder came back into my life because I had never told anyone that I wanted this so how could anyone have known? Since that day, I’ve begun to recognize the gifts and miracles that are around us daily. The unexplained and unlooked for ones when no one is around and I, too, believe again in Santa and the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny. The Geocoin Fairy. So what if they say he or she or it can’t be real, because Science or a friend or whoever says there’s no way they could travel that much or give that much or whatever. It’s not about the getting or keeping up with the Joneses or motives and what's in it for me, it’s about the wonder of small child and the miracle of a sunrise and the beauty of a rainbow stretching across the sky. The peace at the end of the day when there is no reason for it. I believe.

And the winner is..... slowdownracer with "12 Satellites Tracking" Congrats! excellent! Congrats slowdownracer!!! I'm looking forward to getting these coins T1

and the winner is...?

*tips his 10 gal hat towards Damenace's direction"

12 compasses spinning a 12 step program T1

12 bites now itching, 12 bugs a' biting, 12 Friends a phoning, 12 new caches to find! T1

Glad to know ya'll are ok and hopefully it wasn't too bad or expensive and the trip went ok after that. TGFF and Chevy Dealerships (for us it was a Toyota Dealership last week). T1

nah, s/he's probably stuck on someone's puzzle cache

Thanks for posting... This is the stuff that makes listening to the complainers bearable. She looks so excited.. I agree - I've enjoyed this thread like no other in a long time - the pics of the kids are priceless! Thank you all for sharing and I look forward to hearing more (I hope - eh, GCF?) T1

I'll be in town, too, somewhere - I'll email you my phone # and all. T1

Sure, AG, I'll trade you for the pick of your collection Seriously though, this one isn't going anywhere, it looks just perfect sitting next to my Santa coin. Besides, the Angels would kill me! T1

Well now, if I visited the coin forums more often lately I would have understood what I found last week. I found one of these in a rusty altoids container in Hoover, Alabama - the bag had rust on it and I just threw it in my pack to clean up and move along, didn't even look at the coin and immediately forgot about it (blame 13 hour work days). Tonight I found it again when I was cleaning and restocking my swag bag and was surprised I didn't recognize it, so I figured it was a local 'bama cacher's trade item. Now I know - very cool! Thanks Geocoin Fairy! T1

Looking to trade for a set of these. Thanks! T1

Of course there are pictures! All you needed to do was ask Our thanks for the many prayers and well wishes, Fate and Peanut/Firecracker are doing great, although sleep is at a premium price around here right now. He has his Daddy's temper come meal times but is as sweet as his Mother otherwise (shameless attempt for brownie points). Stay tuned for further updates as he has indicated repeatedly his displeasure in not being allowed to find or place a cache yet. all tuckered out from his big day T1 and Peanut the Peanut Burrito

The automatic postage centers allow you to do international, too. I use them regularly for domestic and international and find them very easy to use and there is never a line to use them. I use the small green custom form on everything I ship international, it saves time in the long run (I had packages returned from Canada and Germany when I was supposedly within the limits - now I take no chances). Don't forget to put the blue Air Mail stickers on both sides when shipping international. I think the largest shipment we did at one time on the APC was 340 packages - it took somewhere around 2 - 2 1/2 hours to process everything, even though the machine does spit you out after 10 transactions and require you to reinsert your credit card. I use the "00" and "000" size padded envelopes usually which allow it to go under "mailing a letter". To send certified mail it has to be done under "mailing a package". The oversized envelopes are considered packages - just make sure you read the size requirements, there is a ruler on the front of the machine to help you with the sizes of the envelopes you are shipping. The first time I used the APC one of the postal workers showed me how, which was very helpful. Now I use them for everything, I can go there 24/7 (being a night owl and on the road a lot makes that real convenient) and never have to wait. The only thing you can't do on them is send to APO/FPO addresses, that has to be done at the counter. Good luck! T1

Congrats to the Packman5 (or 6 now as the case may be ) clan on your newest edition! Ain't having a baby fun and hectic both? Now we need to get together and put out a sleepless geonights coin I pray Momma and the li'l one are doing great and wish you all the happiness in the world with her! Team Thorny - Thorny1, Fate, Thorny's Angels and Peanut (born 8:01 AM 7/4/06)

I'm looking for a copper American Caching Geocoin. Email with your seeking list or link. Thanks in advance! T1

Thank you everyone for the warm wishes and kind words! "Peanut" is doing great, he and Mom are resting well. My vote for a name was, in celebration of the historic and momentous day, Benjamin Franklin Thorny. Momma has shot that down, something about a lot to live up to for such a little guy, so we are in negotiations presently Cigar coins anyone? J/K!!! Good caching and a Happy 4th to everyone!!! T1

I'm interested in one for our coin as well - looking forward to learning the answers T1

email sent for the antique copper. Now, when are you going to do the black nickel version? T1

Heck yeah I'd be interested - I really like the antique copper. I say make 'em! T1

Check your email, ATMouse

Come by the event on Saturday, Gridlox, and you can at least see them. In the words of Kealia you'll be able to at least "see the precious". No biting fingers off, though! T1

The Georgia Micro geocoins came in today, were packed up tonight and will be shipped in the morning. Folks should begin receiving them Saturday. For anyone who missed out on these coins, there are a few of the copper coins left. Feel free to email me through my profile and we will get you taken care of. Thanks! T1 "Those Coin Guys!"

The Georgia Micro geocoins came in today, were packed up and will be shipped in the morning. Folks should begin receiving them Saturday Thanks! T1 "Those Coin Guys!"