The Non-Edible Vegan Lottery. Have I Won?!

Check out all this wonderful vegan stuff (click all photos to enlarge)! I cannot express in words how happy I am today because my special friend Kris sent me a care pacakge that certainly made my day... a few days combined, really! First I thought it wasn't even a package for me. Then I saw it was for me and from Portland so I assumed it was my regular subscription order to Herbivore Mag that was oh-so-kindly tossed over our fence onto the patio. I knew I was getting a "special something" along with my subscription, but this felt like fabric (a shirt?). I really wasn't ready for what was about to come...

I sat outside under our umbrella, still-somewhat-cool-morning and not a cloud in the sky and opened the package. My eyeballs seriously popped out of my head and I did a little mini-jump out of my chair. There was so much goodness inside I didn't know where to start. Well, I did...
-It was indeed a shirt, and since Kris knows that brown's my favorite color, she chose very well. The shirt says "please don't eat birds". I love it! It is of course American Apparel made in Downtown LA (not by children and or underpaid workers and it actually fits like a shirt is supposed to not for beer bellies) and she knows I'm a size small (although I still have to shrink it up not in).
-Next up we have a special back issue of Herbivore Magazine, issue 10 from winter 05/06. I love that she knew I'd enjoy this issue, it has a lot of cookbook authors' insight, vegan people I am familiar with and their ramblings and other fun stuff that you will just have to read to find out about. It certainly is a great issue. For those of you who enjoy reading about vegan "culture" with a fun and sarcastic edge, subscribe now. And if you didn't know already, there's Herbivore Clothing and a new store (that I can't wait to go to) in Portland Oregon.
-Then I didn't know what I was pulling out. I unfolded it and it is a tote bag that also has the same phrase as the t-shirt. It's nice because Ray and I always just use one bag to bring to the store (why?) but end up filling 2 bags so that means I have to use one from the store which I reuse again and again, But now this going to be my special "produce" bag. I'm picky with everything, even where my groceries go in the bag/basket. Once again, great!
-On top of the bag on the left side is a cute little Herbivore button. To add to my wanna-be-but-not-collection.
-And perfect for this dry desert air (where Kris also used to live by the way), she kindly sent me organic lip balm and organic shea butter creme by Perfect Organics. Wonderful stuff they have at the Herbivore store.
-Then there's an assortment of stickers. One says "veganism is for lovers" and I was impressed that Ray randomly commented on it and liked it and I didn't have to say "what do you think?". It reminded me of a recent incident that Crystal had when she received stickers in the mail. She was surprised her husband wanted it up in the front of the house, so was I (but boyfriend). That's my deal with Ray and our car... he one day made me mad and said he didn't want to "veganize the car" (whatever the %$#& that means!) so we compromise on stickers, although I had many up in the first place... Just another one to add that we both like, thanks! The other stickers are nice (but not car stickers per se), one says "cow hugger" and it's light blue with grazing cows and children hugging them, and the other says "factory farms are mean and nasty". Ha.
-I'm not done yet. Next we have some little bar soaps made by Estrella Soap and they smell vibrantly but naturally. One is peppermint oatmeal and the other is Lemon Poppy Seed Scrub. There are ingredients but not on the package. I have no worries about it's veganness because I know where this came from.
-Finally (whew!) my dear friend Kris sent along a postcard with a note. The postcard has Herbivore's what-do-you-call-it slogan (?) that says "Putting the 'FU' in Tofu Since 2003". I always got a kick out of that.

Kris, I can't say thank you enough... or did you think I did in the email? I am super-grateful for this wonderful surprise filled with vegan goodness (can any of you believe I'm saying that about non-edible stuff?!). I hope one day soon I can go visit Kris and the Herbivore store (and Food Fight and tons of other incredible places, people, events, nature, etc that Portland has to offer). For now, I am enjoying my treats here in AZ. I have the shirt lined up in the laundry pile ready to get shrunk, I have practically read the entire issue of the magazine today, my button is pinned on my bag next to some others, lip balm and shea butter was applied upon opening of the package, and Ray is going to be the first sampler of the soap tomorrow morning. As soon as I wash the car I'll put the sticker on (that may be a while, he he).

What a gift! I am happy.