Look closely at the photo at the top of this post, and you will realise that there is something unusual about it.  The regnal mark is for Edward VIII, the king who was never crowned, having abdicated his throne to marry the woman he loved.  Such pillar boxes are relatively rare.  Certainly until yesterday, I had never been consciously aware of passing one.

So a quick internet search surprised me when it revealed that across the UK there are something like 160-170 of them.  And also that two of them have been in places I have lived...

If you look closely - you might have to do some jiggery pokery with the images - you will discover that one is Hyndland, Glasgow, and the other in Hugglescote, Leicestershire.  Indeed, the latter I used, without ever noting the inscription, for almost six years when it was my local pillar box!

I like finding odd connections, and this one is pretty odd!  I also alerted me to the need to slow down and really look at things... it was just by chance that I spotted the E viii R mark yesterday, and just curiosity that led me to discover the connection.

Recently, I've begun to identify what I am loosely referring to as 'my lessons from lockdown'.  Slowing down and looking certainly is one (or two?) of them.