Many happy returns, Edna

I don't know why, but I am the owner of a small collection of old post cards from strangers. I don't remember if I inherited this little stash, or if I bought them at an antique store, or what. It's within the bounds of possibility that I bought them many, many years ago, with a vague idea that I might use them in some sort of collage or design or something.

At any rate, I came across them again recently, and was thinking about how people make fun of the birthday greetings aspect of Facebook - dozens or hundreds of posts that say nothing more than Happy Birthday!

It occurred to me that these old postcards are the equivalent from sixty or seventy years ago. They arrived a little more slowly, but obviously in many cases the sender has nothing more to say than Happy Birthday!

Of course, the colors and designs are great. And sometimes the messages are a little puzzling.

Two examples. First:

Great old design. On the reverse:

What? So many questions. Edna's best feller is Liz Tootle???? What is meant by A.M.H.? Who abbreviates Kansas as Kans? Also, did someone try to pry off the stamp and re-use it?

Second example:

Another lovely design. On the back:

Another birthday postcard for Edna; this time no one tried to scrape off the one cent stamp. The note reads:

Hello Edna we got here all right and took Jenny over to the graveyard this eve with Jakes [??] will send more cards this eve Mom

Poor Edna. Happy belated birthday to her.