Some of you have been talking about the problems with trying to get things mailed....well I have had the ultimate bad mailing month!
First I was needing to send both my November Secret Pal and my Secret Santa packages overseas. So, since I usually prefer UPS for packages, I head up to the UPS all happily to send them right....WRONG! Let's just say that one of the packages would have cost almost $100 to send and that was the CHEAPEST that they had available. So....no thank you..I think I'll use the USPS. So off I go the next day to the post office....now I know I don't use the post office often but when did they start closing the doors at 3:30?!!! So...the next day I go in and this poor woman has to call another post office THREE TIMES to figure out how to send a package international....everyone cross your fingers that they get there. So...I know you are thinking..that's not so bad but KEEP READING!
Now....first let me say that "yes" I overloaded myself on swaps and therefore didn't have my batiks cut, labeled, etc. until late Friday. So, I get them all packed in the flat rate envelope and load it with tape. Now...I will admit that 3 sets certainly filled the envelope but it DID seal. I only put the tape on to secure it. Well guess what shows up in my mailbox today marked "insufficient postage"? UGH!! So...off I go to the Post Office where this woman proceeds to tell me that the flat rate envelopes must be able to be sealed with "the seal on the envelope". I explained that I did seal it with that seal but simply added the tape to make it safer for it's journey and that the woman on duty on Sat had no problem accepting the package...no go. FINE! So I get a MED flat rate box to send it in...start unpacking the envelope to send it all in the box and the woman stops me and says "you can't use that envelope...the date is wrong on the stamp". What??? She is talking about the return envelope that I had packed. I explained that the lady who put the postage seal on it knew that I was mailing it as a return envelope and never said it would be a problem. Well evidently the other lady (the one that had to call 3 times about international shipping) should have NEVER put a postal stamp on something that was being mailed in the future. She went on to say that it is ILLEGAL to "tamper with the dates" on the postal stamps!! OK FINE! Let's do another return envelope.....well "you'll have to pay for it". SO....I had to pay for a larger box AND did not even get credit for the postage on the "illegal envelope". So fine I said, "can we put stamps on this box and use it as a return box"...."yes". So that's what I did. luvTooQuilt will be getting a box covered in a zillion stamps to send my fabrics back but you know what....she'll be receiving it from UPS!!! That's right...I was SO MAD that after I paid for the silly box and the zillion envelopes I marched out of the post office and sent in via UPS.
So I guess the good news is that LuvTooQuilt should be getting my batiks and the silly box on Wed :D