USPS Package Not Delivered

I always get nervous when a package is being sent via USPS. It was a surprise when I received notice from Amazon that this was the case - usually things are sent UPS. Our UPS guy is wonderful! However, since we moved to DC our mail has not been delivered every day, as the saying goes. We have sent a few complaints about non delivery. That was never the case in Milwaukee. And, I had a right to feel this way because the package that was supposed to arrive On the due date didn't. The reason given was the "business was closed." What business? Plus, we were home all day.  An email arrived late at night that stated we needed to either pick the package up or arrange another delivery date. I ignored it and decided to recheck the tracking system on line. The update said it was supposed to be delivered the next business day. But with the holiday Monday and the snowstorm on Tuesday my hopes faded again. Then our regular mail carrier arrived late in the afternoon and all was well. I really don't mind delays and mishaps when there is a good reason. But I really resent an inefficient system especially since we are not a business and we were at home - before the holiday and the storm. 

USPS, FedEx and Crossed Fingers

They came from as far away as Illinois, New York, and Kansas. I was too lazy to drive to the Staples for art supplies and they don't have the white pre cut foam board that I need to mount my pet portraits to hang in the Wagtime Shop anyway. I much prefer pre cut to using a razor to cut a very large piece to size. It looks a lot cleaner and neater too. So Amazon is the place of choice for just about anything, but it gets trickier to meet the minimum threshold for free shipping when items come from outside the Amazon warehouse from separate vendors. So I ended up paying some shipping costs from outside vendors. We had a terrible FedEx experience over the holidays that necessitated us taking a trip to the Maryland pick up location. We received a "not at home sticker" again on package number one that also said it required a signature - for photo paper? Luckily it was delivered on the second attempt and all the others showed up one by one - the business card holder, the Velcro, the foam board, and the spray glue. I still have to go to Staples for refill ink for my printer and card stock for more business cards. But sometimes I like taking the easy way out, even though it may include shipping fees. 

FedEx Saga Comes To An End - "Held for Pickup" - A Trip to Beltsville

After receiving three messages on the FedEx tracker of "customer not home" when we actually were, we had no choice but to go to the main station when the three times and your out message showed up - "held for pick up." We weren't sure where the pick up site was, so we tried to call the main office to find out. Forget it! Unfortunately, the closing time mentioned on the recorded message was 4PM, and it was nearing 3:30. So we decided to take a dry run anyway to get an idea where the place was for a later return visit in the week ahead. That was a mistake. The traffic on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway was ridiculous. It would take at least 45 minutes to get there in good time. So we meandered our way using google maps. When we reached the place, it was a distance from the street, and we were going to turn around and leave, since it was past 4 PM. But I saw a guy sitting at the gate, so we drove toward the entrance and asked him if this was actually the place to pick up packages. He said yes, and thank goodness we asked because he said it was open until 5 PM. Anytime I see "help wanted" on an establishment it makes me wonder about service, and that was surely the case here. We walked into this huge warehouse and had to get authorized to enter, checking ID and going through a metal detector. It all seemed so haphazard and confusing and we had little hope the package would be found - but it was. We didn't even bother to ask why the driver didn't simply deliver the package to our house as the address was correct and the truck stopped there every day. When we got back home after driving in the heavy traffic in the opposite direction, we opened the box. Please don't send alcohol through the mail. It's just not worth the trip to pick it up!

FedEx Confusion - "Customer Not Available?"

We received a phone call a few days ago saying that we would be receiving a package from FedEd, but someone needed to be home to sign for it. They gave us a tracking number to stay in touch with the package whereabouts. Since we knew someone would be home most of the week, we didn't think much about it. The following day the package was supposed to arrive based on the tracking information. In fact the truck pulled in to the driveway, but no one rang the doorbell. When we tracked the package, it said "customer not available," which was simply not true. So we resumed following the tracking progress and it said it was out for delivery the next day. This time my husband actually talked to the FedEx guy who happened to be delivering packages to our building, but wasn't very helpful, except he didn't have any package for us. And of course the same thing happened, except this time it said the package was out for delivery until very late at night, and the the same excuse came up later - customer not available. Today my husband is trying to contact FedEx for some help - and of course can't talk to a live person or get a straight answer. I'm not sure that all this is worth the hassle. But what I really dislike is that we never have this problem with UPS, and dread any time we need to have anything to do with FedEd. 

American Girl Dolls Get Shipped Twice

I always like to send my parent's neighbors twin girls a little something for Christmas. Since my mom is not able to drive anymore, the parents of the twins have been helping both she and my dad with a lot of things. They both depend on each other and it a relationship that is priceless - especially because we and my brother and sister live in DC. I am also a sucker for dolls. My first real doll was a Chatty Cathy, and I had Madame Alexander foreign land dolls that I received every Christmas. In Chicago and Tyson's, we have visited the American Girl shops, and I really like them. So, this year I decided to send the twins a long haired, brown eyed doll for each. When I was ordering them on line, I needed to go back and check the greeting card message, and did not realize that the address to send the item also needed to be updated. I did it right the first time, but didn't pay attention the second and it used the default address. I didn't pay attention to the email receipt either that clearly showed the delivery address as mine. So the package was delivered here yesterday and today we went to FedEx to mail it to the correct address. That only goes to show you that you shouldn't do things in a hurry, because you will definitely pay for it. This time, it was an additional $15.00 for shipping, aside from the original $26.00 for packaging and shipping. Luckily the FedEx place is just down the street from us, and it wasn't busy. Those little first graders better like them!!