A Convoluted Walk Through the Cannon, Longworth, and Rayburn House Office Buildings

My passport expires soon so I put together all the documents required - the old passport, the color photo, the document, and the check. Because I work at the Library I was told I could drop the paperwork off in the Cannon Building Post Office. As I headed through the tunnels past the security check point, all the furniture was in the hallway for everyone to pick over for their new or moved offices. Since the recent election, it's office roulette. When I reached the post office in the Cannon Building, she directed me to the Logistics office in the Longworth Building. Complicating the matter was the place was jammed with all the new and old congressional staff. There were signs for receptions, lines to the Capitol, and a lot of congestion. People were even asking me for directions. Reaching my destination I was told I needed a referral letter from my representative to use the passport service. She grudgingly gave me the office number and luckily it was in the Rayburn Building just next door. When I asked the info desk where I could find Eleanor Holmes Norton's office, they said to go back to Longworth- only to correct themselves - and directed me to the first floor for a room number that begins with "2." I was already packing on at least one mile of corridor when I got there through the marble hallways. The young man in the office was very helpful and produced the referral letter after I provided him with my name and birthdate - and assured him I was a DC resident. Almost losing my way back, I finally found my way to the Logistics Office - again. She took all the paperwork and asked that I leave a number where they can contact me in about a four week period. I'm beginning to wonder if it would have been easier just to mail the darn thing to Philadelphia. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I get that phone call. If nothing else it was an experience - albeit a very convoluted one. 

 

Longworth Post Office - Open the Package First

I needed to mail a package and it is convenient to do so in the House Office Building that is connected via tunnel from The Library of Congress. It wasn't a problem getting it through the security checkpoint this morning in to the Library. But when I wanted to take it to the House Office building, I had a feeling it wouldn't be so easy - and it wasn't. I also thought I should bring some tape with me, but didn't. At the checkpoint in the tunnel the guard asked that I open the package for inspection. He even offered to help me cut the tape. Inside were four children's books I'm mailing to our son's in-laws. I then passed through the tunnel, saw the usual sights, Capitol tour lines, shoeshine, key shop, and interesting architecture. When I reached the Post Office they weren't too happy about letting me use their priority mail tape, even when I asked for priority delivery. That's why the next time we need to mail a package I'll let my husband do it, or I'll need to keep it open until I get to the Post Office. 

NEITHER RAIN, NOR SLEET, NOR SNOW

The postal service here has a lot to be desired. If our "regular" guy is not around, the mail gets delivered very late in the day- by that I mean 10PM or later, or not at all. I never heard of having to place signs on the pick up mailbox to remind the postal worker to take letters that need to be removed. Voicing a complaint to the post office rarely results in an improvement, or at least a recognition that something might be amiss. We know items are lost or not delivered, because we received late payment notifications for the cable bill. It is impossible that we are late with any payment because we always pay the bill immediately. This lousy service has prompted us to step up our on-line banking resource for auto payments and bill notifications. We simply have no confidence in the post office. We do however, have a great relationship with the UPS man. Because our family members live down the street, they happily leave items there or here, if the recipient is not home. When we do get the mail, most of it is junk anyway. If my 88 year old mother can use the Internet for email and other things, the post office needs to get with the program, or go the way of the horse and buggy whip. On the other hand, our postal service was excellent in the Midwest. Not sure why there should be a difference. And there is a lot more rain, sleet and snow there.

Not just one reminder

Four reminders to empty the mailbox-
but the mail person needs to show up first