Tracking a Package from USPS

This package started in Madison, WI. 

It went to 

Oak Creek, WI for two days to be processed.

Then to...

Milwaukee, WI

then back to

Madison, WI

then to

Minneapolis, MN

then to

St. Paul, MN

then to

Duluth, MN

then back to 

St. Paul, MN

then to

LaCrosse, WI

then to

our local post office.

This was a package with medications in it sent from the Veteran's Administration that started its travel on the 8th. I have found that with packages like this, I now sign into USPS and get updates on tracking the package. I've followed packages before and watched while they spent a few days in a distribution center.

I can't imagine what the postal system is like. I mean how do they figure where the package is going and keep it all straight?

It almost seems that when I track it, the package actually travels to its destination quickly once I sign up for all the notifications that are sent. 

Or perhaps it is all my imagination.

That said, it sure seems like that package took the longest and most inefficient route to our post office and then home. It was mailed from a place that is a 2 hour drive from our place.

Make you wonder right?

This has to be the best response from USPS

I reported a missing package containing medicine for me to the USPS Customer Service department. The site recommended using an email inquiry as phone inquiries have long wait times.

My nano needles were on my 'Dashboard' to be delivered on Saturday, then a notice to be delivered on Monday. By Tuesday, all evidence of the package disappeared. I'd saved the tracking number to look for it. The last scan of the package was still in the facility it arrived in on the 21st in Tennessee.

Yikes.
Starting and stopping meds like this kinda sucks, you know? So I filled out the info and checked that it had medical supplies. 

Thank you for taking the time to notify us of your experience. Your USPS® Service Request 38186095 has been marked as resolved.

Please accept our sincerest apology for any trouble this may have caused you. We appreciate your business and look forward to serving you again in the future.

Yes, that was the reply. Your inquiry is closed and we hope to serve you. Our facilities have a high volume and are experiences delays for service.
Um yeah. Like have a nice day.

Their customer service person asks that I continue to monitor the package's progress. Um. It hasn't moved in 6 days. What progress is that?

Sigh. 90% of the time our local post office loses packages or leaves a comment that I am not home. Sometimes the postal person may not have enough room in their delivery vehicle for the amount of packages they have to deliver. Rural routes like mine have drivers using private vehicles for delivery.

It is not an easy job, but sometimes I have to laugh at the reasons I'm given for non delivery. 

Once it was because there was two cows in the road, another time it was a goat was near the mailbox. Another time the mail person said he couldn't find my house. Um. OMG....

I get it. The postal service, like everyone else is shorthanded. 

Sigh. 

I would have worded their automated response a bit differently though:

Something more like ~ we are so sorry for the trouble and we are thoroughly investigating it. Even if it were a lie, it would make me feel better about it.

~~~

The USPS issue wasn't resolved, but I will be able to pick up the nano needles through a local pharmacy. Which worked out just fine.

Still awaiting any sign of the package from TN.

~~ Update 4-28 early morning: the package has been scanned and found. Still another 24 to 48 hrs away! ~~

An unexpected surprise

Friday was an interesting day, the mail lady pulled up to the house with her 'newer' Jeep and delivered a package. It was a large box.

I opened it and found a letter from my cousin's wife explaining what was inside.

Slides from 1962, 1964, and a vacation that my folks and grandparents went on with my brother to Yellowstone. 

Included in the package was an 8 by 10 of a family 'portrait' of sorts. I found this quite unusual as my father was always the one behind the camera and I rarely recall him being in many photos.

Also inside the box were some items that my Grandmother Pearl had made. I found a spiral notebook that she used to collect her directions on how to make doilies. Samples were included in the book. I imagine she cut the directions our of a newspaper and glued them into the pages of the notebook. 

There are some hand written notes on many of the pages. The pencil notes are nearly faded away, but there were some in pen also.

I found the items perfect for some Still Life on a very rainy day.

The pin cushion is one she made and the pins are still in it from Grandma's sewing days.

Other treasures include some hand towels that Grandma re-purposed from old beach towels. And some of her very famous patchwork potholders. One is not quite finished but now I can see how she did them and perhaps make some of my own.

I'm looking into getting some slides copied onto a DVD. There are photos of my sister and I riding Babe which was my Uncle's horse. One funny and great shot is of my brother sitting on Dusty backwards and my cousin Aaron sitting facing forward.

I've looked at pricing a slide scanner just for that purpose, but there isn't that many in this batch. My brother I believe has a huge box of slides. I'm going to use a local scanning service first and see how that works out.

I don't have the thousands of slides like my brother does, however I am curious and a bit excited to be able to see some of those old photos ... without trying to hold it up to a light bulb!