I am having fun in my other robins...I can't wait to see what's coming:)

Hope everyone is doing good,

Melissa in Austin

The box needs to get to me soon, lol. I keep finding things to put in it. I'm running out of room to store things and I'm running out of money, lol.

Can't wait to get it.

Gail

dawn

can you check on that confirmation number for me, please?
also, did you send it priority? seems to be taking longer than usual and per post office site, they can't locate the tracking number provided. it's missing a number on the posting, but i added a zero to the 002 since that seems to be the series of numbers.

maybe it isn't coming to me yet?

if you can check and advise, i would appreciate it.

thanks,
earthly

Here is the right number 0303 2460 0002 3075 1402. It's still not showing up though.

It is a requirement that it goes priority mail with that box. Sometimes the post office falls through if she mailed it on the 20th you may get it tomorrow. From the first two it looks like from the day that it's mailed to the day that people get it can be almost 5 days (so much for priority mail!)

I'll check to make sure that it's your number when I get home earthly.

I used the flat rate boxes on a few plant trades and never again! Of the 3.. all took 5+ days and one only went to Ohio! One took 8 days to get from NY to Florida! I sent a reg. priority box to the same address on the same day and it made it in 3 days. I won't use Flat rate for plants ever again. I asked my friend(she's a postmaster) if flat rates got put in a different bag and she said they are not suppose to. I must say, Flat rate is great for non-plant stuff if it's heavy.

~Dusty~

Hi. Sorry I hadn't checked here sooner. I did send it priority in the flat rate box it came to me in. I do have the reciept with the DC# on it - in my car. But, it's 12:30 am now so I'll have to double check it tomarrow. Now, I'm worried because I took it to a new PO than I usually use because it is closer to my house. I used this one a couple of times but this was a different employee. She kept checking out the box and asking me questions about it. Things like it's contents and for me to be careful reusing boxes because of all the tape, etc. Hope she didn't help herself to it. To be honest with you I don't even know how to look up a DC#!!! I never had to before!
mgood4u

Has it shown yet? I never had one take this long. The box was sent to Maryanne C. in Rockledge PA. DC# 0303 2460 0002 3075 1402. However, I also found my receipt of payment. I sent out a few boxes along with this one so each was rung up with out me knowing the cost of each box until I got the total in the end. I checked my receipt and was charged the flat rate fee exactly. Would I have had to pay the DC# fee? Perhaps she assumed that it was an old number since the box was reused and never entered it into the computer. What do you do in this situation? I am going to check the PO site.
mgood4u

I checked it and it still isn't on there. I bet she didn't enter it into the computer! I really don't think that boxes get "lost" in the mail - however, one day I may eat my words - It will either show up OR we can assume someone at the PO got a tad too curious about it's contents. I hope it shows up.

the box arrived today - flat rate only, no confirmation.

the box is in horrendous condition not even a secure closure on it either end, as are the contents. it's very disappointing. nothing was securely wrapped and anything that could have chipped or cracked or broke did. things were just thrown about inside.

i don't understand that if we are going to spend $7.70 or $8.15 with confirmation why we wouldn't protect what is placed in there. it's not enough to roll something fragile in one piece of paper.

i'm gluing together what i can, i have a new box to use as this one was in the worst shape for something used only 3 or 4 times. i'll put some stuff in the box, i'll wrap things securely and forward it on to the next player come monday.

i would suggest if you don't have bubble wrap for something that could break, use a few layers of tissue paper and then newspaper. the word FRAGILE here and there on the box would also be a nice gesture. confirmation is only an additional 45 cents and all the labels are already prepared and in the box courtesy of our hostess.

thanks cherrisa for hosting this.

Wow, when I got the box, I only opened one end of the box and everything inside was packed nice and tight with some packing paper.
When it left here...it was the same way.. tight and stuffed to the brim and the tape was only replaced on the one end. There is no way things could have been rattling around inside. I recall Dawn saying she did the same.....and it was hard to pack the box back up because it was very tight inside.
I think the lady at the post office must have played around with it after asking so many questions about it.I'm really sorry to hear things got broken . What a disappointment.
Earthly, thank you for fixing the box up again.I sure hope you found SOMETHING you liked out of the box.
I do hope things get better for the others down the road and that the postal issues get alot better.
Bonnie

Hi, y'all--

Last I heard, tampering with US mail was a Federal crime, which the gov't doesn't take lightly anymore--especially since 9/11 (reference Ted Kozinsky (sp?)).

My PO has a "set" of questions that they rattle off when you're sending out a box, but, once you actually get to the counter, the whole process takes less than 2 minutes, start to finish...Sounds to me like you had to endure an "interrogation" Mgood, which would set off alarms for me.

Did you, by any chance, think to make an inventory of what was in the box when you sent it out? Or, can you just remember every item included? It would be interesting to know what was in it when Earthly received it, compared to what was in it when you sent it out...........

Unfortunately, Mgood, if you can't PROVE the box was tampered with by referencing what the contents were when you sent it to Earthly, as compared to what she received, I suspect that's probably going to fall under the heading of "too *D* bad".....

Suggestion to all: perhaps it would be a good idea if, in the future, anybody participating in ANY RR of this sort needs to do just that--note what was in the box when it left your hands.

Well, just a thought...

Earthly, I truly hope that you find some things in there that you just can't live without....and don't forget--sometimes the best pieces in your garden and/or home decor are things that are glued back together (spoken like a TRUE "junquer" *grin*).

Broken or not, I CAN'T WAIT until the box gets to me...

Best to all,
Cheryl

When the box left me, it was stuffed tight.. everything that was originally in the box was re-wrapped in it's original wrapping. If I shook the box, nothing rattled. I even added 2 pairs of gloves to the box to cushion the top. Hint.. if you shake it and it rattles, things will break. But knowing what was in the box when it left me, there really wasn't room for anything to move... so I'd think that would be the case for those in line after me.

Earthy I hope you found something in there you can use.

~Dusty~

Hi there. Well, I am relieved that the box showed up because I didn't want anyone to think I would keep it! When I sent the box it was SOOOO full and bulging that nothing moved in there, not an inch. Like I said, there was 3 things broken in there when I got it . The Angel plant stake, which I glued and looks great, a garden Gnome had a broken nose and I think a glass butterfly had a small peice missing. Nothing was completely shattered though.

I have a question and I might have missed this, but didn't Cherrisa purchase the DC#'s before hand? Wouldn't that mean that the DC#s were paid for beforehand? Or, are we to make sure we tell the PO that this is a new DC# so use it? How did you guys that already sent handle this , as an FYI for those in the future, did you make sure they charged you for it and entered it in? I put it on the box beforehand maybe I should have done it at the PO. I don't know, Cherrisa did you get them for free or were you charged for them? If you were charged then they are paid for already, right? EARTHLY, are you saying there IS NO DC# sticker on the front of that box by your address label? If that is the case then the box was DEFINATELY tampered with because I personally put it on there.

Here's what I can recall being in there but I'm sure it is not everything but I have a good memory, typically!

This is minus what I took out:
a bunch of different Gnome statues (4-5)
2 wrapped sets of glass butterflys
a stained glass decoration (I think)
garden apron
garden gloves
a plastic bag filled with veggie seeds
about 5 other seed envelopes store bought
a daisy/ladybug plant stake
hummingbird plant stake (2)
a birdie ornament "Bird Watcher"
fake stone ornament
frog thing-don't remember what it was but I remember dark green frogs
I put in a Bird nester looked like it was make of twigs or grape vines , a stone with dragonflys (I think) and it holds a key in the bottom, and a decorative trowel - yellow with roses on it (supposed to look old and antique)

That is what I can remember. I took out a stepping stone, an Angel girl and a 'Wits End' sign.

I just want to add that when I got the box all was wrapped tightly in bubble wrap or tissue paper (what needed to be anyways) and I rewrapped everything just the way it was. The box was tightly shut on BOTH ends. On the end that was opened I wrapped , wrapped and rewrapped clear packageing tape all around it. There was no way it was coming open unless it was cut. BTW, This was clear tape and it wasn't wrapped in Priority mail tape. So, I am curious was it retaped with mail tape because she put it aside after ringing it up and didn't add any tape when I was there. She did not put it in a bin with the others, I assumed because of its size and weight. Also what date was it stamped with as it left the PO - I wonder if it left that day as it should have.

mgood4u

package mailed, confirmation number 0303 2460 0002 3075 1419
mailed this morning - on it's way to mary ellen in madison, north carolina.

box is stuffed tight and everything wrapped well. i sure hope my pissing and moaning doesn't come back to bite me on the butt. nothing at all is moving in the box. the box was a pain to get everything in. why can't they make a bigger flat rate box?

dawn, not one time did i EVER think you kept the box. i can't speak for others, but that thought never crossed my mind. you have built yourself a very good reputation on this forum, why would you blow it over a few things you could easily buy yourself. please NEVER think i had that opinion. i've received boxes from you in the past, never, ever in this sad shape. you did mention though by the time you got it, three things were broken as well. maybe this is proof positive that we need to be a little more conscientious in how we wrap and package even if these are just dollar store items, they are still our hard-earned dollars. also the word F R A G I L E might just trigger a reaction in the many hands that touch the box before it ends up on our doorstep. i sure handle things differently when i see that word, as I am sure you all do as well.

as for the box, when i picked it up from my porch, my first thought was "ut oh, this looks bad". the price on the box was for priority mailing. the confirmation sticker was all scribbled out with black marker. i assume because it wasn't paid for. (Dawn, in answer to your question concerning confirmation, you can get those confirmation slips at the post office. you don't pay for confirmation until you ship).

when i opened the box nothing was really wrapped properly, almost like it was a second thought and just thrown in there. and dawn that nester thing, was so smooshed and cracked in half. probably other heavy packages piled on top of this box - that's my assumption. i know it was just a little off the size to fit in the box, but it's as if it was sat on and crushed. didn't seem right to waste the space to put it back in, especially since i did not know how to repair it. and also, although there was tape on both ends, one end wasn't secured at all. when i say that, i mean the flap didn't line up and there was an opening/gap. i apologize for not recalling 100% the tape. i remove tape, labels and whatever else is inappropriate to be recycled or "left to chance" when i am not going to reuse a box, as the cardboard goes into the recycling bin

i so looked forward to this robin, especially after all the problems cherri had with the first one (that's still missing - well, not exactly missing. those of us involved in that one all know where it is and where it stayed...but that's water over the bridge or under the dam or wherever the water is supposed to be).

i did find some things that tickled my fancy, be they intact or broken. i keep a supply of crazy glue in the house, although i'm not allowed to use it anymore (that's a whole other story). and for sure cheryl, i agree that sometimes those "treasures" just need a little fixin and serve us well long into the future. somethings i leave things in a broken state as it's a memory all in its own.

ladies, while i'm at it, may i make one further suggestion? since the box hasn't come to you yet, maybe your next trip to the post office, pick up a priority box - this way, if it's in the saddest shape, you can replace it right, then and there. if you can't get there, ask your mail handler to bring you one or two.

please don't misunderstand, i have enjoyed this swap. there were a few things in there i liked and i hope you feel the same when it's your turn. i also hope that each succeeding player takes the time and care to package well for the next player. like i said, by the time it gets to mary ellen, if it's not in good shape, i'll do several things - eat my words, apologize for sounding off, kick myself and cry. maybe not in that order, but nonetheless do those things.

okay, i'm done yakking. and if anyone is interested, and if cherri doesn't mind me advertising here, i am running a ONE TIME swap called Christmas in July. you have until the 30th to sign up. rules are noted in the first post.

thanks again, and look forward to sharing, trading, swapping with all of you in the future.

dusty, you are still in my thoughts and prayers.

regards,
earthly

I am looking forward to getting the box!

mary ellen

Earthly, I didn't think you would think I kept it. But, there are some people in this swap who don't really know me. I wasn't implying you personally.

good to know about the DC# - I should have paid attention.

EEERRR - That bird nester was really cute to!

EEERRR - That bird nester was really cute to!

i was thinking that same thing and we sat around with it trying to figure out how to make a go of it. i have never seen anything like that before, a different type of bird house, so to say. i wasn't sure if it was decorative or useful. my son wanted to sew it (laughing). glue wasn't going to work and taping it would have been too comical and ugly, so out it went

i'm on a quest for one now...let me know where i can look.

The robin has landed and has been thoroughly enjoyed and is ready to go back out again in the morning! It arrived in pristine condition with everything tightly wrapped and protected. There was no way anything was moving in that box! This is my first true "round robin" and what fun it is! I found some heirloom vegetable seeds, stained glass butterflies, some adorable ants, a note pad and paper boxes. I was actually trying to decide if I really needed the paper boxes but after I repacked everything that was left and added my trinkets and seeds, there was no room so the boxes stayed with me! I added some gardeners soap, an outside thermometer, a decorative hook, some insect ornaments, quite a few seed packets and I can't remember what else. The box will be on its way on Thursday...hopefully first thing in the morning! I repacked everything as was and even added a few pieces of bubble wrap just to be sure. I used the same box because it seemed just fine. The box is well taped up and rattle free! Look out Myohmy!

mary ellen,

glad to hear it arrived safe and sound!
i hear ya about those boxes, every time i packed up the sendnig box, there they were. finally after arranging that box numerous times, i got everything to fit in.

have a great holiday weekend everyone!

The package is on its way to MohMy! DC #03031910000004083459

Sorry I haven't been online I've been on vacation and haven't been able to check things until today.

I just want to remind you all that the cost to send the package is $8.15 that includes the confirmation number.

Will someone let me know if the pink envelope was still included and if all of the lables and confirmation slips are still in there?

I also put in extra main labels just in case you do need to put together a new box. Please look at the top of this thread for instructions or email me if you have any questions. That last confirmation number didn't look like one I had put in there that's why I was wondering if they were all still in the box. I'll be back home Sunday night.

Cherri

The pink envelope was still there when I packed it off to Myohhmy. All the labels were there, plus extra main labels and your instructions. I didn't notice any confirmation slips...but maybe I overlooked? I just got a confirmation slip at the Post Office and used that. I hope that was okay...? It appears that the package has landed in MI.

~mary ellen~

Recived the package and mailed it yestorday on to the next person. Found afew wonderful goodies and a couple of interesting seeds! Loved the little frame and I am trying out garden soap for the first time. Boy wish this box would have been bigger it is stuffed like a turkey! Needs a new box too - sorry I did not have one to replace it with. Thanks for including me!

Ok everyone slow down I don't want the box to disappear or disintegrate. If you need a new box then go to the post office and get one. Everything is in the box to make up a new one. You need the FLAT RATE BOX.

Also make sure to post the confirmation number. This robin is a required confirmation number robin. They should still be in the box.

Ok I just checked. It looks like the confirmation slips are still in the box. Here is the number to Dmj906 looks like it's good and on it's way. 03032460000230751433

Whew go on vacation a week and all **** breaks loose.. Felt like I was gone a month. Came home and half my yard was dead. Guess it was hot here. We haven't had rain here in at least a month when it finally rained a little bit Monday morning. My water bill is terrible but the hot was good to help me weed my bed and pull about 100 iris out. They were taking over. I would like more of a wildflower feel.

We are half way through the robin! You guys are a great team and feel free to join any of my robins any day!

Hi Robiners:)

Just wanted to check in, we got a nice thundershower here last night. I think someone told me it's been 45 days since it rained in Austin.
Happy gardening,
Melissa

cherri,

what happened to the IRIS that you pulled out?

Yes, what happened to the iris you pulled out?
I was gonna ask if you still had it....and if you did,could I ( share) it with Earthly? ...wink wink......
Bonnie

I have the box! Came in the mail today. Right now I am knee-deep in contractors--both the plumbing _and_ the AC decided to go on the fritz on the same day. Ah, the joys of home ownership. Anyway, I will try my best to get this packed back up and mailed out again as soon as possible. I'll shoot for dropping it off at the PO on my way to work tomorrow, but it may actually be Wednesday. I'll post again when I've mailed it, so hummingbirddaisy in Iowa--get ready!

Yeah!!!! I am so excited to receive this one!!! I just yelled woo-hoo, LoL. I bet my kid's think I am losing it. Ha!
Nah, they know mom has been loopy for quite some time now
:-)

I will post as soon as it arrives.

Stay cool.
Blessings, Tina

I donated the irises to Freecycle as I had over 100 of them and didn't want to deal with postage and sending them but I do have a bunch of tomato plants that I grabbed from my DH's grandfather. They are his own hybrids and really good. I made salsa out of them the last time I was there. I have 8 to give away I think. I'll need postage for them though. You can paypal postage to my paypal non credit card account. Let me know first if you would like any. I'll have to find out how much priority mail plus confirmation is for them. Some plants are bigger than others.

If you are interested in the iris I believe that I could pull some more out I forgot they got under the fence and are in the neighbors yard so I could pull some out from there if you are interested. I also have more Spanish Bluebells than I know what to do with from another trade. Just let me know what you want and I'll let you know what the postage will be.

cher

you have mail

Cherri, you have more mail!

The robin laned today, and will go out in the morning.
I will post conf.# when it leaves.

Thanks!
Tina

Umm...hummingbirddaisy...I haven't actually mailed the Garden Seeds and Trinkets Robin box to you yet, so I'm not sure that's really the box you're referring to. Might want to double-check where you're sending that one so you don't get your robins mixed up! :)

I will send out the box for this one to you tomorrow AM (wasn't able to get to the PO today due to work schedule) and will post the confirmation number as soon as it's actually on the way to you--

OK, the package has been mailed off to hummingbirddaisy. Delivery confirmation # 0303 2460 0002 3075 1457.

I took out some birdhouse windchimes, a baby soap and shower gel, a decorative trowel, and some plaster garden stakes. Oh, and some datura seeds. I know, I know, I took a lot out...but I replaced everything with another goodie! Including one that I think you might like, Tina. Oh, and some of them I made myself, so be kind, everyone, about my clumsy efforts--

I really enjoyed this robin, and I can honestly say that I've never seen anything so well-organized and easily laid out--even the address labels were in chronological order! Cherri, I need you to come and similarly organize the rest of my life!

Just checking in to see how the robin is going. It seems like sooo long ago since I sent the box out - but i guess it wasn't that long ago! lol.

Earthly- I got the bird nester at the dollar store by my house. I don't know if they have any left but if so do you want me to pick you up one next time I go?

Enjoy the rest of the round robin guys--later! mgood4u

Okies.....finally figured out which robin that box was from.....whew. LoL

I look very forward to receiving this box!!!
Oh, and I LOVE hand and homemade items. Makes them more special :-)
I will post when it arrived!

Blessings, Tina

well if you would see my office you would find out that the robin is the only thing that is organized. I'm a piler.

I received the box today! Wow, there is alot of nice things in here! The first thing I grabbed is the rooster windchime, how cute!!! I, too, took out some plaster garden stakes. They are broken, but easily fixed with some super glue. My daughter took out a jewelry box, and I took out a stake that says weeds on it, and a stained glass heart, very pretty! and some seeds. Oh, and a garden rock that you can hide keys in, and my daughter took out a rabbit.
I have added more item's, some home made, some bought items.
The robin will begin it's flight again on Monday to Miss Cheryl in Tx!
Thanks so much for such an organized and well thought out rr Cherrisa!

Conf.# is 0303 2460 0002 3075 1464

Enjoy the weekend!!!
Blessings, Tina

Alright! This is finally headed to Texas!
Woohoo! I can't wait!

Gail

Ye-e-e-h-a-a-w!!!

Can't wait!!!

Cheryl

Bumping this up.

What's the status of the box?

Gail

Even though the post office has said that this shouldn't take more than 3 days to get anywhere. It seems to be taking anywhere from 5-8 days to get from place to place to the next person should get it around the 23rd or so.

Please make sure when you take the box to the post office that they scan the box in front of you. That way we know that everyone is done properly and it ends up in the system.

One more shout out from Texas:) Woo-Hoo! It's been a long time getting here, I'm so excited:)

Melissa in Austin

I just checked the tracking number... It looks like it was shipped on 7/22 to The Loam Ranger. The tracking number is working. Let us know when you get it!

Hi, Y'all---

The robin landed here yesterday. There's some really cool stuff in it!

I won't be able to get it back out until tomorrow, but I'll post confirmation when I do.

This has been so much fun!!!

Best to all,
Cheryl

Hi, Y'all--

Well, Melissa, get ready...the little bird is off again and on its way to you down there in Austin.

It's a little ironic to me how a package that I could personally hand-deliver with a quick little 2 hour trip down the highway will take 3 or so days to get to you.

Anyway, I claimed a little pot gnome (didn't have a gnome...needed one), a birdhouse windchime, and a cute red-beaded suncatcher (it'll look so good with the rest of my collection in my kitchen window). I added a blue wind-ribbon, an expandable sunhat, and a garden sock.

BTW, the robin's # is 0303 2460 0002 3074 7511...

This was fun. Thanks, Cherrisa, for all the time and effort I know it took in hosting it. Although my "turn" is over, I'll definitely keep checking until the robin gets back to you...

Best to all...see y'all on the next robin!!!

Cheryl