I hope my tale will give you hope.

My Mother lived in South America for many years. When she decided to move back to the States there was the question of her books. Her furniture was coming by air-frieght (cheapest, safest, way) but the books were another matter because of the weight.

Now in SA, the Postal Service was a local joke as very little was safe in the mail, mostly from theft, so the idea of mailing her beloved books was daunting. She took the plunge and boxed up more than 2000 books, in more than a hundred boxes - IRRC correctly it was on the order of 150+ boxes - and launched them back to the US by surface mail (AKA by boat).

After about three months they started to fetch up in my northern NY post office. This continued for more than six months after the first one arrived, some weeks there would be 10 boxes, some none. (All were mailed the same day at the central receiving post office in the port town in SA.)

In the end, despite having been en route in some cases for nearly a year, all but one box arrived, intact (though some times much re-taped perhaps after customs inspection) and complete. Many bore markings indicating they had traveled through other countries than what one might think of as the direct route by sea from La Guaira, Venezuela to Miami or NY. Some had French and Italian customs receipt stamps. None of the boxes could be "registered" since they went by surface mail and all of them originated from highly a dubious postal system (in)famous for "disappearing" parcels. Only 15 books out of more than 2K were lost in transit, all in a single box.

TR, your parcel was here in the US, Priority and trackable, so my feeling is that it will be found, and probably undamaged and intact. Your local PM's efforts to find it will pay off!

Hope you keep us up to date. (I'll ask my Mother's books, which I have since inherited, to put some book-mailing mojo out there to prod the Fates.)

L.

L...- you are so kind to share a heartwarming tale such as that. Thank you !! We did just hear from my " Buddy" that the consumer affairs division in Birmingham AL is now involved. That is due to my calling the 800 number several times. The lady I spoke with day before yesterday said she was bumping me up to the consumer affairs people. I didn't believe her but there you go. I was wrong.

So we will see. This would be amusing if it wasn't so important. Send the mojo !! I can use all you have :) c

Trailrunner, It will show up I'm sure. It couldn't just disappear. It's probably sitting in a corner somewhere waiting to be found. At least you now have some people you feel you can count on to continue the search. Some day this will be a wonderful story to tell your Grandchild and they will know how special these books are to have so many people hoping and praying that they will eventually reach the soon to be rightful owner.

Trailrunner, I am so sorry to hear about your beloved books. Have you tried to contact the Post Master General? He or she might be able to light a fire under his employees. It might really help. Also you could offer a reward, that always gets the point across (althought you shouldn't have to) but money does get attention especially when people are getting ready to lose their jobs. I agree, it does sound like a wonderful story, maybe even a Christmas book!!! Feel like writing? Good luck to you!

oldhouse: Yes this baby had better really appreciate all the effort that Grandma has expended LOL !! The tale will be told over and over I am sure.

caminnc: I am slowly moving up the " food chain". But as DH says, " it is the guy with the shovel". Meaning it doesn't matter who is in charge it is the person out there doing the actual work that decides what gets done or in this case what gets found. I doubt that a reward would be allowed. Maybe a visit by this irate Grandma :) We'll see.

Thank you all for keeping this in your thoughts. I will let you know. c

I so hope you can get to the bottom of this very soon. What a frustrating ordeal, but I'm glad your postmaster seems to have at least helped restore your faith somewhat. I am crossing my fingers for the imminent finding of this wayward box!

I'm sorry you're dealing with this. I can't imagine how frustrated you are. Thanks for keeping us posted!

I think you should definately keep some kind of a journal of this so that your dear grandchild can know how much it means for him to have your books. The Missing Box sounds like a good children's story, don't you think?

Thanks aj!! Getting to the bottom is the whole deal now :)

shee: thanks for the good thoughts !!

natesgram: now that is a GOOD idea....The Missing Box . I may actually have to do this. But I want a happy ending :( c

I hope it gets resolved soon. We ship many packages daily and have fir almost 30 years. UPS is the best, post office, not so much. I would never ever send anything I care about media mail and if I really cared, I'd bypass the post office all together.

I am sending good mojo!!! I have all my kids books. Some of Aimee's are worth good money now. I treat my library like a library. Books may be borrowed but must be returned before more can be taken.

In the slight chance the books don't find their way to your ds, I am another one who will be happy to go through dd's childhood books and see if I have a copy of one.

I think you should write The Missing Box story too!

Let me know if you want me to go to that post office in Capitol Heights and kick butt.

gold: I had a message from the Consumer Affairs folks in Birmingham today. I immediately tried to call the number she left. Was on hold for 22 min. No go. I tried again a couple hours later...same thing. I then called my post office and Buddy tried to call there too and no go. I am so frustrated.

dd: thank you I am still hopeful that won't be necessary...but you are so sweet to offer.

Sue: are you close ???? Wow...well we may have to get you over there LOL. WIll keep you posted. What a sweety you are. c

I second/third/etc. the idea of writing a story about this episode. It's just dying to be written/illustrated/bound. If there's a happy ending, I could even see it being commercial. But that's a ways down the line yet.

One thing I get from situations similar to this when they happen is that you got to see the Good in a man you never would have otherwise seen--your local postmaster. Sometimes I think that *that* is the purpose of such episodes, beyond the actual inciting incident. It's like a great spiritual gift in the midst of your frustration.

Back to the "Missing Box": I really do think folks are onto something here. I would definitely buy such a book for gifts to children, especially if it includes points like the paragraph above...and don't anyone else go stealing this idea--it's all Caroline's!!

fly: you can be my ghost writer :) I still may end up on Yahoo news headlines..crazy AL woman ransacks USPS facility. Pics to follow . c

Sue, what a great idea! There are quite a few GW folks around here, I think. We could go en masse-I bet we would be pretty intimidating!!

golddust, I meant to say I'm interested in your thoughts about shippers. When I've had to ship things that people have bought, people almost universally choose the USPS over UPS, and I have to second their experience. I've also never had anything shipped media mail go missing, and I've shipped hundreds of things (not as many as you, to be sure, though).

I'm actually taking away the UPS option on ebay now, because I want to support the USPS in their time of persecution.

I just got a call from the Consumer Affairs person in B'ham. She was so kind and wonderful. She was very conscientious. She is turning it over to the people in Atlanta at the MRC....the last stop for lost and broken packgs and mail. She still feels that the box is out there and is also pursuing the Capitol Heights MD people and the Lexington VA people and will also talk to my postmaster here...Buddy. I told her how great he has been and she made note of that. She said she will be in touch with me again and I believe her as she is a " real" person. I cont to be hopeful. Keep your fingers XXX . c

What encouraging news !!! she does seem to be the real deal , indeed.

Yeah! Fingers XXX!

Another hero in your story : )

I'm giving you books anthropomorphic characteristics, but I was just picturing them in their box chattering excitedly to each about how they are just about to be found!

Thank you !! Yes I hope they are hanging out of the box crying " FIND ME FIND ME !!". FLy...yes she was very warm and caring and is quite upset by my story...she even had to clear her throat when I got teary...so we shall see. This has certainly taken on a life of its own...and here is a pic to warm your heart...DS1 and DIL and baby...

{{gwi:1520825}}

Aren't they sweet ??? And all of DIL's pretty artwork in the background. She is so talented. You are ALL so kind and caring...thank you .c

Fly, we ship small boxes of precious metal contents all over the USA. Small heavy boxes are easy to steal and too many boxes disappeared through USPS. A big pain because we manufacture with deadlines. Even if it's insured, we would have to work weekends to reproduce lost orders.
UPS is way more reliable. UPS has an outstanding tracking system, unlike USPS.

What a sweet picture. I can't imagine anything more wonderful than becoming a grandma (unless it's becoming a mom)!

Still have my fingers crossed for that box! It has to be somewhere!!

Of course the box is out there somewhere and in the clutches of the USPS. The box didn't suddenly evaporate. I wonder where the heck it could be? Maybe in a truck or an airplane. Maybe there is another box on top of it so it's being overlooked. This is so frustrating! It didn't just disappear for heaven's sake.

Cute kids!

I am sorry the box is still missing. Have you looked to see if there is a similar address/road that it might have gone to by mistake. I have had this happen with flower delivery. Sorry to say some people would just keep the box rather than return it.

I thought of that cam...nope this is a really small town...6000 people. The other box was delivered w/o mishap. There are no other streets with similar names etc . I hope they find it...no word yet. Thank you for your kind words. c

So "funny" that this came up again. I'm sorry to hear that the box is still missing but glad that they are still working on locating it.

After my valentine's mishap you'd think that I would have learned, but NO. I sent a birthday gift, this time express mail - $22 and change to ship a 1.5 lb package, but I wanted to ensure it would get there ON his birthday and did not trust priority mail after the last mishap. Part of me wanted to use fedex but I figured express mail would get there...

this is what happened.

I send the stupid thing on monday to arrive by noon on tuesday. I am watching tracking all day and it's out for delivery at 8:34am, supposed to be there by noon, no updates until early this morning when it updates to say that there is no further available tracking information. I go to my local (small town) po and he prints the internal tracking and it says basically that there was no one to sign for the package. I can't believe it, it is going to a company, SOMEONE is there at 10:57AM... so my local PO guy calls their PO and this is the story.

Apparently there is a p*ssing match going on between the PO and the company. The company has 2 buildings across the street from each other and wants to receive all mail and packages at one building, call it building 2. The PO is refusing to deliver anything addressed for building 1 to building 2, so basically they are fighting about this and the PO is being completely inflexible. So I addressed it to building 1 not knowing this. I guess in cost saving measures, they no longer have a receptionist at the front desk at building 1 so anything that needs to be signed for at building 1 gets a slip and they have to go to the PO to pick it up, rather than being brought over to building 2 where the receiving department is.

So no problem, right? I address it to this person, he has a company id with his name and the company as well as a state issued driver's license... he should be able to pick it up, right? No, apparently there is a list of people who are authorized to pick up mail for the company and he is not on the list (even though it is addressed to them). Apparently, since they sometimes handle government contracts, the only people authorized to pick up any packages are those with a certain level of clearance (that he happens to have). In order for him to be able to pick up this package (which is a birthday gift almost entirely hand made that I spent countless hours on but not worth much in actual materials or anything) he had to have the head security officer of the company authorize him to pick up packages (he does have the proper clearance and should have been on the list to begin with). The only problem is that the head security officer is in ICELAND right now. So an international conference call later, my friend was able to pick up his birthday gift (a day late) and I have the worst case of heartburn of my life. Something that was meant to be a nice gesture ended up taking a few hours of his time and a lot of running around, not to mention what must have been embarrassing phone calls to an island in the middle of the freakin' north atlantic to resolve. :-p BTW I do not think that anyone who receives packages in the receiving department has any kind of clearance. The package was addressed to a specific person and my PO thought it was crazy that they were being so prickish but he said that he definitely got the sense that they are having a big fight and my package just got stuck in the middle.

I am never using USPS again, and I REALLY mean it this time!

kgwlisa:

You need to report this to the Post Office Inspector General. There's a hotline.

Here is a link that might be useful: USPS Hotline

I keep checking to see if the books have turned up; I have nothing to add to the helpful ideas others have. But had to comment after kgwlisa's post. Both of my parents were postal workers, and a few uncles, too, so I have always had a soft spot for the PO. But because of the poor customer service these days, I avoid it as much as possible. Feeling conflicted about all their troubles, I decided to send a gift package in a priority mail one price box. Stopped by the PO at 11 a.m. on a Tuesday - no holiday in sight...and was #16 in line!!! Really? And they wonder why no one will use them. Walked out and went to a corner postal/ups store and sent the package from there, UPS. cost me $3 more for next day service. 2 minute wait. No more PO for me either.

Well I have the hot line # saved. I am still waiting to hear from " Donna" at the CA place in B'ham. She said she will call me ...didn't say when. I believe she will but will not wait forever. I think that every day that goes by is a bad sign. We'll see if I am right or wrong.

That is a horrible story kg...I am glad that at least the package was not lost.

oly, our PO is so small that there is never a line. They are really sweet people as is our carrier. We have always had the nicest home delivery people...always stop to chat a second and carry things into the house that are large etc. Really helpful. I am trying to stay positive but they are getting on " my last nerve" here. :( c

Just had a call from the Consumer Affairs office...Donna. She said that she has called the MRC....Mail Recovery Center 2x and they have absolutely no sign of the box. She says they will report if they see it and they have all the info.

The people in Capital Heights are not responding. She has tried to call them and they do not get back to her. She doesn't want to pose situations other than to tell me how her work in the plant was carried out if a letter or box was broken/torn. She worked in a plant in B'ham AL. She says there is a person who is in charge of noting the items that are damaged even if beyond repair and they are supposed to be taken care of either by being sent to the person they were meant for...albeit repacked as best as possible or sent to the MRC.

All of this is to say that it is supposed to work this way. She is going to keep trying...she seems very sincere and knows how upset I am.

I proposed the idea that since it has a tracking number that is supposed to be scanned that if it went on a "tour of the US" instead of going to Lexington , that it would show up as scanned in the wrong place. She says that is only if it was ever scanned again.

So we wait. Just wanted to let you know since you , as my very supportive and kind friends, have shown such an interest. c

Thanks for the update on the Wandering Box. I've been wondering if it ever turned up. This loss has been so frustrating for you and I'm hoping still that it eventually gets found. If it ever does, please let us know. Childhood books are heirlooms and special treasures IMHO.
Lynn

thank you lynn. It sure is very frustrating. c