**If you read both of my blogs this is a duplicate ... I decided EVERYONE needed to know about my USPS experience. ug!** :)
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Hi Friends!
Before I start flying off the handle I should say we had a lovely time in Leavenworth--just the 3 of us crazy kids--enjoying the light dusting of snow, busy downtown and yummy smells of Christmas. I'll be posting a million pics on that soon...stay tuned.
For now...I get to complain. Most of you know, during Christmas I pretty much see the silver lining in everything. It's the season of giving--right?!- I wake up everyday and put on my extra-patient-pants solely because it's December and Christmas is on the horizon. There's just nothing as warm and magical as December and the holiday season. That being said....yesterday was the day Scrooges are made of.
That's real.
I had spent weeks putting together a Christmas box for my BFF, Ashli and Nieces, Grace and Olivia.
Seriously weeks.
Finally, the beginning of December rolled around and I mailed it. I should have known when I mailed it and I got a little queasy with how rushed the post office was making me feel or what an inconvenience they made me feel it was to insure my package.... that things weren't going to go well for us....ug.
Needless to say, my Ash and sweet little Nieces Christmas gifts are scattered somewhere between here and Miami. Ash had a suspicious looking package show up .... apparently they found part of what I sent and repacked it but 2/3rds of the box are missing. Today I got to file my first USPS insurance claim for over $200 in lost items. The sad thing is that some of it just can't be replaced- including Grace's knit bow scarf from B's Aunt Pamela (thankfully she graciously offered to make her another one- we're so grateful! :) and dresses I got for Grace on discount.
It just blows.
Bottom line--insure your packages FULLY, DO NOT SKIMP and keep your receipts!, put tracking on your packages and whenever possible use UPS or FedEx. USPS has the worst customer service in the world--it's right up there with the DMV. You might as well just lay in the street and wait for a car to ram you because that's pretty much what their level of customer service feels like.
That debacle (that thankfully I just wrapped up with my insurance claim and complaint to the Postmaster...and reordering gifts! :) led straight into holiday stress about our Christmas Day plans. I just wanted to make the day perfect for Isla and unfortunately in the process I feel like I'm disappointing everyone else. I can't win with anyone and that just sucks....it's not what I wanted for Isla's perfect first Christmas and it makes me want to sob from my juliet balcony. Boohoooohoooo.
....and that led into Isla deciding to shriek loudly and with wild abandon in World Market yesterday while I was trying to finish my Christmas shopping. After talking to B, who was running separate errands, and requesting his presence so I could finish and he told me he couldn't get back in time I abandoned my cart with all the contents and marched her right out of the store, strapped her in her car seat and banged my head against the steering wheel.
It was a scene right out of Christmas with the Kranks or National Lampoons. I had had it...this cheery-freakin-Christmas-elf was closing up the merry-little-Christmas shop for the day. Done&Done.
Thankfully, today was better. Isla was a little dream boat. I wish every day at home with her was just like today....the perfect little eater, two solid naps, a great walk around Kirkland, lots of smiles and giggles and some big walking steps! (video to come!) I got my cards out finally (that were printed incorrectly twice, I finally just sent them- OVER.IT!), sent all my Christmas packages (so watch your mail far-away-family) and I'm about to make sugar cookie dough. I think it's safe to say I'm back on the holiday caboose....toot.toot.
xoxo.
S
