It was a crumbly friend's birthday last month, I purchased a nice non-sarcastic card and my grumpy old man was despatched to post it - on his way to the bookies.
Because in distant times the local post box was set on fire, grumpy always takes mail into the Spar/post office at Winthorpe. This occasion was no exception, he duly handed over 50p and left the card with the person behind the post office counter.
A week later I phoned the birthday girl to tell her that the weather was wonderful, the sea was sparkling in the sun and we had a lovely sea breeze ... I do this to people because I can and because I'm nasty.
She thanked me for her card and said that she'd got it just the day before, making it a week late. She'd received a card from the Royal Mail, telling her that there was unpaid for mail waiting at the sorting office - which due to their greed and stream-lining - was now miles away at Ilkeston, rather than Heanor.
Off they went to fetch it ... it cost her £1.50 plus petrol to simply collect a 50p - I'm cheap as well as nasty - birthday card, which had already had the correct postage paid for. Grumpy went to the post office in Spar to tell them, and to be fair they've since reported it to the area manager and given him his 50p back. And if my friend gets her £1.50 back I'll be sure to mention it.
Hmmm, because of the extortionate price of postage, I'm thinking of getting a year's supply of birthday cards and giving them all out in January when we're at home - or even better (meaner) I'll dish them out with Christmas cards for the recipient to save until the required time ...
Monday, 10 September 2012
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ReplyDeleteI had an Ebay parcel to send the other week, normally I would go to Heanor (nice people) but as I was passing and I didn't have much time I decided to go to Langley mill and face Mr & Mrs misery.
What a bloody impolite couple they are, no please or thank you, faces like dropping wet dishcloths.
I have to say as nice as it is to send and receive cards it's not worth it from a monterey point of view, but it's a Britt thing and that's what we do.
I've thought about sending greetings by email or text not very traditional...
Are Mr and Mrs Misery still there? I've not been in for ages, and when I'm home it literally takes me two minutes (if that) to get there.
ReplyDeleteI started sending email greetings a few years ago - not completely free - I was a member of the Jacquie Lawson website. Beautiful animations but eventually I started feeling a bit mean so ended up buying cards to send as well :-/
I may rejoin because I can sit hours watching Chudleigh and his friends playing in the snow.
It is a complete rip off at the PO now . I make my own cards, if they happen to have any type of 3D on the card then you can be sure it costs a lot more to post it as it will not go through the silly slit they test it on behind the counter, are our letter boxes that narrow? No of course not, so a comlete and uttlerly rip off. The same happen a while back to hubby as with you, the person behind the counter told him the price, he paid up and our daughter had to pay to collect it from the PO, he got his money back but I don't think our daughter did, grrr to the the PO
ReplyDeleteHi Ann,
DeleteI make cards too but hardly ever post home made ones because they're mostly decoupage. I've had to be more cunning and do concertina or waterfall cards for the post ... having said that, for the last few years I've only made Christmas cards because I got too carried away with birthday and other occasion cards (being a perfectionist) and sort of hit a creative brick wall :-/
Saw Mr & Mrs misery out n about (not in the office) Mrs has a 1st class shiner. Right eye!
ReplyDeleteNow that's really something to be miserable about. Would be interested to know how that came about.
Mr didn't look too happy but that's to be expected being the norm
Hi Julie,
ReplyDeleteHaving read your post above I completely agree. The postage costs a bloody fortune now and is it just me or do the post men look a shambles now. Shorts, t-shirt, not tucked in either. Disgraceful, I remember when I were a lad,our posty wore a smart mack, and a flat cap. How standards have dropped. You could even post cards to people fairly local using the Boy Scouts, they are even cheaper again...Cheers 365...
Hi 365-daysofgray,
ReplyDeleteSorry, I missed your comment. I've been working my little socks off and didn't spot it until I wrote another blog post.
Yes, I think just about everything has become too casual these days ... this includes the actual workforce. There are few permanent jobs, even within the Post Office. And we seem to entrust our mail to any Tom Dick or Harry agency workers. Time for a shake-up and proper jobs instead of all this shabby temporary state of affairs ... Gosh a whole new blog post there, methinks ;-)
Go for it Julie, that sounds like it has true "Grumpess" potential, I shall look forward to reading it. Cheers 365...
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