One of the interesting things about living in Belgium is learning to deal with the vagaries of the post. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. If I put a letter in the post today, it will be delivered anywhere in Belgium tomorrow. That’s impressive to me. A bookstore in Siena once sent me some books on a Friday and I had them on Monday. From Germany or Switzerland I might expect that kind of efficiency, but from Italy? I know.
On the other hand, sometimes things go astray. My mom sent me a book in November, and it’s still somewhere in never-never land. I ordered some business cards from England and they never arrived. You just never know. You never even know where the problem occurs--here or there? You just know that it didn’t arrive.
If you’re like me, you also wonder what unsolicited surprises are lost in the mail. Maybe I won the Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes! Oh, wait, you can’t win if you don’t enter. My invitation to the Galactic Blogger Awards? It must be in the post somewhere.
We received this in the post this week from an artist friend in Canada. He posted it on December 20. The address was correct.
I always wonder what's happened with things like this. In this case, we have a clue:
It’s been on vacation. While we were here freezing, battling snow and ice, this envelope has been having adventures. It's been to Bermuda. No doubt it stowed away on the Bermuda plane, having heard our weather forecast. It's been opened by HM Customs, it's been re-sealed and it's been sent to me in BELGIUM. Not Bermuda.
Then Dan and I had a good laugh when we saw this:
"From anywhere...to anyone"
Yes, and by way of who-knows-where!
We're pretty used to this stuff by now. With this one, though, there's still one thing that bothers me.
That envelope?
It's got a tan.
28 comments:
O my what an adventure ^^ glad u got the mail in the end..well at least this one. and it does have a tan :D
LOL... I'm glad to know that something got to enjoy the sunshine in Bermuda..... I might put a stamp on my forehead and see where I land
Haha, I'm jealous of the envelope! I'm pretty sure I'll never have a tan again as long as I'm living here. I wish I would get on a plane and it accidentally flew to Bermuda ;-)
At least you got the package! I think it is amazing that they told you where it had been.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Carol
Oh dear....I can appreciate your woes with the postal service. This did make for a very amusing post though:D
Very interesting post..I am still waiting for seaside photos of my daughters when they were 8 and 7:(
I wonder if they are in Bermuda!
Crazy...the winner of my Rose Cake Pan giveaway, Deana @ lostpastremembered, had her state and zip code transposed incorrectly by the company. She lives in New Jersey and it went to Florida! We laughed that during all of the snow in the NE, the pan was on a Florida vacation. It finally arrived and was fun tracking it as it went on it's little vacation. When I mail to my daughter in South Korea, I always feel like I'm dropping it into a black hole! She just got her care package yesterday, so some faith is restored. Glad you received your envelope...think of the places it's been and the stories it could tell!
Diane
Chuckles here! Your package reminds me a sweet story called Flat Stanley that I used in my reading and language arts classes back in my teaching days... Flat Stanley mails himself to visit relatives ... quite the vacation. We can only wish to 'pack it up and post ourselves on a mystery vacation! I'd take Paris, what about you?
Ha! That's great.
Kate! This really made me laugh. Especially the 'from anywhere... to anyone' line...what the heck? Is someone getting philosophical at the post office? It's amazing anything finds its way to the right destination. Great post!
bermuda, eh? perhaps i'll have my friends box me up and ship me to belgium in hopes of a caribbean detour. i'd survive the shipping, right? :)
That is too funny! I wouldn't mind a detour such as you describe!
be glad that your enveloppe is delivered! Things happen to dissapear into thin air in bermuda!
But you are so right about the mail... still waiting from some cookingbooks I ordered last year and the birth card for my best friends baby will probably arrive when the little boy gets married. :-)
Of course it has a tan, Kate! It's probably been sunning on the beach in Bermuda!
Sort of like luggage. When it's missing, it's probably been on a long vacation someplace.
I could stop laughing as I was reading this post! Hilarious! Love the way you presented it! Oh, and yes, just as you thought Canadian Postal Service is so-so, what about ours!? It's NOTHING! Argh! Try to use our postal service and you'll know why ... It's that bad ...
You should be happy that your friend actually paid less for the package to be on a vacation in Bermuda! What a deal! LOL!
Oh my gosh, that's a funny story, Kate! I would have liked to have taken that trip to Bermuda with your package ;)
How do you mistake Bermuda for Belgium...forget to put on your glasses? LOL!
Good old Canada Post - not only are they hideously expensive but their service is crappily slow. Unless you pay $$$$$$$.
He he, I had to laugh! I once sent a letter to a friend in SA when we lived in England. She never got it. then we moved to France and a year later she visited me in France. One day, while we were having coffee, the mail arrived and there was the letter I sent to her, sent back to me with a note saying...address unknown. So I handed her her letter in person two years later. I'm always amazed by the post!
Ronelle
How hilarious!! I don't know what's more notable, that that package went to Bermuda or that it actually eventually found its way to Belgium! Why didn't it stop in Borneo on the way? Or Brazil? Or Botswana?
Very cute and funny post, Kate!
:) Jane
Ha ha ha......thank God my chocolate arrived.....the Netherlands in one piece. And I'm not at all comparing Dutch vs Belgian postal efficiencies!
Your'e funny, Kate! I guess at least you got it.
Kate, Oh to be that envelope! I could use a sunny holiday in Bermuda.
You certainly cracked me up with this one! Missent to Bermuda, so proper, sounds like it happens a lot if they have a stamp that says so. Love the "From anywhere to anyone line" It's a miracle any thing finds it's way anywhere! terrific post. Just what I needed to brighten my day!
Pam
What a wonderful chuckle to end and evening Kate. It's been one heck of a day and, you reminded me that I must get that "care package" off to my daughter in Idaho. Although, I'm sure she wishes I was sending it to Bermuda or Belgium for that matter!!!
LOL!!! Your package could give Phileas Fogg a run for his money! What a cute post, Kate! Have a great weekend. :)
Oh Kate Your a hoot!
Bermuda...a tan! Ha!
Amazing you've even recieved it...and it hasn't ended up in some black hole somewhere!
Oh! and I believe your invitation to the Galactic Blogger Awards are in the mail....
probably just tanning up a bit, before it heads on over!!!
xoxo~Kathy @ Sweet Up-North Mornings...
Hilarious! What a jaunt your letter has been on. Too funny.
~Maggie~
What can be said. It is the same everywhere, unfortuneately. Is this because the postal service there is automized, or because it isn't. Either way, it hardly matters. It never seems to change.
Sigh.
Lol... what can you say... Belgium.. Bermuda.. I does both have the first two letters the same... :) It amazes me sometimes too and I have had packages lost in the mail as well. I guess if you realize how much goes through any postoffice it is maybe a wonder so many actually do reach our homes, but it can be very annoying too!
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