Going Postal

Mage of POSTCARDS is fighting cancer right now and needed some masks with filter pockets. She'd ordered masks online, but unfortunately received masks that did not have those filter pockets. Mage and I have been blogger friends for a long, long time. I knew I had to sew some masks for her.

Although I've started making only 3D masks which don't have filter pockets, I was happy to go back to the Olson mask pattern for Mage. My children on the mainland as well as friends and relatives in Hawaii prefer the 3D for its breathability. The Olson however seems to fit better when you double mask.

I was excited about mailing the masks to Mage on Tuesday, February 16th. I mailed masks for Art's sister, Kay who also lives in California on Thursday, February 18th. (Yes, her name is Kay too which can be confusing at family gatherings.) Anyway, Kay received her masks on Saturday, February 20th. That was pretty darn fast!

Mage did not receive hers. I was perplexed.

I kept tracking Mage's masks and got the same message saying the package was on its way. At the end of February I was noticing no tracking messages after the 20th. 

What the heck!

So I sent USPS an inquiry and got this.

Wrote another inquiry and got the same message.

Finally decided to write to Mr. Locke personally.

Then I decided to try that Missing Mail Search link. https://www.usps.com/help/missing-mail.htm   (By the way, Flat-Rate boxes are insured for $50. If you send your item in a smaller package, you would have to pay extra to insure it.)

I had to describe what I sent and what the package looked like. That wasn't easy but I did the best I could.

Would you believe the next day I got this?

The left is a text tracking info. The right is the email I got. Is it a coincidence that it was delivered to Mage right after the Missing Mail Search?

It's good to know there are options if your package has not been delivered.

A couple years ago we sent a Flat Rate box to our son in Maryland. It didn't reach him in a month. I didn't know about that Missing Mail Search link. Whatever the case, when he got it we saw notations on it that the box had been sent to Micronesia or some other place beginning with M. The Flat Rate box looked like it had been around the world, but most of the items were undamaged.

Whatever the case, it sure is nice to know that if your recipient doesn't get your package, there are options you can try. You just have to be the "squeaky wheel" to get some attention.

I did write a thank you note to Mr. Locke.

POSTSCRIPT: 

I asked Mage if she wouldn't mind sending me a photo of herself wearing one of the masks for my blog. Despite the fact that Mage is suffering the effects of chemo right now, she asked her husband to take photos of herself in ALL the masks. I am overwhelmed with their kindness in sending all these photos to me at this challenging time. 

In spring of last year, I had to cut out aloha shirts that a dear friend gave me, my dress, Art and my son's aloha shirts, sheets, etc. to make masks. Elastic, 100% cotton thread, 100% cotton fabric, cord locks, etc. were hard to find. It's so much more fun now that I can go to the fabric store and get a variety of fabrics that are truly fun to sew.