A few weeks ago I read an article titled "Anything Good in the Mail?" It was probably in USA Today...our local mullet wrapper never has anything that interesting. Anyway, the gist of the article was that gone are the days when we head to the mailbox with anticipation in our hearts. Letters are rare and even bills are almost non-existent given the convenience of online billing. All that's left is junk mail and where's the excitement in that? Sadly, the answer to the question posed was no, there's nothing good in the mail these days.
That's our experience too. Today's take was two pieces of advertising...it's hardly worth walking to the street to get. I'm not sure we received any first class mail all week although I can't remember if the bank statement came early this week or late last week. It's one of only a handful of "real" mail still arriving on a regular basis. And our outgoing mail is just about as non-existent; I only have one monthly bill and one quarterly bill that aren't paid online.
It's kind of a shame too because we now have the nicest mailman. He always hollers and waves and sometimes stops to talk when I pass him in the neighborhood while I'm walking. He's such a change from the old sourpuss he replaced. I'd barely get a grunt of acknowledgement from him if I hollered "thank you" when I was outside and he stuck things in the box. The only conversation we ever had was once when I went to warn him that there were martins nesting in the paper slot below the box and the momma bird would dart out whenever anyone approached the box. I didn't want her to fly into his Jeep and startle him. It was the one occasion he got very animated and told me a story about opening a box to find a snake someone had put in there, apparently to frighten him. My thought was that knowing the mailman, the snake was probably more scared of Mr. Grumpypants.
We made a point to buy a roll of "forever" stamps just before the price of stamps went up. The roll we had was getting low and I figured we just as well get them at the lower price. Looks like that was a smart decision as today's news reports that the cost of a first class stamp is going up to $.50 plus they're eliminating Saturday delivery. Just as well...there's nothing good in the mail anyway.
that's one of the reasons I make cards-so I can send them to special people-because I know how nice it is to get things in the mail-I guess I am trying to do my part to keep the postal service operating. I don't pay anything online either. Have a great day Brenda!
Posted by: Diane Standish | February 18, 2012 at 10:04 PM
Where we live we're an RD address - which stands for Rural Delivery. So lucky in our postie, who is obliging and friendly. We appreciate him all the more because he drives up our drive (having to open the gate first - and he shuts it after himself coming in and going out again) with any parcels and leaves them (and any mail for the day) on our doorstep. I think all the people in "RD1" of our town appreciate him all the more because the last chap used to toss parcels over the gate regardless of whether there was a 'fragile' sticker or if it was pouring with rain!
Although we don't get many letters these days, mail order shopping means there's still a reasonable amount for a Rural Delivery postman to do!
Posted by: Margot/NZ | February 19, 2012 at 01:04 AM
Boy, ain't that the truth! Love the days I get a little scrappy mail or something I have purchased online!
Posted by: Suzeyq | March 01, 2012 at 03:28 PM