Military or not, a friendly letter or especially a LOVE letter is always welcome!!!!We have this dilemma a lot. I don’t think I ever fuss about the mail service. We do a lot of business with USPS and UPS. Both have been extremely efficient. Can you imagine moving the amount of mail or packages both services do? There are times I get a 40 lb pkge from the West coast in three days. We sometimes get our mail from Florida in two days, usually three at the most.
Rates have just gone up. But then about everything has. I collected stamps when I was a kid. I went through Grandpa Hilly’s law office (He was some kind of rural Judge). Shirl and I would go through the old building that was no longer used. I don’t think any records were transferred to the court house. It appeared to us that when he got too old to ‘judge’ he just went across the country road to his farm house and stayed.
Anyway I found some of the first airmail stamps ever issued in that office. You know that at that time, the 1940’s, it was three cents to mail a letter first class. I think airmail was 5cents. Those were the days of the penny postcard. I can remember the rural postmen; some had cars with the steering wheels on the Right side of the car. I always thought they were special made. I never thought they could just get a UK vehicle. I guess in the UK they could have used a US car to deliver the rural post. Now I see our rural postmen just lean across and reach out the window. But now we have automatic transmissions and they do not have to worry about the clutch, plus the cars are smaller.
Mail has always been important. It used to amaze me when mail came across the ocean by sail ship. Folks were fortunate to hear from loved ones once a year. I have mentioned before that ‘Mail Call’ in service is a highlight of the day. Men ashore gather around and a senior person, usually a sergeant, will stand on a chair, in a jeep, or on a truck. He calls out last names, the guy answers up and he will sail the envelope back to the guy.
Rates have just gone up. But then about everything has. I collected stamps when I was a kid. I went through Grandpa Hilly’s law office (He was some kind of rural Judge). Shirl and I would go through the old building that was no longer used. I don’t think any records were transferred to the court house. It appeared to us that when he got too old to ‘judge’ he just went across the country road to his farm house and stayed.
Anyway I found some of the first airmail stamps ever issued in that office. You know that at that time, the 1940’s, it was three cents to mail a letter first class. I think airmail was 5cents. Those were the days of the penny postcard. I can remember the rural postmen; some had cars with the steering wheels on the Right side of the car. I always thought they were special made. I never thought they could just get a UK vehicle. I guess in the UK they could have used a US car to deliver the rural post. Now I see our rural postmen just lean across and reach out the window. But now we have automatic transmissions and they do not have to worry about the clutch, plus the cars are smaller.
Mail has always been important. It used to amaze me when mail came across the ocean by sail ship. Folks were fortunate to hear from loved ones once a year. I have mentioned before that ‘Mail Call’ in service is a highlight of the day. Men ashore gather around and a senior person, usually a sergeant, will stand on a chair, in a jeep, or on a truck. He calls out last names, the guy answers up and he will sail the envelope back to the guy.
Sometime he will yell ‘Air Mail’. It is always a festive occasion. It is easy to spot the guy who did not get a letter; it is hard not to show the disappointment. Every once in awhile, I have heard someone callout, “Are you sure that is all the mail, Sarg.?” And there were the happy surprises when a letter went to the wrong company and is shifted back ASAP. When the guy gets it you hear, “I knew she would write!”
Anyway after bitching a couple entries back, I thought I should brag on something!
Nite Shipslog
PS: More from Regina Brett, 90 years old,
*****Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
Anyway after bitching a couple entries back, I thought I should brag on something!
Nite Shipslog
PS: More from Regina Brett, 90 years old,
*****Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
*****Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
*****Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
*****It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
*****It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
*****When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
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5 comments:
I just got mail from our prescription/Health coverage with a questionare that was almost to ridiculous to fill out and I went out to Joe disgusted that we would have to use a good stamp to mail it. Then I saw your Mail Call and had to come in and see what you had to say. Those were the good old days. but at least it got my mind off the idiotic questions that I could not really answer. Hard work years ago but at this point in time I think I would go back to it. Fed ex has lost my ink delivery. They do not have to knock on your door and then take off. I would almost be willing to bet that it was left on a porch and no one has bothered to return it or contact anyone. Oh well, I am getting to old to bother with it.
Good entry. That brings back lots of memories.
He took a lot of time with us sitting in front
of the fireplace telling stories of his
experience being a Judge. I remember the handle
bar mustache and how kind he was to us as children. I always wanted one of the law books.
He would tell us about some of the ridiculous
laws. What a good time during our visits.
Shirl
Hi Jack & Sherry! I like the Regina Brett quotes, they're very significant for me!! That's a nice and a sad story about the mail call, I felt disappointed for the ones whose names weren't called out! The days of the rural mailboxes are vanishing here in Quebec. One by one, the post office is putting up those ugly boxes in and around each community. I think it's a pity because I prefer having my mail delivered to my home, but what do the elderly or handicapped people do? It's controversial because the gov says it's for the safety of the drivers...
I like this entry. In our small town the mail was put up twice a day. People stood there and chatted while the window was closed and the mail being sorted and put into the boxes.
Well since my brother-in-law has been a rural mail carrier for many years I'd like to chime in on this one. Our rural mail carriers drive from the passenger side of the vehicles. The cars, trucks or SUV's they drive are purchased by them and when purchased are just like anyone elses vehicle. They put a lot of work into removing the steering column from the drivers side installing it, brakes & gas pedal on the passenger side. My sisters husband has done this many times, he's a pro at it, haha. He can slap on a set of brake pads faster than you'd ever imagine and he does it on his lunch hour whatever time that might be because it depends on how much mail he has to deliver that particuler day and where he is on his route determines what time he can stop for lunch. These vehicles better be up to snuff because from time to time they are inspected by the postmaster and they must be locked at all times if the mail carrier isn't in them whether they have mail in them or not. No one is allowed to ride with them while they are on their route unless it's the postmaster who does ride with them I think it's once a year for mailbox count. There are certain times of the year that they do mail count (inventory) and when they do this very little mail is delivered to the local post offices from the main post offices for delivery to your home. Oh I've had a few gripes about our carrier but I've never called the post office and complained I just leave her a note..you know when you order stamps that should be delivered the next day and three weeks have gone by and you still have no stamps something isn't right after leaving the note guess where my stamp order was..at the dead letter office. And how did my sister meet her husband? He was our rural mail carrier and he had been delivering her mail from a guy who was in the service that she had dated a few times, haha. Most of the time mail or package delivery is efficient but it's like everything else it ain't perfect.
Debbie
PS: I'm gonna scream if this comment doesn't get delivered, haha.
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