2025, Family, Food, holidays, Kids, Uncategorized

Surprise Deliveries

25 Comments

Pay close attention to the times I note. On Wednesday, Husband and I went to Sioux Falls to do some grocery shopping and to drop some packages off at the UPS store there. I had five packages of treats and presents going to Ohio, St. Paul, Dickinson, Tacoma, WA, and another Minnesota town. I was very anxious about the packages getting to their destinations before Christmas. I was a little late with my baking this year.

We arrived at the UPS store at 1:30 pm CST. We went through the regular rigamorale of how to ship the fastest, and I chose regular ground delivery for all the boxes except the one to Tacoma, for our daughter. For that one I paid more to get there guaranteed by Monday the 22nd. The other packages might make it by Christmas Eve, but no guarantee.

Daughter phoned me yesterday to tell me that a package had arrived at her apartment st 12:25 pm PST. It was the box I had taken to UPS on Wednesday! Despite the awful weather conditions, that package was delivered in about 24 hours. Then, I heard from my St. Paul friend that her package had also arrived! I have never had such quick delivery of things.

Earlier this week, Daughter stated that an Uber Eats delivery person had dropped off six entrees at her door from a Thai restaurant. She hadn’t ordered them, and wasn’t at home when they were delivered. She had no way of contacting the restaurant or the people who had ordered the food. It is a good thing she likes Thai food. Sometimes deliveries work. Sometimes they don’t.

Tell about some delivery experiences you have had. Have you shipped you holiday packages?

25 thoughts on “Surprise Deliveries”

  2. I’ll bet the people who were supposed to get that Thai food were not pleased…

    I did get my packages mailed, mostly last week, and my sister has received her book already. I just received my gift from her yesterday.

    Now it’s just getting the cards out to relatives and a few far-flung-friends. A lot of people are getting the letter via email.

    More later if I think of a delivery story.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    1. Just had a long conversation with daughter and s-I-l about an option for moving. It sounds good if internet can be improved. The change of address whenever I move is the one thing I most dread. I would be close enough to do medical stuff here. Big savings. But I would most likely be movie in another 6-9 months.
      Clyde

      Liked by 3 people

      Reply

    2. Yes, it is. I did most of mine online which made it easier. It’s where you have accounts with vendors that’s tricky. You have to make sure you change your shipping address or a package will end up at your old address!

      Like

      Reply

  5. When I was with Booklocker.com and order author copies of my books from them, I’d always get the entire order on the same day, in properly sized boxes for the books, and the boxes filled full. No problems.

    Now, as CSN Press and ordering my books from Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), each book order I’ve placed has arrived on 2 or 3 different days, with various numbers of books in different sized boxes, and NONE were even close to full. What a waste of manpower and cardboard. I’ve received as few as one book at a time. The latest order was 40-something books, 40-something books, and TWO packages of two books! WTF?

    I’ve always received the correct number of books from KDP and have had no damage issues, missing pages, or torn or folded pages. Plus, the cost per book is quite low compared to Booklocker. Still, it’s annoying to be notified of delivery and find out you need to be watching your doorstep for three or four straight days to make sure you receive your entire order.

    RE holiday packages: We don’t exchange gifts with anyone anymore, so that worry/headache is gone from our lives. My family decided years ago to donate to local charities we like in lieu of gift giving. Much more enjoyable than fretting about finding the perfect gift for someone who doesn’t need or want anything.

    Chris in Owatonna

    ***BSP** Last chance to find a unique holiday gift–a book written by yours truly–before Christmas. I’ll be at the Riverwalk Market Fair Winter Fair tomorrow from 9-1 at the Northfield Middle School on S. Division St. in Northfield. Visit me and some 30 other vendors of all sorts and browse for some unique gifts or treats for you or your loved ones. There’s always a quality musical act performing to add to the mellow festive mood. For more details, check my website’s Events page at chrisnorbury.com. ***END BSP***

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

  6. I neither ship nor receive at Christmas. I send my son money. He and his ex decide what to buy their son. He and his partner pick gifts better than I would. Same with daughter. I send money for her, husband and two children, plus granddaughter’s Christmas Day birthday. The kids pick out their presents for my daughter to buy and wrap. I ask not to receive birthday and Christmas presents, which for the most part is followed. My daughter brought me delicious homemade scones today,which suffices.
    Clyde

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

  7. Rise and Shine, Baboons,

    It appears to me that the same chaos that has overtaken some governmental systems, has overtaken the USPO, as well as private delivery companies. AI is supposed to be running a lot of that and this mess of deliveries and the constant Next Door posts about lost packages is not inspiring confidence in me.

    I have had two very heavy deliveries in the last several years. The first one I was not prepared to cope with, because in true Jacque fashion, I did not read the fine print about requesting INDOOR DELIVERY as an option. So I had to call the neighbors to help me get it in the house and unpackaged. In the end it took 5 people. Lesson learned.

    Earlier this week I ordered a treadmill for myself. I cannot get to the gym as often now, and I need more exercise, sothis was the solution. AFter the last experience, I read the fine print, checking the weight of the package and delivery options. Lou’s PCA was able to assist with a package of this weight, so this one went smoothly. That is about it. I do not send many packages.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    2. spee dee delivery from st cloud mn is an affordable ups uption for deliveries with the midwest. i just discivered i have renewed automatically for the year to get rates to send my daughters packages in chicago for cheap

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  9. We submitted change of address documents to the Dickinson Post Office before we moved. For some reason they have to send any forwarded mail to Minneapolis first, then it is sent to Luverne after that. It delays getting stuff.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. I guess that there’s no direct postal route between the two locations, and that the first port of call in Minnesota must be the cities! Maybe if your address was just over the line in SD, it’d’ve come more directly.

      Liked by 3 people

      Reply

    2. My son once worked for a company that built software to locate retail and distribution centers on the basis of delivery/sales zip codes. It seems more logical for Worthington or Windom, but Slayton may just be more central. Delivery companies have very complex software that plots delivery routes to save gas and time. The big Cabelas in Owatonna was placed there mostly with software. Look at that success.
      Clyde

      Liked by 4 people

      Reply

  11. I sent off all my packages on Sunday the 7th. Over the years I’ve had the best luck with FedEx Ground, so that’s my shipper of choice. Everything got there within the next two days (Nashville, Chicago, Portland, St. Louis and Madison). The post office however is definitely struggling this holiday season. I mailed all my cards on the day before Thanksgiving. My mom got her card on the 10th and my friend in Ohio just got his this past Tuesday!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  12. OT. I asked YA if she would like a new moniker for the Trail. She turns 31 in a month and I wasn’t sure if Young Adult was still the most appropriate. I suggested she could be MAC (My Adult Child) or AC (Adult Child). In very typical fashion she replied that it didn’t matter to her at all. (She only looks at the Trail very occasionally.) SO… she will remain YA!

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

  13. My apartment is secured. Since I’m home a lot, I frequently get buzzed for deliveries. The trusting soul I am, I’ll just open the door. There’s no place for any REAL invaders to go.

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

  14. I am Apt 101, lowest number, first in the list at the front door. I often get calls being order, cajoled, whined, or begged to let in. Or deliver people want me to tell people their delivery is here. It is not common, but say 3 times in 2 months. I do respond when people say they have locked themselves out of the people . I go down to let them in then I check out.
    Clyde

    Liked by 6 people

    Reply

  15. i deliver a lot and people on the 4th floor at the end of the hallway who order 4 cases of water two boxes of groceries and dont have access to a cart are common. the stories some of them come up sith as to why they cant meet you, cant assist and why you need to leave it at their door 1000 feet from the elevator are a good warning sign. gratuties are generally little or none.
    my daughter wont order from door dash or instacart because the 15-20 tip makes the food to expensive. i tell her 15-20 is very generous and not expected. appreciated but not expected.
    i miss sending out cards and packages . my life may allow it soon

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

Leave a comment