Jeez, good thing I use scan forms and my mailman scans them

[gurlcat]

Otherwise to the buyer it would look like I just printed the label on Wednesday then sat on it for 2 whole days.  Also if the package ends up getting delivered late, eBay would call it my fault and give me a performance strike for it.   But fortunately they do count the scan form's notation:  SHIPMENT RECEIVED ACCEPTANCE PENDING as "day 1," same as an 'Accepted' scan. 

BTW my local p.o. is usually more on the ball than this, but they do get backlogged a few times a year and not necessarily when you'd expect (it's more random). 

[bandrhome]

@gurlcat  I have a similar mailbox. I painted it aqua and stenciled on it. I DIY everything! hahaha.

[bandrhome]

@pikabo-icu  I have family from there and have a bottle of Helen ash from back in 1980? Id have to look it up.

I have pictures my brother and I at Haystack Rock from back then too. Haha

Have a very old Seattle hardcover book in my stash of crap! LOL

[roccotacodad54]

   Nice area. I used to have family meetings at silver lake near the Mt. I now live just at the beginning of the foothills on the east side of the cascades.  30 minute drive or so and I can be at an alpine lake near the the top of either Chinook or White pass with the tailgate down and a cold one open, ready to fish or just gaze and wonder and think about setting up camp.

  Far enough to not get too much snow but close enough to see elk just up the back road a little ways. 

[roccotacodad54]

   I cetainly understand people crashing into things off road. Last year a guy took out 100 feet of our front fenceline and another somehow missed our mailbox and crashed inbetween it and the front gate to the property. I keep an extra mailbox and gate up near there because it's just a matter of time. 

   Winter before last (?) 5 vehicles in the ditch out in front of our place before the Sheriff Dept. told me they were going to close the road and not to try leaving unless I didn't want to get back home for a day or two. 

[foster9]

In my 14 years of selling here, having shipped thousands of packages through USPS I have had only 1 lost package (that I am aware of) which just happened recently.

The package was not scanned at the post office where I dropped in the box (secure box).

It has been over a 4 weeks and the item still does not show scanned and has not been delivered.

I explained the situation to the buyer and maintained contact with the buyer. I decided to issue a refund and informed him if he does eventually receive the item he can keep it.

It all ended well as he left me positive feedback.

The bottom line is from now on I TAKE PACKAGES TO THE COUNTER to ensure they are scanned.

[roccotacodad54]

   Whatever you do don't break that bottle of ash. Nasty stuff (but good for the land/soil). I got curious and tasted a tiny bit on my finger tip from a a jar my father in law had, Ahh mistake! Abravive as well. I'm sure glad I wasn't here then.

   If you're curious about going back to the Oregon coast, it's still beautiful but all "Touristed up" nowdays. The days of hiking down to Sea Lion caves and roaming around like when I was a kid are gone. 

[pikabo-icu]

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@roccotacodad54 wrote:

   Whatever you do don't break that bottle of ash. Nasty stuff (but good for the land/soil). I got curious and tasted a tiny bit on my finger tip from a a jar my father in law had, Ahh mistake! Abravive as well. I'm sure glad I wasn't here then.

   If you're curious about going back to the Oregon coast, it's still beautiful but all "Touristed up" nowdays. The days of hiking down to Sea Lion caves and roaming around like when I was a kid are gone. 

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@roccotacodad54 

Did you ever see the jewelry made from stones created with the ash?

It was very pretty green. 

It was called Helenite. My husband's mom was named Helen and her birthstone was Emerald so we bought her a beautiful ring made from it. 

https://www.mt-st-helens.com/rings.html 

[gurlcat]

That's amazing!!  So an actual unique mineral, wow!   I love the 'twilight' (tanzanine violet) color too, in fact I would have a hard time choosing between that or the green.

[roccotacodad54]

   I've never seen that mineral before. Beautiful!  Thanks for posting that picture. 

Edit: I just did a quick search and all the colors are very nice. I see gifts in the future for a grandaughter that moved away with her parents.  Something from where she's from and been when she was little.

[pikabo-icu]

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@gurlcat wrote:

That's amazing!!  So an actual unique mineral, wow!   I love the 'twilight' (tanzanine violet) color too, in fact I would have a hard time choosing between that or the green.

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As a verified purple fanatic, that color is for me.. LOL

@roccotacodad54   That sounds like an amazing gift! Very thoughtful & will likely be treasured forever. 

[bashort]

I never really understood scan forms, does not really prove anything was shipped

[gurlcat]

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@bashort wrote:

I never really understood scan forms, does not really prove anything was shipped

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That's a misconception.  -eBay absolutely considers it proof of on-time shipping (that was the very point of my post, that if I hadn't gotten that scan of the form by my mailman, this package would have been counted late because the P.O. didn't do the Accepted scan until 2 days later). 

Now as for whether USPS considers it proof for filing a lost package insurance claim .... the common perception here was that they would NOT accept it as such.  But I have gotten awarded the insurance money all THREE times I filed with only a "Package received, acceptance pending" and no other scans after that.  I even posted the tracking screens and my award approval messages here.

Am I saying that is guaranteed to happen every time?  No.  I suspect it's up to the discretion of whichever USPS employee reviews the claim, and maybe I got lucky all 3 times I tried.  Do I find it kind of surprising that it's even possible to get awarded for it?  -Uh, YEAH.  I mean technically the scan really doesn't prove that the package picked up has the same tracking number as what's in the master bar code on the scan form.  A scammer could even make money from it I guess.