I got an "E" for Effort, but that's about it!

Does anyone else find it terribly frustrating to put a lot of effort into something and then end up accomplishing nothing at all? Good grief, right? ugh ... ugh ... ugh & grrrrrrr!

First of all, we have been trying to apply for our visas for a few weeks now. We had everything together (application, pictures, fees, passports, etc... etc...) and then we had an unexpected delay that we caused us to have to put everything on hold.

Finally, after a couple weeks, we are able to move forward again. So I go to the post office to get all of this sent. I realize I have forgotten my purse at home. I have nothing with me, except I have $15 cash in my pocket. I wait in line and go up to the clerk and ask him how much it would be to send this envelope overnight. He said it would be $14.72.

YES! I have enough cash on me to still send it overnight like I was wanting to do. He gives me the form to fill out and the overnight envelope. I step to the side and get it all together and filled out.

I get back in line and then he puts in on the scale again.

It is now $17.45! What? He asks me if I added anything to it ... no, nothing! He figures out that it's the weight of the overnight envelope. I explain to him that I asked first how much it would be because I knew that I only had the 15 bucks on me because I forgot my purse at home, so I need to know the next fastest way to send it and how that costs.

He says, "I'll just go ahead and send it overnight and you can just owe me."

WOW, I think that's the benefit of a small town post office! Next time I am by there, you will get that money back with some interest ... Thank You!!!

Then ... the next day it dawns on me that I didn't include the pictures that are required in this overnight package! Out of the blue, I realize this and hits me like a ton of bricks. So, basically, all the hassle to get it sent overnight means nothing because then we had to send the pictures a couple days later when I realized it.

This isn't like me ... I typically make a list and check it twice or three times or more! What's crazy though is that I don't even remember thinking one time about the pictures ... not one time. I had it on the list, but it never made it to the part of my brain that processes information, I guess??? How did I just skip over that? I don't get it. Well, I go and get those sent .. with only a little bit of hassle. Nothing compared to the 'norm' lately - which I am hoping won't be the 'norm' for long ... but to continue ...

Next, I receive a card in the mail and I notice that it has a $.41 & a $.01 stamp on it ... I think, hmmm did postage go up to $.42? Surely not, I usually know about this as much as we send mail.
I go to the post office today to send a package to some dear friends overseas and I happen to think to ask the clerk if postage has gone up to $.42 ...



Yep, you probably all know that it is definitely $.42!

So, I ask this clerk what will happen to the mail that I just sent last week that only had a $.41 stamp on it ... she said it could be returned for postage, but most likely it will just be delivered as postage due.



Oh good grief, so the Get Well Card I sent, will have a big "Postage Due" stamped across the envelope?

And the Thank You Card I sent to a couple who were so caring and helped us so much will also have a huge "Postage Due" stamped across the envelope?

No, please, no!!!

I finally rationalize with myself that for one penny they probably have some kind of 'curve time' to give people a chance to catch up with the new rate and they won't be so harsh to the mail I've sent ... it's only one penny!

Then as I am sitting at my desk a couple hours later, I happen to look more closely at the stamps I used to send the said mail.

They are only $.27 stamps!

I used our postcard stamps to send regular mail on top of not even having the right stamp!

Are you kidding me???? I. give. up.

Why is it that seemingly small things like this just can completely throw me over the edge?

Big things, like my husband falling out of tree, I can handle well ... at least mostly ... but these kinds of things totally wear me out!!!!

Unbelievable.

So, now I am quite sure that my trying-to-show-that-we-care-a-lot-even-though-we-are-far-away Get Well Card will certainly not look so thoughtful with it most definitely being stamped "postage due" for the now $.15 that's due.

And the we-really-appreciate-your-thoughtfulness-and-care-towards-us Thank You Card will arrive needing money to be received ...

I do understand now the point behind Forever Stamps.



That will be all we have from now on ...

Well, all I can say is I tried. I tried my best ... but came up way short on both accounts. And there are actually a couple other situations that I could include in this post (think oldest child getting the stomach flu at a public place ... ewwwww!!!) that happened during this same time period ...

BUT I won't focus on any of this. The cup is half FULL!

It does, though, make me really appreciate days that go smoothly ...