that's really weird, Kim..maybe Dan can help you on this one..

I have never had a problem, but have recieved a bubblie about a month after it was postmarked and mailed. Not sure just where it had been stored' all that time.

Have you mentioned anything to your postmaster? Suppose there could be some funny business somewhere?...as I know it does happen someplaces, sometimes. I think one member said her 'sub' carrier was a problem and mail was found stored in his vehicle.

Have you maybe asked your carrier about it? Maybe ask him, and let him/her know you are going to also check with the Postmaster as to where your mail is going.

Here's the other weird thing, I received a bubble envie yesterday (Sunday!) with no return address and NO postal marking! It had a postage stamp, but only one... and nothing from the post office! I know I didn't trade with any of my neighbors.
I have never heard of Sunday delivery...is it common in your area? hmmm...wonder if some carrier might be playing catch up or something? I'd also ask the Postmaster about that Sun del, and show him the envy you received. Something must be 'happening' in your area and maybe he will have a clue. Was there anything inside the envy?

Sue

Sue,

We do not get Sunday mail... at all. The envelope was addressed to me but had obviously not been processed by the PO. There were seeds in the envelope, much like any I've sent or received myself. Some celosia, zinnia, and daisies. They were labeled and all, but I've not traded any one person for those items. I did do a trade a bit ago for Celosia, but it arrived over a week ago. I looked through my emails and have not found a "missing" trade to match it with. I'm going to hopefully be able to catch my carrier today, it is just so bizarre!

Kim

Just wanted to say lots of my trades have not been processed by the PO for some reason.The envelopes are from my traders and if you didn't know better you would think they drove from many states away and hand delivered them to my mailbox.Its probably just the PO not processing them.I would say out of every five envelopes four of them have not been processed or whatever the term is.Debbie

i had tons of proublems when i lived in town. it was the carrier not the PO, she tossed the wrong mail in boxes or even just tossed them out on the ground, one of the neighbors complained about her n she called the neighbor n cussed em out! it took the PO awile before doing anything about her.
also your pk could of slid under a seat or somthing n they dont know.
i sent a pk to tx last year, with a dc# the # said it was at her PO well over a month! i had to call my PO who then called her PO, they tried to say they didnt have it, but she got it the next day with dust n cobwebs all over it,
calling you PO is the best bet to do, they cant fix a proublem if they dont know they have one :)

Here are few possibilities about what could be happening.
If you live in a rural area, someone may be getting into your mailbox, removing the seeds, and going their merry way. No one is able to monitor their mailbox 24/7, and that so-called "Sunday delivery" tells me that someone other than you and your postman is getting into your mailbox. That's a federal felony.
Another possibility is that there is a new carrier or sub on your route, and they are having trouble matching your mailbox to your mail. Some reasons as to why this happens is duplicate numbers on a route, a vacant box before yours in the line of delivery, similar numbers with another mailbox on your street (for example, 3669 Maple can often easily be confused with 3699 Maple), inability to find your box, and the list goes on.
The best way to solve this is to speak with your regular carrier about the problem. A sub can't fix anything, no matter how good they are. Usually speaking with the regular carrier will fix most problems. If this doesn't work, call your post office, ask for the delivery supervisor, and CALMLY discuss the problem WITH them. A raised voice, yelling, and talking TO them will get you nowhere.
Also, check your bubblie before it goes out. Is the address legible and complete? You'd be surprised how often they're not, and we have no idea what to do with the item. Is your return address on the item? Those are very important because, if we have questions, we have to know who to ask. Is it 13 ounces or more? Everything that is 13 ounces or more, and has stamps for postage, not a meter strip, has to be taken to a post office to be mailed. No exceptions.
It sounds like there's a simple, consistent solution to this problem, you're just gonna have to find out what it is. Ask questions of your regular carrier. It would be a good idea to have one of your bubblies available for your carrier to look at.
Let me know what happens.

-Dan, the Mailman

make sure the weight is right, go to the po and get it done, i do that all the time. also make sure your numbers are on your mailbox, and someone is getting into your mailbox. helping themselves to your mail. hmmmm a little detective work is in order.

hubs said that you shouldn't mail from your home because of identity theft and such. they say you should get one of those po boxes. but we always mail from the the po. although we have a po box so we have no choice, i'm kinda funny about them blue mailboxes you see all over. cuz people can still get into them if they want into them bad enough. in my opinion. ummm coming from living in a big city in a bad part of town. LOL

Kim,

I'm wondering if someone swiped a couple of them...and then left the one Sunday...with some things in it they didn't want. For it to appear in your box on Sun, someone is screwing with your mail.

hubs said that you shouldn't mail from your home because of identity theft and such.
If I didn't mail from home, my mail wouldn't go out but once every 2-3 weeks...as I am in the boonies and make no unnecessary trips to town.

Sue

that's where i wanta be!! ohhhh your so lucky Sue!!! i'm so jeaolous!!!! :')))) LOL he does the cop thing so....ya know i'm stuck with that!!! its so ruling my life....errrrr!!!!!

Well here's more thoughts and info:

I waited around and spoke with my carrier yesterday, he said that he isn't my "regular" and that she'd be here today. So I will try and talk to her and see what she says. After that I'll call around to whomever needs calling. Dan, I don't get irrational and yell on the phone... so no worries! I've worked in service industries, I know not to yell at someone, especially when it isn't their fault personally.

Now, our house is at a T intersection with the incoming road ending in front of us. People enter the neighborhood on that road. So we are in a high traffic situation, for a small neighborhood anyway, and a ton of people walk around in the evenings. So for someone to get into our mail is possible, and it may go unnoticed by neighbors (none of which have a great view of our box). The Sunday envelope is what made me wonder, and then I started hearing that things weren't arriving.

Now, none of my envies weigh more than a couple of ounces and I always use three stamps (more than needed). I've many times received envelopes from SASBEs I've done with 4 times anything I've sent out and less stamps. So that shouldn't be the issue. as far as labeling, I have good handwriting and an OCD streak so I doubt that I'd have ever let something leave this house illegible or missing something (and certainly not consistently!). Now let my boyfriend label something and we'd have a problem... lol... no one can read that... not even him!

I have successfully received every trade I'm supposed to, plus SASBEs... so the problem is not with my getting anything. My mailbox is clearly marked, and we aren't having delivery problems. I started taking my trades to the PO myself to see if they go through that way, and I'm waiting to hear back from those people. But honestly the problem has to be here, someone must be taking things. I hate to be so negative, but unfortunately it must be the case.

I'm going to talk to my carrier today, and I'm thinking about leaving an envelope in the box tomorrow with a note to the potential thief. I'll put it in a bubble envie like the seeds, and put the little flag up on my box... and I'll see if someone takes it. I'll either tell the carrier to leave it there tomorrow and/or address it to my parents house so it doesn't matter if it gets mailed. I'm just wondering if I can get through to them... maybe if its a kid they can be scared into stopping. Because if the person gets caught they could be in quite a bit of trouble.

So the mystery continues... *sigh*

Hi Kim,

What a frustrating situation!

Last year I lived in a questionable location in a big city, and I had mail disappear as well. One day I even saw some guy stumbling up and down the street checking random boxes, obviously NOT a mailman.

Anyway, I don't know if these suggestions are useful, but
1) I know that the USPS advertises for package pick-up that you can request online. You could find out options or whether this might apply. (It may be just for larger items.)
2) On occasion when I wanted to ensure that a certain item would be picked up and not stolen, instead of gambling I would tape a sign to the mailbox for the postal worker, asking him/ her to knock for pick-up (when I could plan to be home). No one has seemed to mind since it was warranted and not too often.
3) If the problem persists, maybe getting the type of mailbox that attaches to the outside of your house, on your porch may be a deterrent since it would require a thief to take longer and more obviously trespass. Or you could consider the slot-in-the-door option, although I don't know where outgoing mail would go in that case. I hope you don't have to go to such lengths to end your problem, but it is an option!

Anyway, good luck!

man i'd be tempted to video tape, and set a bunch of them "seed" ones in there, fake of course, and see if that person comes again, if they do, well you've got them on camcord, you know who it is, leave the note in, then if you want to use your evidence you can. :')) but i'd put the note in every envi you put in the mailbox. people just make me mad. when we got back from the hospital (from having talla) my sister sent a dress for talla, i never recieved it. someone stole it. after that i was soooooo fricken pissed that i went and got a po box and never went back. LOL its only like 4 blocks away and i get my mail at 8 in the morning versus 3-4 in the afternoon. so i'm much happier!! especially when i'm getting my trades and my round robin boxes!! LOL but yep that's what i'd do LOL good luck!! :'))

I know that the USPS advertises for package pick-up that you can request online.
That is for Priority Mail ( 1 LB minimum $4.80)only...not First Class, as trades and Bubblies go.

Kim...I'm waiting with bated breath, in anticipation of hearing what you found out.

Sue

i know, i keep coming back here to see whats been found out!! LOL we are so bad!! and curious!! almost like cats!! LOL need some string??? LOL

Hey Kim,just wanted you to know that I got your email and sent a reply. This is a very strange situation! How crazy is receiving an envy of seeds you didn't trade for! Anyway,dont worry too much it will work out I am sure! :)

Forget the string, give me some bubble-wrap! My cat Bump discovered bubble-wrap yesterday and had a field day with it!
I wanted to pop all those bubbles!!! GRRRRR!!!

Didn't get to catch my carrier today, but I left her a note. I will speak with her tomorrow for sure, I'll mostly be working outside... in the yard and on the car. I know I can arrange pickup for packages, but I'm just going to the closest PO... it is a block away (if the weather were nicer I'd walk).

As far as getting a different mailbox, I'm going to... but only because I hate mine. I don't think (Dan may fill in here) you can put one by your door if you're in a neighborhood where they are on the street. In fact, my parents neighborhood has them at the doors and houses that undergo major construction have to move theirs permanently to the street... odd I know. But its easier on the carriers I suppose, since they can drive up and don't have to park and walk door to door. I live with the UPS guy... and I know the heat beats him up.

I've considered taping, I have a very nice professional digital video camera (overkill for this I know) and I may as well put it to use... lol. I thought about baiting the box and recording while I'm not home, or park my car somewhere so it looks like I'm not home and stake it out... lol... how silly this is!

I tell you what though, if I catch someone on video I will allow them to get in some trouble. I don't think I'd press charges or anything, but certainly scare them into stopping all this mail thievery! It is serious business to mess with another persons mail, and a gardeners seeds to make it worse!

Well, I'll update again tomorrow... if I'm feeling Nancy Drew in the morning maybe I'll try and set up to catch someone. I could always pull the car around back to work on it and then leave the camera running. It would appear I'm not home... hmmm... that's a thought.

We'll see... on with the saga!

man im so anxious to see!! LOL i'm DEFINATELY checking back in!! LOL :'))

I'm feeling feisty this morning... so I'm up for the battle. But it looks a bit like rain, which we sooooooooo... OOOOOOOOOOO need. I mean really need. If it rains I doubt anyone is going to try and steal my mail. Hell, I doubt the postal worker wants to take it in the rain!

About a month ago (the least time it rained... lol) we had such heavy rain that I had to take Derek (my other half) a change of clothes on his lunch break... the man in brown was very very soggy... lol.

okay Kim, you have all of us tuned in...what happened today?

Yeah Kim!!! Tell us! Tell us!...lol...

OMG - Tell us please before we all pee our pants!

:)
Diana

I came in to take a break and check this thread...and not necessarily in that order....Welllll.....

Sue

MY goodness gal!! already!! how many times do i have to come back here and see nothing!!!???@@!!!! LOL i'm on pins and needles here and yes i know curiosity killed the cat!! thank goodness i'm not a cat!! LOL Heee Heee LOL **big grinn**

Sorry, I've been gardening... you know... that thing that made us all come here in the first place! Lol...

Well, I spoke with my carrier and I'm baiting the thief tomorrow. So assuming it isn't her (I certainly would hope not) I'm leaving a dummy bubble envelope with a note in it. I'm also going to try my hardest to keep an eye on things... I may even go ahead and set up that camera.

I am determined to find my culprit!

The carrier said that she hasn't noticed anyone around the neighborhood or my house messing with boxes, but she was going to see if anyone else had any complaints and get back to me. If the letter is still in there when she arrives she's going to leave it... and I'll probably do it again the next day.

So no major developments, just plans for tomorrow...

I am so amused at what the response to this thread has become... lol. I just thought I'd put it out there and kind of ponder/vent about the issue... I didn't know my mailbox was going to become the scene of the crime in a great mystery thread... lol.

We'll see.

How 'bout a question... if/when I find who's doing it... what should I do about it. What would you do about it? Of course situations dictate response in a way... is it a kid... teen... adult. You know...

Looking forward to reading your thoughts!

Kim

if/when I find who's doing it... what should I do about it.
I can't say what 'you' should do...due to circumstances...but if anyone did that to me, I would definitely being reporting it to the authorities....local law, and then I would think that they would take care of the situation. Mail tampering is a Federal Offense I believe...including mail box destruction.

I would also report it to the link below.

I get so tired of YAYHOOs bashing my rural box about once a year. I buy the absolutely cheapest I can find, as it likely will not last a year and will get bashed. Occasionally I even find then at a yard sale or a flea market for a buck or two. Once someone shot it with a shotgun. I heard the shot, and ties squealing. I also find burnt up firecrackers once in a while. I just wish the folks that did such things would 'get a life'. I try and keep an extra mailbox or two in stock, to have handy when needed, so I won't have to make an extra trip to town to buy one when it gets destroyed.

Sue...upset with mail and mailbox tampering.

Here is a link that might be useful: US Postal Inspection service.

seee i think the po is kinda rediculous, they tell you you cant do certain things with your mailbox and such. move it and such. but its YOUR responsibility to replace it if it gets screwed up. just like the sidewalks, its on YOUR property. BUT if it gets ice on it its YOUR responsibility to clean it. and the place between the sidewalk and the road is YOUR responsibility to keep mowed even though its NOT yours. now how dumb is that?? and the ditches NOT yours ummmm who has to mow it?? YOU. MEDO who hates rules and regs!!!!! always benefitting others!!! "the powers that be"

I agree medo... it is utter silliness.

In keeping with the "who needs grass theme" of the Serial Gardener... I'm thinking of lasagna-ing off that little strip of hell between the sidewalk and the road and putting some sort of easy ground cover.

I give the middle finger to grass and the "powers that don't take care of it but own it"

In other news I'm going to be dumping a bunch of wildflower seed in the median across from my house... seems "they" don't want to take care of it... and I'm sick of looking at it.

Oh... and if my sidewalk ever managed to get ice on it... I'd be positively giddy to shovel it or scrape or salt... or whatever you do to ice. But it'll never happen... lol

Curses! They didn't go for it! *sigh*

I'm actually going to go out and put it in again this afternoon, because sometimes when they disappeared I had put them in the evening before so I didn't have to while rushing off to work super early.

Oh well... and I was so excited to see if I could find them... I kept looking out... Depressing really.

because sometimes when they disappeared I had put them in the evening before so I didn't have to while rushing off to work super early.

hmmmm...so then if they do take the bait, you won't have then videotaped in the dark...right?

ohhhh and you kept looking out too. i bet it's a younger kid, teens. that would be crazy if it was a woman,!!! ohhh my i wonder who has something growing in the neighborhood??? hmmmm....twould be vedddy veddy intreddsting!!! LOL yep its a night crawler!! i'd be talking to the night people!! they'd know!! ohhhhh but what if its them!!! hmmmmm....... LOL that's like i ordered all these carrying thingi's for m 4" pots, so sometimes some are empty, then i get ticked, then i think some little freak stole them, then i get to thinking, hmmmm did i plant them, hmmm....did i really?? i just don't really remember to much sometimes!! LOL ya'd think i'd remember, i mean hubs say's if it ain't related to plants she won't remember!!! LOL sad but true, :')) LOL

No video last night Sue, but the envie was there this morning. The camera has been on since around 6 though, so we'll see if we catch anything today. I'm so tempted to check it all the time, but I don't want to seem obvious in case they are around. If it comes mail time (around 1-2 for me) again and it hasn't been taken I'll put it out again later this afternoon. I'm sure to put my little flag thing up to indicate its there also... lol.

I wish they'd bite already. Funny thing is, I don't know that they actually want the seeds... no one around here really gardens. One of the houses down the street even covered the whole yard with crushed shell. The house looks like a cotton candy pink gingerbread house too, and they painted the driveway green. No other house around looks like it though, thank god.

Oh... there's also the house around the corner with the grass growing inside. I'll try and take some photos... its funny. I don't even want much grass outside, let alone in.

It's a new week, any new developments Kim?

Diana

HA!!!

Mystery solved!!!

I got home about a half hour ago from a late night Wal-Mart run (got sunburned to hell driving with my cars top down all the way to Miami and back on Saturday and I needed some Aloe with Lidocaine... regular wasn't helping) Anyway...

I got home and stuck out the bait envelope, though no one was around and I didn't expect any activity tonight. Well, I changed and put my magical blue potion on... and I set about getting the cat inside for the night. Looked out back, looked out front... out back... back to the front and wouldn't ya know... someone is walking briskly away from my yard... twas a guilty walk.

So I start calling excuse me... and no response... I start briskly following (in PJ pants from Christmas, a tank top from middle school and fuzzy slippers). Down the street I go... I have no shame. Finally they stop and I see that its a girl that lives three houses down from me, the mentally handicapped girl that lives three doors down. *sigh*

Well, she had the envelope. She told me she had been taking them and apologized.

Here's the deal... she walks all day every day in the same pattern, over and over and over again... we all know it... and we're all used to seeing her walk around all the time (she's up before me in the morning and goes til dusk). So I didn't think much about it since she's harmless and is always around. She used to leave my boyfriend pictures and drawings all the time, she's sweet... just a bit off. I'm not sure what exactly her situation is, never cared to ask... I just take it as it is. I work with autistic children, so I have patience for special needs individuals.

She found one of my envelopes one day because the mailbox was open, she knew that it had bubbles inside and likes to pop them. So she took it home. Then she kept coming back and checking for more. She says that she kept all the seeds and notes, and that she'll return them along with the envelopes tomorrow. I trust she will, and I'm going to speak with her older brothers that take care of her. She was very sorry, so I'm not going to report her... just make sure she understands she can't do that.

Not the outcome I expected, but hopefully all my missing things will be returned to me and I can get the stuff sent out that I couldn't. Some people I already replaced the missing seeds for, and some I didn't have anymore of the type in question to replace with.

So there we go... my thief was an innocent bubble popper gone wrong.

Kim

PS... she started to cry when I told her we'd have to talk to her brothers about it, she doesn't want to get in trouble. I'm going to make sure that she isn't, and I'm also going to take her some bubble wrap I have leftover from a recent ebay purchase. Hopefully this will mark the end of the seed heist era.

Aww kim...what about giving her a pack of seeds, and letting her grow them ? Maybe something simple like marigolds...might give her a focus ?

I am so glad it wasnt someone just "stealing" and that you found out what was going on..

I know she caused you a lot of inconvienence, but I am so glad it was just her..and an innocent mistake !

So glad the mystery is solved.

Here's the other weird thing, I received a bubble envie yesterday (Sunday!) with no return address and NO postal marking! It had a postage stamp, but only one... and nothing from the post office! I know I didn't trade with any of my neighbors.
Well, I guess in a way you did. I guess she left that package for you, or did you ask?

Yes...I think a little gift of some bubble wrap, and some easy seeds would be nice. I wonder how she 'chose' which ones to return to you...and wonder which trade they were from that was coming into you. Did she mention what she did with the seeds from your envies, or did you not go into all that standing there in your jammies and fuzzy slippers...LMAO picturing you out like that.

Sue

I forgot to ask about the Sunday delivery. She did say that she had everything and would give it all back. I thought about asking her if she'd like to come help me in the garden. I'm putting in new beds (since there were none) and I'm doing a veggie garden. Maybe I can give her a small spot of her own to grow things in.

flwrs4ever, I'm glad it was innocent too. I wasn't mad at all, actually kind of relieved that it was something like that and not malicious. Now I know it will stop and I don't have to always be worried about my mail.

I'll stop by her house when I get home from work today, I have some extra flower/veg/herb packets I was using for SASBEs... I'll take her one and offer to help her grow some stuff. Maybe it'll interest her and give her something else to do instead of just walking. Walking may be good for you, but gardening is good for the soul, and she may be able to use something creative like that to look forward to.

Oh... and Sue... of only you could have seen how rediculous I looked. Not only was it Jammies, but my sunburn is in a really weird pattern/shape and it was showing because of the tank top. Oh I looked a mess I tell you.

wow Kim! I'm glad your mystery is solved, and in what looks like a positive way for you and the girl! Maybe helping her learn about gardening will give her a better focus, and possibly change her life.
When I was growing up, there was a boy attending the same church who had Down's Syndrome. I didn't know it, but he was only 3 days younger than me. I was scared of him because he was "strange" and abusive physically and verbally. When we were about 15 or so, we worked together for awhile during a spring Church clean-up day, hauling broken up cement. While I worked with Billy, I got to know him, and he got to know me better. After that day, we'd sit together in church, at picnics, wherever we were. To this day, he always puts a smile on my face and a laugh in my heart. He's no longer abusive, but has become a regular ray of sunshine. He still has his bad moments, and his mother will call me sometimes so I can talk to him and settle him down for her. She says I was his first real friend, and that I've made a difference in his life. But, the real person whose life was changed was mine. Sometimes I hear my name across the restaurant, grocery store, or department store. And, I don't even have to see him coming to know that I'm about to get a hug from Billy, and that my day just got 100% better.
So, my advice to you? Enjoy your new friend. It's only going to be a good thing. For both of you.

Dan

We're putting in a new veggie garden today, and I'm building a small planting box to the side just for her. I told her she can grow flowers... veggies... whatever she'd like. Hopefully it will give her something neat to do.

Also... I got almost all of my seeds back... and now I've re-mailed packets to those poor patient souls that were bearing with me through the mystery.

Thank goodness all those incomplete trades will finally be done. I don't like having things just sitting open like that.

And now... I'm off to pickup manure... yay!

Kim, I was just reading about your saga. I'm glad it was resolved peacefully. I think offering to garden with the girl is a great idea. I hope she takes you up on it.

Becky

So please explain why you aren't responding to my emails and to the emails of several OTHERS who have tried to contact you? I've sent 4 emails and you have never responded to a single one. Why? Why? Why? Folks, don't fall for this Bravo Sierra. Read the Rate & Review Forum to see how many people have sent emails but didn't get a response.