This design for this wrap started with the yarn as do so many designs.
My delightful introduction to Blue Mule Fibers
Unfortunately, Blue Mule was out of it in the base that I wanted to use, Xtra Fine. They offered me lots of lovely alternatives, but I had fallen for this colourway. No other would do. I also fell in love with Bonnie Parker to combine with it. I thought that Lonesome Dove, being Lonesome, needed a companion (but more on that is another post), and who better than Bonnie Parker.
Being a wonderful, accommodating pair, Blue Mue Fibers dyed the colourway and shipped it that weekend. I anxiously followed its fast progress across the US all the way to Mississauga, Ontario.
Stuck at the Border
Where my package sat. And waited.
At home, I sat. And waited.
After a few days, I called Canada Post to see what the holdup was.
My Not-So-Delightful Interactions with Canada Post
They told me that customs had it and would not release it. They (Canada Post) has no authority over it. They suggested that I reorder the yarn and have it sent again if I wanted it anytime soon. I explained that I had paid for expedited delivery and so was expecting expedited delivery. I also mentioned that I needed it before leaving the country for an extended trip. The “customer service” person’s response was that I should have ordered it sooner and not left it to the last minute. Uh. OK.
After I got off the phone with Canada Post, I called customs. Customs told me that they did not have the package, that they were not holding it nor would they have any reason to do so. They also told me that Canada Post was a week behind at the facility where my package was being sorted. THAT was the reason for the delay.
Because I knew I wasn’t going to get anywhere with Canada Post, I gave them a few more days and then gave them another call.
I pleasantly explained the situation and was given exactly the same answer as before. The package was being held by customs and there was nothing that poor, helpless Canada Post could do about it. I needed to be patient. And the delivery was still within delivery standards for a regular package.
I explained that:
- the package shipped via express and that I was looking at the US Mail webpage proving it
- I had called customs and they were NOT holding the package
- that I knew they were a week behind at that shipping facility
The person on the other end assured me that the package was not sent express and I insisted on my end that it was.
The Canada Post employee suggested that I take this up with the shipper as they must not have sent the package by express shipping. I countered by reading the exact working from the US Mail tracking site which stated that the package had been shipped express.
Gads! this was so frustrating and was getting me nowhere.
No matter what I said, this person immediately shifted the blame to everyone but Canada Post! Argh.
At this point, I was about ready to be “Going Postal.” Luckily,
I knit so I don’t kill people!
So no postal workers were harmed.
Clearly, this was not helping.
So, I ended the call. Politely (I know, it took a lot of self-discipline at that point).
Or was it?
What Finally Happened
About an hour after I got off the phone this second time, the package miraculously “cleared customs.” It was finally on its way!
And it had only taken two weeks to get here! As opposed to the three days that it was supposed to take.
I wonder if I had not made those phone calls, would the package still be languishing in Mississauga? We will never know!
And . . . how the joke became the name
