Post/deliveries

Nobody should be put under unnecessary strain at this juncture, especially if ebay sellers are parcelling up items that aren't particularly necessary putting a strain on everyone.

The local post office near to me has now closed indefinitely as has the ATM outside it. I don't know how the locals are getting their pensions if they've relied on the post office. Maybe their families are helping out.
There are possibly collections of post as the postbox isn't yet sealed.

The only mail I received yesterday was two bills. The senders obviously thought they were essential!

My daughter also received a flier in her mail, for a local undertakers, offering 10% discount if you booked your funeral before 30th April.

The only thing I’ve ordered since the shutdown is cat litter, which is fairly essential as we have indoor cats.

Again it is a case of common sense that sadly doesn't seem to factor in so many people's minds.
Before this all happened I used to visit two 96yr old ladies (one on Mon, the other Wed) through Church ministry. Neither of them want or have access to tech so I cannot email or send ecards. One has a speech problem and both are hard of hearing so phoning is difficult.
I have been phoning each of them once each week and also have been posting each of them a notelet or card once a week. (The envelope is dealt with appropriately on arrival I promise!)
It is the only contact I can give them. They both really miss the weekly visits and my fear is that, virus connected or not, there is a reasonable chance that one or both could possibly die of natural causes during this restricted time, due to age and general health.
Personally I feel this is good use of the postal system - however I have noticed several courier delivery vans going to other addresses in our road.
Can they really be ordering essential goods?
Have they not considered the overstretched workers?
Sadly it seems not.

Bohoo/pretty little things workers say internet orders are up 3 or 4 fold and are asking where the hell people think theyre going to be wearing sequined jackets too thats worth them being unable to self isolate

Unfortunately everyone has reasons why THEIR orders are ESSENTIAL (I dont mean you fourormore)

Our post has been working very well so far. 3 letters/cards posted last post arrived the next morning . However I know that like everyone they are very short staffed so it is inevitable that the post will slow down and they've been tasked to deliver thousands of covid19 testing kits.

It works both ways though, if we don't use it, we lose it.
The junk mail seems to get through. The companies pay a good deal for the service. I never know how often the post arrives because it is mostly bills and fliers.

SueDonim that is awful(ly funny)

Thanks for your caviat notanan !!!
I should have also added that, obviously, if we are ever told not to post anything non-essential I would of course stop.
Speaking on the phone is interesting to say the least - all the neighbours know when I'm phoning them
Gosh it's hard work though and at least with a notelet they can re-read them.
We too are getting the junk and the free newspapers!

The junk mail coming now was ordered weeks ago, people keep using that as an excuse to not also help my using it less.

No we arent "supporting" them and keeping them in business: Homebase, boohoo, RM.. are all struggling with all of the EXTRA deiveries

What about birthday cards? I could e Mail a greeting to nephew and niece whose birthdays are coming up, but don’t want to seem a cheapskate, I always send them one usually.

They are grown up, in their 40’s, not children!

We have been phoning & messaging instead of posting cards. Which IMO is more personal anyway.

I honestly dont know why some rellies who never phone us send us biannual cards. Prefer a chat any day

I love posting and receiving cards and letters. If we can no longer do that, it would be a terribly sad day. So I am with you
Calendargirl

Emails are fine for most things but there is nothing as special as a handwritten and often handmade card, is there.

Well it IS a sad day.
And we need to find other sources of cheer as the warehouse/sorting house people are not coping!

That’s what I meant I suppose. Just feel this year is different, and not put extra work on the post. They must have lots of staff off sick etc.

The problem is, it would be hard/challenging enough to impliment social distancing at the sorting/warehouse work places if they were just dealing with their normal volumes, but in some cases deliveries have increased 4 fold, making it utterly impossible.

And it is all the more galling for them when it is trivial/frivilous things they are risking their lives to deliver

I had no idea you were only supposed to be posting essential things. I haven't heard this at all but I suppose it makes sense. I've posted 2 birthday cards and ordered more Amazon stuff than usual. I'll stop now I know.

I’m setting myself up for flack here but absolutely nowhere in the government guidance does it say that we can only buy essential goods online!

Many nurseries and small traders have switched their business online to try to stay afloat. Many couriers are self employed and need the trade!

Postal services are fairly automated and I get that there will be delays because staffing levels are down but, and it’s a big but, we need to use it or loose it!

We’re actually supposed to do our ‘non essential’ shopping online because it can be delivered safely to those in isolation at home.

Companies that can’t manage the demand have become adept at putting limits and messages on their websites. If we choose to refrain from buying anything online we’re potentially harming more people than we need to.

Our local RM delivery office has a huge number of staff off work because they're self-isolating, so that doesn't help!

Mamissimo

^"absolutely nowhere in the government guidance does it say that we can only buy essential goods online!

Many nurseries and small traders have switched their business online to try to stay afloat. Many couriers are self employed and need the trade!"^

Thank you for that. I thought I'd missed something as I was reading this thread.

Good point about businesses switching to online sales.
E.g. John Lewis has completely closed their bricks&mortar stores for the duration and has concentrated on online sales.(So I keep getting all sorts of inventive virus/lockdown-related solicitations from them. )

I'm buying only what I need. Which is very little to nothing apart from supermarket food. I can't imagine why people are buying so much stuff - unless the non-essential sellers have sales on?

What I love about this lockdown is NO POST!
No useless flyer and no stuff to sort out!
(I'm tempting fate, aren't I? What's the betting come Monday morning there'll be a sackload... )

Gramaretto, we laughed, too! Talk about picking your moment.

I’ve sent cards to my GC this week. I figured it would be automatically dealt with and not cause a huge kerfuffle. It gave the GC’s parents five minutes peace and quiet while their little ones looked at what I’d sent and read the message. When I dropped the cards into the letter box, it sounded as though it was pretty empty anyway.