Post office situation...

As you know, I reported that Karen Walk's brother passed away over the weekend. Since I did not know their actual mailing address, I just listed Route 2 which I THINK is their route. Someone was kind enough to remind me in a comment that that address is not complete enough in Wichita County anymore. I'll get to that in a moment... As of right now, 2:31 p.m. CST, I have been attempting to call the Post Office for 15 minutes so that I could find out if it is allowable for an employee of the United States Postal Service to give out that kind of information. If it is and if I am ever able to get through to the post office, I will let you know their mailing address. However, over and over again, I get the busy signal.

The blog commenter asked me if I had seen all of the notes up around the post office that ask for the complete address to be written onto each envelope. The answer to that is "NO". Anyone who lives a MIMUMUM of one (1) mile from their nearest post office is allowed to put their own post office box at their home. (if you're interested, inquire more information at the post office. By the way, the delivery is FREE.) Approximately 14 years ago, I made a request to the postmaster, Casey, that I would LOVE to see mail delivered to homes. Casey had just taken over at the post office and contacted his superiors who granted him permission to set home deliveries up. Within a few days, Dick Clark, a rural mail carrier, and I drove around our part of town, did measurements, etc to see where the boundaries began for the mail delivery. Practically immediately, interested persons bought mailboxes, wooden or steel posts to put the boxes on and set them up in their yards. In those 14 years, I have noticed that people in all areas of the city now have the option of having mail delivered to their homes. There are still plenty of residents who prefer to pick their mail up at the post office even if they live a mile or more away from the P.O. (By the way, Dick has been our mailman all of those years and I can vouch that he is the BEST!!!)

Now, I want to complain! Why is it that during my tenure in Wichita County--48 years--that the Postmasters, Don French and Casey (sorry but I cannot spell his last name), managed to make sure that the mail was delivered to us even if the box number was not included on the mail and that the new postmaster can't??? I have heard from very reliable sources that mail that is sent to Leoti without a proper post office box number included on it, is THROWN AWAY. I've also been told that some of the post office employees are NOT happy about that policy.

In the past, I received a letter that was addressed as follows:

Vera Lynn Blau
Scott City, Kansas
67871

Even though it's address was not complete and was sent to Scott City instead of Leoti, Casey and Dick still managed to deliver it to our house. By the way, if you ever want to mail something to us, here is our complete address:

Stan, Lynn, Leighlyn and Abigayle Blau
703 North Second Street
Leoti, Kansas
67861

Since we want to receive your mail, PLEASE make sure that our COMPLETE address is written, typed or painted on it so that it DOES NOT end up in the post office's trashcan!!!

Folks who are not familiar with Leoti probably think that I am a stupid and ignorant witch for my feelings on this topic. If I send mail to NYC, Los Angeles or even Garden City or Scott City, I will make sure that the complete address is included. I also know that it is best for all postal workers throughout the world if the mail has complete addresses on it. But...in towns the size of Leoti where everyone knows everyone else and we DEFINITELY know each other's business, the mail is still deliverable because Leoti has always had really good postal employees who did their very best to put the mail in the right box.

Okay, I blew off some steam. I am much better now. LOL!!!

As soon as I have the Walk's address, I will get it posted for you.

Thank you!!!

VLE-B