Unique To Snail Mail

 I know people who  just don't send mail any more. I understand why, say, bill paying is much easier online, or by ACH payments directly from your bank or credit union. But call me a (proud) Geezer, I won't mind, but I still believe in sending snail mail... some times.

Yes, even after all the problems we had in the last few months.

I had to send out a letter today, which contained one notarized copy of a document and two plain copies for reference once the notarized copy got sent further on to serve its use. I actually managed to find one* envelope in all the stuff still jumbled up in odd locations after the move, awaiting more energy for organizing stuff.** A return address label would have been nice, but it's one of those things we just hadn't gotten around to yet. It's a task which might have waited till long enough to make our holiday cards wait until into the next year before getting sent. 

So today was just a timely reminder.

At least I still have an abundance of stamps. I tend to buy a lot for the annual big mailing, and maybe use one or two in between. Today's stamp was an otter sliding down the snow. Don't ask what year those were printed. Forever is forever. I still have more recent ones as well. We'll see if those combined are enough to get us through this holiday. A bunch of them can still be hand delivered when I know I'll see people then.

After consultation with Steve, it was decided to print out address labels with both our names on them, so either of us can use them. Being the main shopper, I set out to find something. I've bought labels many times, usually with checks, but after forgetting with whom, eBay was my starting place. They are generously stocked with rolls and sheets of blank stick-on print-your-own labels, requiring software I don't possess. Nor do I want to. Steve and I both had the idea in our minds of the ones we used to love, having several national parks as background scenes for the printing already in place upon delivery of the labels.

It finally dawned on me that I ordered those with matching checks, and googled check printers. Eureka! Checks Unlimited! DUH! How do you forget them? (OK, I know, old age, stress, ye-e-e-ears since the last order....) They even still have the same labels, Hooray! A bit of trial and error showed we were limited to three lines, so I combined data differently, and got it all into the space allotted.  Not necessarily keen to have to repeat this process, I put in a double order, for 400 of them. If necessary in years to come, I'm sure we'll get periodic reminders of who they are and what they offer, now that they have our new address.

It might take as long as 4 weeks to get the new labels. Plenty of time for the holiday cards! Heck, unlike most years we don't even have the photos picked out for this years cards. Most years I pick it out the minute I see it, no matter what time of year. Now Steve has been picking some out as well. Some time this fall we'll start that process. Getting the cards printed out is a whole 'nother nightmare, best postponed as long as possible. The stores change the software in their machines every single year!

At least stamps and labels will be plentiful.

*Note to self: buy envelopes!

** Note to self #2: Store them some place you'll remember!