And so on…

The only resolution I got from meeting with my postmaster is that he admits that the software on the kiosk leads people to choose the incorrect postage because basically there is no such thing as a large envelope any more – anything other than paper in an envelope will cause it to be judged as a parcel by my post office regardless of how thin/thick the envelope is.  So, even though the software on the kiosk pictures an envelope that looks like mine as as a “large envelope,” I should click on the picture of the the boxes that look nothing like my large envelope and choose parcel when I mail large envelopes.  :p  

The postmaster even went over to the machine with me and agreed that if he were a regular customer he would have selected everything I did, but he still feels fine about holding up mail to charge more postage because of the USPS’ outdated software programming.  Some days I wish I were a lawyer…

 On a more positive note, I got some more dishcloths done:

This set went to April at 2Peas:

E has been having a hard time at summer school lately – I’m not sure why.  His teacher called me yesterday so that I could talk with him because he was crying that he wanted to see me.  We’re not sure why.  This is the first time that he and S have been in the same school for over a year and they are rewarding E for staying on task and completing his work with being able to go to S’s classroom and visit him.  I love how much E loves his brother. 

Dishcloths & the U.S. Postal Service – Vent

I was thrilled that my dishcloths went quickly the other night – I hope that everyone enjoys them.     I was *not* thrilled however, when 3 of the envelopes I mailed out came back to me with notes from the USPS that I needed to pay more postage. 

 Given that I have two boys with autism who make waiting in line a chore at best, pure torture for everyone on most days, it was a g-dsend for me when my local USPS put in a 24 hour electronic kiosk where you can weigh and purchase postage for envelopes and packages to be mailed in the U.S.  I’ve been using it for over a year with no problems.  Until the latest hike and changes in rates and regulations – it appears as if they haven’t updated their software and I am going to pay for it with extra postage, slower shipping as they return things to me, and poor customer reviews for slow shipping. 

I posted 3 packages after the kids went to bed Thursday night, and then went back while they were in summer school yesterday morning and posted 3 more using the kiosk and then dropped them in the slot at that post office.  The three that I posted Thursday night all came back, but I reposted and mailed out again yesterday.  I don’t know whether or not the three I posted yesterday will come back or not – I’ll find out today or Monday, I guess. 

 I’m furious with the USPS.  I used *their* machine.  I selected “large envelope” which is the correct category.  I used their scale.  Used their printed postage lable.  And if they are undercharging – that should be *their* problem, not mine.  The person I talked with at the national USPS phone line told me that I have to go in to the local post office and find out why they are doing this to my mail before they will do anything or tag our machine as defective.

I have NO PROBLEM WITH PAYING THE CORRECT POSTAGE.  I’m not looking to save money.  I *am* looking to save headaches for me and everyone else by using the kiosk and I need it to charge me the correct postage.  Once I weigh my item and select all the correct categories and print the USPS lable, they should take it and deliver it to its destination.  Period.  Or they should get rid of the stupid machines.  I can’t imagine that this process is cost effective and it may end up hurting my little Etsy business. 

Speaking of Etsy, I have some more dishcloths up in my store:

I really like the patterns for the square ones – they are quite thick and will do a great job with dishes and countertops!

Etsy Store is up and running!

I’ve been busily crocheting away and snapping pictures to get an Etsy store up and running.  I might as well do something productive while supervising the kiddos this summer, huh? 

This is the link to my Etsy store – mybusyhands.

And here are some pictures of the dishcloths that I have placed up for sale.  Right now everything is crochet, I’ll probably add some knitted ones later on:

In addition to crocheting, work has been fairly demanding for a part-time job.  A lot of training that I’m putting on this summer.  We have been able to make it to the swimming pool finally – both boys have been very excited to go swimming almost daily. 

It had to happen someday….

I made it down to the heel flap on Patriotic Betsy Sock #1 and was a few inches down the leg of sock #2 when I put my knitting down this morning and came downstairs to check the computer.  About 30 minutes later, I hear my husband ask S “S what are you doing with mommy’s knitting?  Did you unravel that?” 

*sigh* 

I ran upstairs to a pile of unraveled yarn and my dpns scattered around the living room floor.  :(  It had to happen sometime – I think it does to everyone who knits with small kids in the house.    At least it wasn’t the other sock that is about 7″ long…. 

I’ve also been working on cotton dishcloths that I’m planning on putting up in my etsy store once I crochet up a big enough selection to be interesting to anyone.  Here is one of the patterns I’ve been playing with that I really like:

Patriotic Socks in Progress….

After swearing off kit-of-the-month clubs in scrapbooking, I found myself lured into theknitter.com’s sock of the month club.  There is something so seductive about yarn and a pattern carefully selected by a sock expert showing up at my door every month for such a reasonable price!   

I’ve got April and May’s kits waiting for me, but when I opened June’s kit last week, I couldn’t wait to get started, even though it meant going out of order.  They are a wonderfully fun zig zaggy lace pattern with the cutest striped sock yarn by Regia.  Here is one of them a couple of days into the process:

These are definitely going to take a bit longer than the toe-up socks, because I’m back down to 2.5mm needles. I’m enjoying the pattern, however. Happy knitting!