Last I spoke of the gift, it was ordered, from overseas, and expected shipping was just under a week. It remained to be seen if COVID would add any delays to the 4-6 day shipping expectations.
A few days after the order was placed, the shipping confirmation came, tracking # provided.
I was starting to get a bit excited about this gift myself now, the anticipation was palpable and grew more so every passing day.
Update 1: for a few days this is all I saw
Not having dealt with EMS tracking before, I wasn't sure if this was all I would ever get. Also, not really sure what that last update meant. Did it leave a major shipping point? Did it leave the country? Was it in a little Japanese truck puttering along a highway or on a bullet train gliding into Tokyo? One doesn't know... at least not I.
Update 2: oh! it's in the country! woot!
Getting really excited now. Now also wondering, ok, what happens with customs? I'm expecting to pay tax, maybe duty, but will they call me? Now I'm checking the tracking every opportunity I get away from her eyes.
Update 3: oh boy, same day updates!
OK, planning on what I do if I get a call out of the blue. No idea, will have to just roll with it.
Alas, no call... no updates... will I get some sort of snail mail notification?
Pins and needles as the minutes, hours and eventually day ticks by, and then...
Update 4:
OK, so... it's moving... somewhere... I didn't get calls or notices, that I know of. Working from home, I don't check the mailbox as often and don't have a regular habit of going out to check so she would notice if I suddenly do... wait and see, wait and see...
Update 5: more movement
and... more.. this is both very detailed and... not... tracking information.
At this point I am picturing the box moving around infuriatingly from conveyor belt to conveyor belt. Santa's elves must have touched this box by now! Off to sleep then...
I am bursting now, catching myself from telling her this gift is so very very close and more importantly, so very very early LOL
Wake up the next morning and check again:
oh my... ever so closer. But wait. How do I receive this thing without her knowing? All parcels since COVID have been left on the doorstep with a curt knock on the door.
Yet another, roll with it, item. There's no really good way to hide it. I haven't been in the habit of ordering much online, all orders have been hers and I typically tell her everything I order.
And then mid morning:
I can barely contain myself now. Refreshing the page every 30 seconds since seeing this update. AHHHHH the anticipation! I'm also partially thinking "SCORE!" no taxes maybe?
Out of the blue, she tells me that she's going to go out for a lunch appointment. The stars and planets are aligning! That is... if this thing is actually going to arrive today. I have received notices like this only for the item to inexplicably go back to the depot.
I've got my fingers crossed, looking out the back window to see if there are any bunnies I can rub feet of (no bunnies were harmed in this making of this post) that the worst case scenario doesn't happen. The package arrives the moment she goes out the door...
Those minutes tick by nervously and the planets inch towards perfect alignment as she leaves the door with no package arrival!
And then.........
I grab my keys, throw on my shoes and head to the mailbox. As I hit my driveway I see a Purolator truck turn the corner just past my place.
I run to the mailbox, heart pounding.
Open the mailbox... EMPTY. Not even a forlorn piece of spam.
What the...???
I start texting my brother because I'm going to burst if I don't tell somebody about all this. It is about 1pm now. More wondering now what I do, there's no slip and the timing with the truck felt right.
I'm thinking probably tax collection could have caused the redirect but where? I have no tag.
Then 2:15pm update:
I go out to the mailbox again and see a regular mail truck on this trip out.
And... there it is... Purolator pick up slip, taxes owing. But as always, it says the package will be ready the next day after 1pm... hmm...
The local pick up point that packages usually go to is very close. If that status update is right, it's sitting right there now.
I call the PO to see if I can pick up today. Yeah, I'm going to be THAT customer.
No answer... call again after about 20 minutes.
ME: "Hello, I have a pick up slip for a package that arrived today and I'm wondering if it's available for pick up even though it says tomorrow"
PO: "When did you get it the slip?"
ME: "Today, like just now"
PO: "It'll be tomorrow then"
ME: "Oh..."
PO: "What's the name on it?"
ME: gives info
PO: "Oh yeah, there it is, it arrived an hour ago"
ME: "Can I come pick it up now then?"
PO: "Yes"
ME: "Can I come pick it up now then?"
PO: "Yes"
ME: "Great!!!"
Off I rush to the Post Office, giddy. See the box and off I go. As I approach the car I start having a bad feeling. See, she took the regular car and I had the car that... let's say it's not conducive to moving cargo and this box was large, not huge but large. I can just wrap my arms around it.
Trunk, nope. Frunk... nope, just a few inches too tall. Hmmm... Passenger seat... JUST eeks in the door opening onto the seat *PHEW*. Another challenge conquered!
Jump back in the car and head home... ergh... can't see passenger rear view mirror LOL, luckily it's a short drive.
Sparing the details - gift gets wrapped in a panic, wrapping job a bit lacking due to rushing to complete before she gets home and size of package. It gets done and into its hiding place. The trunk of a car that is uninsured due to the pandemic (irony much?).
At this point, I am feeling pretty good about myself :D
