Casing And Sorting Fun

I thought I'd share a glimpse into my postal workspace.

While in the post office, prepping and getting all mails ready for the days delivery, we work in what's known as a "case".  Pictured below is the case for route 7, the route that I've been primarily doing for the last 4-6 weeks.  

I took the pics below on Monday morning.  Monday's are typically chaotic and a heavy mail and package day, with this past Monday being exactly that, UGH!

The first pic shows the case empty, before I began "casing" route 7's mail -

This second picture shows the case full and before I pulled all the mail down and put it in trays for delivery. "Casing" the mail consists of handling each piece and placing it in it's appropriate slot -

Each slot in the case above denotes a mailbox or delivery stop!  Route 7 has approximately 550 mailboxes AND it's not the biggest route in the PO.

Once the casing has been completed the mail is then "pulled down", from last stop to first, and placed in trays, flip-flopped per stop so it's easy to pull for delivery when on the road.

What I failed to take a picture of were ALL the packages needing delivery for route 7, of which there were about 50ish and they are all shapes and sizes from large to small AND from light to heavy!  I scan each of these packages and number them in order of delivery, as I load them into the truck before departing.

It's not rocket science but it's a dirty job just to prepare to sit in an LLV for the next 4 to 6 hours delivering all the mail and packages.

Could be worse I suppose, so thankful I have a job.

Lazy Or Don't Care?!

So, to my surprise, many people do NOT empty their mailboxes daily and some seem to go weeks!  Then there are those that appear to pull out the first class mail only, e.g. bills, letters, etc. but leave behind the third class crap and the weekly market circulars.

I get that folks are busy and I'm sure many people take care of their important bills and such online, so they're not expecting mail but c'mon!

A day like today for example, snowy, rainy and cold around 38-42, does a number on postal carriers.  My right hand, the hand used to reach out of the LLV and open mailboxes was numb and raw an hour into my 5 hours of delivering mail.  Therefore, when you get to mailboxes like the examples below, it makes it difficult to get the new mail in with out cramming it and\or having it fall to the ground, UGH!

Also, here in New England, the snowplows do a number on the mailboxes!  Many banged up pretty good, on wobbly posts and the boxes just hanging on or being held in place with some "MacGyver'd" (TV series from the early 80's) solution with duct tape and bungie cords, etc. 

Many of these too are hard to open. Hard to close and all have done a number on my fingers and nails, OUCH!

Patiently waiting for the warmer weather to arrive...

Flying Solo Saturday!

Yesterday was my first solo day of delivering mail and packages to the route I've been being mentored on!  My mentor is off on vacation, so the preparing, organizing, loading and delivering the mail and packages was all my responsibility, UGH!

Saturdays are usually one of the lighter deliver days but NOT yesterday, f'rickn Murphy!

I had 179 packages alone, not including regular mail and fliers. I got a late start and didn't head out till a bit after 11AM.  Thankfully, a couple other carriers found me on my route several hours later and took some of my packages, which helped immensely.  I completed the route and made it back to the PO just before 5PM but truth be told had some issues but I overcame them.  A long day but somewhat satisfying.  Oh, it was a raw day too, rainy and cold...

Here is the route 8 work area, bare, where we sort each piece of mail to be delivered -

Here is the same work area, partially filled -

Here are the trays that sit to my left (the driver side in a 'normal' vehicle) that I pull from to deliver, including the smaller packages.  There were MORE flats AND packages in the back of the truck.

This is my 'on the road' work area -

The other carriers in the PO keep telling me "it gets easier" and "it gets better".  I'm trying to stay positive and hoping they're right.

Onward and upwards...

New Adventure; A Career Change

I've been a bit preoccupied lately, hence the lull in postings.

My post-corporate world career has taken a sharp right turn, hold on!

I was looking for a change and on a whim applied online with the United States Postal Service.  Lo and behold it's official, I am now a sworn in federal employee with the title of "Rural Carrier Associate (RCA)".  A part time position and one that is used to fill in when regular carriers have scheduled days off or take vacation days.

I will be working out of the Millis, MA post office, pictured below, which currently has (13) mail routes.  So, although a part time position, I've been assured that there are plenty of hours available to keep me busy working 40+ hours a week.

I didn't realize how much preparation goes into working for the post office after being hired - Two days of orientation held at the main postal facility in Boston's South Station.  One day at the postal driving academy in Boston South Station, to learn how to drive the mail truck, also known as the Grumman Long Live Vehicle (LLV). One day of "shadowing", which was to sit in a jump seat in the back of an LLV with a Millis postal carrier as they did their route and delivered mail. Then four days at the RCA post academy in Shrewsbury, MA to learn the ins and outs and responsibilities of being a mail carrier.

With all that completed and behind me, my first official day in the Millis PO was Monday, March 24th.  I'm paired up with a mentor for the foreseeable future to learn more about the day to day tasks of the job and to get familiar with the site and fellow carriers.  This mentors route, route 008, delivers to the town of Norfolk, MA and has 536 stops (mailboxes and some businesses)!

Seems I'm picking things up rather quickly and as a reward I was given the below LLV this past Saturday and tasked with delivering the mail to the back quarter of route 008 SOLO!

 

Although, I am still as green as green can be, the one thing I will say is that having only done this for a few short weeks, I have a new appreciation for what mail carriers do!  It's really a dirty, thankless job and one that honestly doesn't reward the folks nearly enough.

I'm thankful for the opportunity and will give it my best effort.

#Blessed

Life Is A Series Of Hello's and Goodbye's

It's with mixed emotions that I post this, one of the more difficult ones I've written if I'm being honest.

Today, Monday July 1, 2024, is my last official day working for the company that I have been at for the last 25+ years 😢!  

I made my last commute into our Andover office today to hand in my equipment, making it official.

I passed this semi as I approached the office exit.  Pretty much says it all, putting an exclamation mark to my tenure, alas -

Truthfully, I'm a bit surprised at how this has been effecting me as the time has drawn near, very emotional 😥

A final picture of my Andover office workspace all emptied and cleared out -

Even my home office workspace has been dismantled -

With the sale of the company the end was inevitable for so many.

The official close date was 01/01/2024, at which time most IT folks were offered a 6-month transitional position with the new company to help ensure the transition was a smooth one.

Although, I would have preferred to have stayed on with the new company, at least a couple more years to bring me closer to retirement, sadly it just wasn't in the cards.  Seems there are other plans in store for me.

So, I now find myself unemployed for the first time since I was a teenager back in the 1970's, YIKES!  

Not sure what the future holds but staying open minded and optimistic and looking forward to what's to come next.

It was a good ride. I'm proud of my accomplishments in my job and what this job has allowed me to achieve in my personal life.

#Blessed

2nd Floor Views

This past Thursday afternoon I took the below pics from the 2nd floor mezzanine, which is a part of my employer's conference center floor.  It's an inviting space, especially in the evenings when they light the firepit.

As you can see it was a beautiful day in the city -

I took the below pic late one afternoon, as the mezzanine was being setup to host an event - 

My employment is quickly coming to an end. A tough pill to swallow after 25 years 😥. Still trying to process it all, as it hasn't sunk in yet, alas.  I'm sure gonna miss it.

High Ho, High Ho...

Emilie's first job -

"Pregnant" Building Here We Come!

Our downtown Boston (Financial district) corporate office is moving this fall.  Renovations are underway with construction and progress happening daily.  I got my first tour and snapped the below pictures from the 26th floor.

The Massachusetts state house, with gold dome, off in the distance -

A view of Boston Harbor -

The Harvard or Mass Ave bridge off in the distance (to right) -

Looking down on Post Office Square, which resides at the intersection of Milk, Congress, Pearl and Water Streets -

The building we currently occupy, which as you can see is only a stones throw away, just across PO Square -

Work Street Signs (pods)

 

You can find me, in my awesome cubicle, in the Bedford Pod.