U.S. Postal Service?

Jane and I were given a very nice and thoughtful gift.

Jane’s sister Judy and husband Dick, out of the goodness of their hearts, sent us a book, The Brule River of Wisconsin.

The Brule River is of special interest to us. We have canoed it extensively, even in winter when we had to push our canoe through snow to reach the river, and we have enjoyed fishing for its trout and camping along its banks. Jane published a book in 1961 covering the pioneering, commercial fishing, and lumbering on the Brule.

Jane was also instrumental in bringing Leigh P. Jerrard, publisher of a 1956 book about the Brule together with Jane’s father, Ed Pearson, a noted historian and civic leader together. They, “Leigh and Ed” became friends, shared their historical interests and did explorations along the Brule River.

Leigh presented Ed with a copy of his Brule River book.  The book sent to us by Judy and Dick is a republication of Leigh P. Jerrard’s book with more maps and with additional stories by his grandson Richard Jerrard.

Here is the rest of the story:

July 21^, 2013, the book was sent from St. Paul, Minnesota, registered with a tracking number. It weighed 13 ounces and the postage was $28.00. The book was three days in St. Paul and then was sent to New York, where it remained five days before going to Los Angeles, California…another five days detainment.

It arrived in Mexico City on July 2^, 2013, cleared customs and was shipped to Mérida, Yucatan on July 2. It arrived on July 4. 

I picked it up at our post office on July 5.

Two weeks first class international registered mail.

I used to joke that if Mexico went to war I would bet on the opposition winning.

After this episode I have had to reconsider: Mexico delivered in two days, the

U. S. took two weeks.

Thus the question mark after service in the title of this story.