## This section contains some back-and-forth about sending a batch of
## stored knitted items my Mom still had around, off to one of her publishers
## to warehouse and then possibly auction off into the knitting/fiber-arts
## community later on. It was up to me to inventory and pack it up for
## shipment.
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2022 08:09:16 -0500
Subject: Re: Auction
To: [publisher's founder and old industry friend of Mom's, hereinafter "MS"]
I've been at Mom's place for a couple of days now, basically being her stunt
caregiver until we find more long-term options. On our list of tasks is to
pull out all the remaining knit-stuff and sort of catalog it, and we can get
you some pictures of items laid out and a guess as to volume. I also brought
a bundle of decent-size shipping boxes with me to supplement Mom's stash, and
of course we can always pop over to Staples or something and buy more boxes.
Anything we should watch for, note, think about, etc while in this process?
Would you have the spoons [in the vernacular] to actually help deal with all
this at the moment? Even if we were able to ship it and have it sit in your
storage until the right moments, that would help on this end.
tnx
_H*
##
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2022 10:57:43 -0500
From: [publisher's rep]
Subject: Garment Shipment
Hi, H:
MS forwarded your message to us. I'm glad you are with Mom and hope you
are both doing well.
C. and I are fine with storing items and listing for sale or auction when
we find time to do so. Packing everything inside a plastic bag within the
box is recommended for shipping and helps keep items secure until they can
be unpacked or put into tubs.
Please give us a rough idea of how many boxes you anticipate sending or
overall volume (a pallet's worth of boxes?) before you ship. You can let us
know roughly how many items you end up sending as well since you are
cataloging.
A few considerations as you catalog and/or pack:
1. We will need to match your notes about each garment to the physical
garments eventually. Use whatever system works for you. See #2.
2. Images-If you want to take a group image for each box as a way of
helping us match physical items to your list, that's fine, but a list of
everything will work too. I will take iPhone photos of each item to list for
sale or auction eventually. If it's easier to simply add a color name to
your description of each garment, we can match the physical items to
descriptions based on the name/type/color. Note: I don't think it's
necessary for you to pin numbers on each garment, but do what you like as
long as the physical condition of the item is not compromised.
3. To list for sale or auction eventually, we'll need a name/type for
the garment. (Add color description if necessary to help us identify.)
4. To list for sale or auction eventually, we'll need a brief
description (condition-very good, good, fair--, material if known, stitch
and/or technique and/or construction used if known, relevant timeframe-when
the garment was knit, brief notes of interesting features or history as
Mom recalls). A simple listing for each would be best. Don't feel
pressed to write extensively. Just think about what's necessary and most
relevant for the identification, description, and historical record.
5. Base price or price range as a starting point. Or just give us one
number--$50 or close for each garment, for example.
I'm fine with whatever method you use to transfer info (handwritten notes as
long as legible-make a copy, typed notes, excel spreadsheet?).
Overall, do what works best for you, and let us know how you handle it. I
don't want you to feel overwhelmed. Be in touch as needed.
Take care,
##
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2022 12:22:46 -0500
Subject: Re: Garment Shipment
To: [publisher's rep]
Ah, I was just working on that!
So that you have some idea of the volume and type of items, I did a batch
of pictures today. Mom wanted counts of things, I wanted to get an idea of
shipping volume. Even after looking at this I'm not sure how many boxes of
what size will be involved, but I don't think it's a pallet's worth.
First, the doll clothes -- still on dolls, quantity 20 and a half [the half
being the little guy sitting on the edge of the shelf]. At the right of the
first one is also a plastic bin full of folders of circular needles -- many.
There are also two bins full of more doll clothes visible.
http://[privatesite]/knits/44doll1.jpg
Below the left-hand set of dolls is also a bin with random swatches in it.
http://[privatesite]/knits/45doll2.jpg
Here are most of the spare doll clothes laid out, plus a few of the tiny hats.
Another bin has some of the original mostly-plastic garments and props that
originally came with them.
http://[privatesite]/knits/46doll3-l.jpg
Now here's the real stuff: the human garments. 12 pullovers, and 10 cardigans.
These are probably the high-value things...
http://[privatesite]/knits/49garm-12p10c.jpg
In a wooden chest, we also have a batch of miscellany -- a few afghans, some
pillows, a handful of hats, and miscellaneous throws/placemats/whatever.
http://[privatesite]/knits/50chest.jpg
Finally, plenty of hand-knitted socks. Mom actively wears several of these,
so they might be a bit worn-looking.
http://[privatesite]/knits/51sox.jpg
And that's it! Not a whole warehousefull, as you might have feared, but still
a hefty trip to UPS or wherever if you want to shoulder the burden. I've got
little inclination to take ownership of any of it myself, but I wasn't even
thinking about that while going through stuff this morning.
We'll field some cherry-picking, but I have no idea what will happen to the
stuff that isn't taken.
_H*
##
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2022 12:39:51 -0500
From: [publisher's rep]
Subject: RE: Garment Shipment
Fantastic! These look like gems. We'll be glad to receive these types of
items. I think C. will want to round out the doll collection. I have a
feeling we might like to consider some items too before presenting anything
to the public.
Yes, take a look at what you might like to keep.
I'm going to forward the images to MS and C. as well, in case they want
to be in touch about anything specific before you send the items on.
I hope you are finding it rewarding to look through your mom's beautiful work.
UPS delivers to us daily, and it's nice to have warehouse space.
Best,
##
Subject: Re: Garment Shipment
To: [publisher's rep]
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2022 12:57:42 -0500
I was thinking UPS too, but I'm fairly unfamiliar with dealing with them.
I'm sure there's a depot near us. Can anything be done online to generate
shipping labels, etc, or would they have to see/measure the physical boxes
first? I have a real mixed bag, and we're probably going to need more large
ones to get it all in. I found a lot of plastic bags, so no problem there.
If you know of some corporate shipping discounts you could apply on our
behalf, that would be cool, but totally understand if it's not doable.
Thanks! We're both sitting here breathing sighs of relief that we have a
good outlet for all this.
_H*
##
From: [publisher's rep]
Subject: RE: Garment Shipment
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2022 13:19:23 -0500
I'll ask C. about some of the UPS process when he gets home--not sure if
we can call for a shipment. We have an account # that could be used for
shipments to us. Our negotiated costs may be a little lower than for an
individual to send boxes, though we are a small business. I'm sure large
corporations get amazing discounts.
It's pretty easy to ship via UPS by just dropping boxes at the UPS store,
but I'm not sure if they'd accept sending items through our account number
at one of those stores. My mom uses UPS stores all the time, and in general
I'd trust UPS over Fed-Ex.
I'll let you know more once I chat with C..
M.
##
From: [publisher's rep]
Subject: UPS store
Date: Mon, 1 Aug 2022 12:06:41 -0500
Hello,
I called our local UPS store. They told me that individuals can bring in
boxes to UPS stores and have UPS generate the labels using our account #
(the 6 digits I gave you). You would tell the associate that the shipment
would be billed to the third party, the receiver Schoolhouse Press and give
them our account number and address. We will see the charges show up on our
bill eventually and let you know what those are. A call to the local UPS
store might be a good idea if you aren't sure about this option. I called
our local store since it's tiny, and I knew I wouldn't have to wade through
endless hold options. They picked up the phone right away.
Note: UPS charges not only based on weight but also on box dimensions.
Larger boxes can incur extra charges. However, it's a guessing game. If you
send smaller boxes, you have to pay for the shipment of several boxes vs. a
few large. I wouldn't worry excessively about dimensions; however, packing
everything in a giant box or two might add to the cost.
We will receive the items and store them, but I can't promise when we will
have time to take the next steps. Once everything comes in, we can consider.
I hope you are both doing well today.
Take care,
##
Subject: Re: UPS store
To: [publisher's rep, and their general info@ address]
Date: Mon, 1 Aug 2022 17:57:59 -0500
Okay, be amused: it's the "dance of the seven boxes". This is what's coming
at you. I will label them "Knits box 1" thru "7" near my address labels, and
I guess they can all go to the store at once. I wasn't expecting to get
through all the packing today, but I did. Everything's tight and well-
Tetrised, in plastic, and if UPS manages to break something I'll be surprised.
More tomorrow, if I make it to the UPS place! No reason I shouldn't...
_H*
[attachment; filename = "54dans-seven.jpg" (link)]
##
To: [publisher's rep]
Subject: They're on the way!
Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2022 10:22:10 -0500
Dropped off at UPS this morning. $300 later, the boxes were in their hands...
You should have gotten the tracking numbers via email to info@.
Do you have a way, as a business customer, to complain bitterly into the
corporate infrastructure of UPS and have it heard and not ignored? The amount
of nightmare I went through over an hour on the phone with them this morning
just to find out if I *could* use your account was infuriating. Conflicting
answers, long times on hold because these offshore callcenter people like to
just taunt and punish us by ignoring our calls for ten minutes at a stretch,
and no direct number for the facility that had any prayer of being *able* to
generate labels based on recipient-account billing. The local store, and it
turns out even the dispatch center, are both NOT equipped to generate labels
on a reverse-charge basis; I would have had to figure out what to enable in
their horror-show website, and would have had to pull all the boxes out of
the car for measurements, just to do that, and they probably would have forced
me to create an account in the process which I certainly don't need.
UPS has clearly become too big to care, and someone that matters needs to hold
them to account for that. Their pricing is nothing to be proud of either. And
the very nice lady I finally reached at the hub facility completely agreed with
my sentiments near the end of my ordeal, affirming that there's little they can
do about it from their end either. The trend toward humans hiding behind
obtuse phone IVRs and continually saying "go to the website" has really made
it feel like the robots have already taken over.
_H*
##
From: [publisher's rep]
Subject: RE: They're on the way!
Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2022 10:33:18 -0500
I'm sorry you had so much trouble. After talking with our local UPS store, I
thought it would be easy to simply walk in with the boxes and ask them to
bill the receiver using the account # and have them generate labels. A least
that's what I was led to believe by our local UPS store.
Calling and getting info out of any large corporation is not easy. Doing
business these days consists largely of endless hold with companies like
Paypal and Authorize and UPS. Don't even get me started about trying to get
answers out of Amazon. Even when it is easy to reach someone, the answers
are never definitive or clear. Most of the time I end up with call center
folks who simply tell me to email someone else. The companies make it look
like they are easily accessible and accountable but then never have answers
or just direct you somewhere else. Morass.
For the past ten years or more, we had a welcome message on our website that
said, "Yes, we still answer the phone!" with our 800# clearly listed. That's
gone now since we are down to the three of us and want to discourage calls,
but we still have a phone number listed and answer the phone and return
voicemail messages! That said, small businesses often give great customer
service but lose so much time and money compared to these corporate monsters
who hid behind their automated systems and call centers.
I hear you.
We will watch for the shipments.
M.
##
From: [publisher's rep]
Subject: boxes
Date: Mon, 8 Aug 2022 16:47:58 -0500
Hi, H:
The boxes arrived late Friday night, and they look to be in good condition
from the outside. If I talk with our UPS rep, I will be sure to relay the
difficulty you had in sending us packages on account. I let C. know to
mention it as well. He often fields the calls from various company
representatives or salespeople.
I'll be in touch as we consider next steps for the items you sent, though it
could be months before we have time for another project. I am working on a
possible return to running our Knitting Camp events for next summer (3
summers away due to the pandemic-somewhat blissful after 22 years for us and
45 or so for MS!). Those events might provide some options for selling
Mom's works. I have some other ideas as well, so I'll let those simmer.
How is your mom doing? How are you doing? Keep us updated when you find
time.
Take care,
##
Subject: Re: boxes
To: [publisher's rep]
Date: Mon, 8 Aug 2022 20:55:17 -0500
Good to hear that things arrived in evidently-good order! I was pretty proud
of my packing job, and unless something physically jabbed through one of the
boxes it should all be in good shape. UPS aka "oops" notwithstanding, densely
compressed knitwear is probably pretty hard to break.
We've cleared out a lot of stuff besides the knits. Mom's adapting to a
more limited-mobility lifestyle in various ways but sort of hating having to
do it, and we're still waiting on this vaunted leg-brace that is supposedly
being custom-fabbed. If/when that arrives and she gets used to using it and
*if* it helps stability, then I get to head home. But right now I need to
be here to help with a hundred mundane little actions that you and I never
think twice about doing. Fortunately my summer was free of obligations back
home, partially by design once I knew what was going on with the creeping
neuropathy ... so I figured on being here in FL for a while. Now we're just
sort of in a holding pattern, and I'm wondering if I can sell off any more
of the tarot decks via email and paypal before I haul the rest back home.
Mom's works are fairly timeless, I would hope. They've been squirreled away
in bins and chests for the last decade-plus with an infrequent appearance or
two at on-campus dinner engagements but little exposure to the real world. In
the shipment [box 6 or 7, I think] you will also find various small swatches
with labels attached; those I'm told are completely new patterns which never
got written up at all. If you can reverse-engineer them, you could possibly
put together a short compendium like "Mom's Lost Patterns". I don't even
know in what timeframe she did those, or what other interest-phase of life
she was in at the time. Oh, and I also sent her entire kit of circular
needles -- cool giveaways at conferences or something, unless they have some
resale value??
_H*
##
Date: Tue, 9 Aug 2022 09:27:11 -0500
From: [publisher's *founder*]
Subject: RE: boxes
It is so good that you are there to help your mom, and I hope the leg brace
will help. I'm originally from PA, so I am far from my family as well. It is
not easy to navigate care from afar. I spent hours a day on calls with my
father or my mother or doctors or health facilities during the years prior
to my dad's death in 2019. Fortunately, my mom is doing well overall, even
with mobility challenges. Adapting the house (lift recliners, a chair lift
for the stairs, bars, walkers, canes, wheelchairs, grabbers) has helped a
lot. The other issue is keeping the scammers at bay. My mom recently fell
for some window scam. A guy rang her doorbell and claimed to have a piece of
her house in his hand and walked around "showing" her the non-existent
damage. He convinced her she needed to spend 30K on 8 windows (!!!) due to
rot and had her sign a contract. We've dealt with it all and made her
promise to talk with us before any purchase over a few hundred dollars. I
was reminded of the movie Tin Men and those crafty aluminum salesmen.
Anyway, I'm thrilled to hear about the swatches and imagine [rep] and C.
will want to examine them closely. We'll consider what's best for the
needles. Very exciting overall. I imagine any knitter in the know would love
to knit with one of your Mom's needles.
Enjoy the rest of your time in Florida. Stay in touch, and we'll keep moving
forward to promote Mom and her innovative work.
M.
##