Aw man. I'm so sorry you're going through all this stress when it should be so simple. I think it was pretty clear after the first envelope disappeared that we might all have to be a bit patient. I just figure as long as they show up before the weather turns crisp, there's no worries. And maybe all our little planties are getting an extra boost of Thai weather in the meantime.

Wish I could buy you a beer tonight - you deserve it!

I can totally relate to your frustration.I am waiting for a box of hoyas from Jack.It only took 2 days to arrive at YVR and customs has had it for 7 days if I get it on Friday.Every morning I check the tracking to see it still in the hands of customs.Oh custom people please release my box of hoyas.David you guys don't know how good you have it.

Cindy

Well, at least it's just pieces of paper. Carolyn and I had a trade where my box to her sat around in Philadelphia for a number of days before it even headed in her direction. Of course by the time she got it, things looked bad. I'm not sure if anything survived. Post office on her end was awesome, I think they even called her to let it know it arrived. It was Philly that sucked. My favorite is the fact that I have a note on my door that specifically states that packages be delivered to my neighbor (and the address is included, by the way, so they don't have to guess which neighbor) if no one is home to get it, because people steal my mail. You don't know how many times I get a package on the doorstep anyway, or tossed over the 6ft gate in the back onto concrete, or a notice saying to pick it up at the post office, even though my neighbor was home all day.

Alright, I guess the post office pisses me off too. I feel your pain, David.

Cindy,
trust me I have dealt first hand with U.S. customs ( West coast---L.A.) twice now and it's pure HELL dealing with them. The customs people here on the East coast are much easier to deal with.

It's just the opposite with the post office though. P.O. service sucks on the East coast but is pretty good out West.

Quinn I go through the same with my delivery of packages so I know how you feel. You ask them to do one thing and they do something totally opposite. Then they wonder why people go postal on them!!!

Quinn! H. parviflora had a tiny stem and one leave that lived . . . it now has three leaves!!!! The other one was toast. :(

Another nice GW member mailed me a package on Monday and it's still not here. Stupid USPS!

David - it'll get there. I don't think ANYONE is holding you responsible for the screw-ups of the USPS. We all know they SUCK @$$!

Carolyn

Well, that is awesome, Carolyn! That is more than I have, ha. It tanked shortly after I took that cutting. Oh well. The other one was H. erythrostemma 'Cotton Candy' and is doing pretty well. I'm hoping that it will fill leaves in on the vines it has been growing. Maybe then I can send you a new piece of it. Sorry about the package, I hope it gets to you very soon! It seems hit or miss, doesn't it? Some days the post office is spot on, and you start feeling like you can depend on them. Other times, packages get lost in a mythical zip code that doesn't officially exist, like your box from me that I'm happy to hear did in fact have a survivor!

I'm not holding you responsible for anything, David(except being an enabler lol)! I know how awful the USPS can be. My mail man will toss my packages from his MOVING car at my front door if it's raining or he doesn't feel like getting out of the car. And it seems like packages are taking longer and longer to get from point A to point B. So frustrating! I hope Jack gets that envelope soon, though, because I'm getting a little bit antsy! lol

David...please don't let this situation stress you out...everything will work out fine, and no one would think of holding you responsible for the lengthy delay...we're far too pleased that you invited us to be a part of the group order in the first place! Best wishes!! Patrick

Well my mail has come and did I not get my hoyas.I am so pissed right now.I feel sure that I will open a box of crap.I now will have to wait for Monday to see if anything comes.Its the only hoya order I will be able to do this year so I was really hoping for a bit of luck.Ok I will stop complaining and feeling sorry for myself.

Cindy

I'm so sorry, Cindy! You don't have to stop complaining! What you're going through is one big bundle of agonizing+depressing+infuriating.

I'm wishing you good luck, too! We cross our fingers for luck and Germans press their thumbs, and one can do both at the same time. Thus, at this very moment, I am making this complicated lucky hand gesture for your Hoyas! Oooh And knocking on wood with both hands. So that's an extra luck boost for sure! ^_~

Thanks GG you gave me something to laugh about.I knew you guys would understand my frustration.

Cindy

It seems that Brazilian Post Office is not the only one to have a terrible service. I feel very sorry about all this delay. Hope things get better!

Mitzi

It's like the ying/yang principle----the IML order was WAY too smooth.....fastest shipping ever! so of course this will be a tangled mini-mess.....but I know it's going to all work oh and we'll all be oohing and aahing soon! David you are fabulous to have taken this on! The USPS is to blame on this one...oh I have too many stories to tell...packages WITH delivery confirmation that I NEVER rec'd....crushed packages....and my last order from Joni at SRQ was, no lie, lying on the side of the road near my house....I don't know what happened to catch my eye, but I saw it and KNEW it was my package and sure enough it was! Asked the mailman and he was like, "what package" ....enough said!

LMAO! Lying by the side of the road. That's one for the books. Thanks for the giggle, Debbie. (Altho I'm sure I wouldn't have been laughing if I were in your shoes at that moment!)

David,

Please don't stress. You've been so generous to take this on and I am so appreciative! Enjoy your weekend!

Lisa

Cindy...I empathize fully with you. I, too, have an order from Thailand that was shipped 12 days ago, and it didn't arrive again today...that means waiting for Monday, the 14th day since shipping...I'm doubting that anything will be salvageable. And, mine was shipped EMS!! Good luck with your shipment...may we both get our packages on Monday...and in good condition!! Best wishes, Patrick

I've given up trying to get Hoyas from Thailand. My first order went fairly well last spring (2010) - 4 out of 5 plants were in decent condition. The second one came and they were all in deplorable condition. They replaced them all, and they came in bad condition again. I managed to salvage two despite their condition, so they replaced the other 3 this spring, and they arrived in bad shape once again. It's just not worth it...

But I'm wondering, too, what's going on with the P.O. The prices go up and the service gets worse. I'm not complaining about my postman - he's a gem. But I sent out a box, paid priority shipping, it was supposed to arrive on a Sat., but it didn't get there until the following Wed. It seems to me that if it takes that long to arrive, they should give us our money back!

Denise in Omaha

Reading this thread (is that correct? thread?) I'm getting afraid to order some hoyas while I'm in US, I only have some days!

Mitzi

Well, Mitzi. This is a bit of a 'worst case scenario' thread. (Yep, this is a "thread.") I recently received 2 Hoya packages in a timely fashion, so it's not like the USPS has just curled up and died. I wouldn't over-interpret on the basis of our gripes and complaints, because that wouldn't be a fair sample of the postal system.

Are you planning to order the Hoyas while in Brazil and have them delivered at a date you will be in the US? Don't forget that most Hoya vendors ship out on a specific date of the week. ^_^

I still have faith in the USPS, personally. So I guess it's time for it to bite me in the *ss. But I have to say, I love all the postal employees I interact with. Except for that one guy who delivers my weekend mail and refuses to climb the steps to my door if there is a package to sign for. I could do without him. >:O

Hi GG,

I'm planning to buy the hoyas when I get there. First because I must see how is the hotel first. I won't be able to buy many cuts because I don't even know if I'll be able to bring them to Brazil, wonder if the XR will detect them! I'll probably ship some cuts by mail too, it all depends what I'm going to find there. I'll be in America for 34 days, so I think I'll have enough time to buy and receive them, hope so! I'll order some from Joni, some from Carol Noel and perhaps from Ted Green. I said that I was planning to see his nursery in Hawaii and he never returned my email, probably he thought she is a crazy person or something like, because he asked me are you planning to go to LA, flight to Hawaii buy some hoyas and take them to Brazil? And when I said yes, this is my plan, he did not return my email. LOL.

Let me ask something... Gardinho only sell plants not cuts right?

Mitzi

Mitzi, will you send me an email, please? I can't email you from your member page.

Carolyn

Hi Carolyn,

I'll try to send you an email, I don't know why I cannot insert my email on my page, I've tried many times, but here is my email anyway: mitzicos@click21.com.br

Thank you and have a great week

Mitzi