On a walk through the neighborhood today, Gavin and I made a discovery. It went something like this
Michele: “Hey, look over there, that abandoned looking house is marked as 38 Mitchell Street!” We pause.
Gavin: “What? That is our address!”
The windows were all shut and curtained. We walk over to the front door of the house and knock. No answer. In front of the door is a rubber-banded pile of mail addressed to Michele Cooke-Andresen. This includes a Failure of Delivery notice from UPS. They tried to deliver my brand new Dell precision workstation shipped from the US to 38 Mitchell Street yesterday but I was not there to receive it. Well, that is because... I don’t actually live there!
It turns out that the property manager has mixed up our address. All the paperwork that we’ve signed is for 38 Mitchell Street. We are even paying for electrical service for that house. After a call to the very helpful postman, we learned that our actual address is 3 Jackey Jackey Street.
I have to say that everyone in Australia has been amazingly helpful and friendly. Gavin’s family has been absolutely wonderful to us! The school staff, the postal staff, clerks in the shops, even the confused staff of the electric company have been friendly, effective and resourceful. With one exception -- the property management company, and I will specifically list Lorraine of Ray White realty here because I’m so irritated at her ineptitude. She has been unresponsive to our questions (e.g. has never called us back), ineffective at guiding us to the proper resources (e.g. unable to tell us how to get hooked up with internet) and now we see clear evidence that she is inept.
OK…. It is therapeutic to write these things out they say.
I really should emphasize that the Lorraines of Australia* are really the exception in our experience so far. The post man has said that he will bring all mail to the Andresens to 3 Jackey Jackey street. If you have already sent something to 38 Mitchell street, please let me know.
*note: Lorraines of America are an entirely different breed ← and I'm not just saying this in case Lorraine James of Amherst is reading my posting.
well, now that I find you live on Jackey, Jackey street, I may come to visit. No. Alas, I am joking. :(
ReplyDeletePhew! Thanks for that shout-out to Lorraines of America! I'm horrified to hear that Lorraines of Australia are such a different breed and that you've been subjected to one. I much appreciate your noting the difference! :-) Perhaps I'll sign off using my hip-hop name just to separate myself even further.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I'm loving the blog!
Lo J.