Interesting
June 2, 2007The DHL website tracking has updated again. The Customs delay in Wilmington is now showing as 05:34 followed by the shipment going on hold at 06:03, followed by it leaving the UK depot at 06:04. I think I understand the problem, it is a teleporting package. Every time someone stops looking at it, it teleports somewhere else. I am going to go down to the Heathrow depot and see if anyone there can track if for me. I can but hope right.
Still Clueless
Well the tracking has updated again, at 02:30am it was in the Wilmington depot, now remember yesterday afternoon it was on an internal flight, about to be delivered. Then 06.04 they were departing the East Midlands Depot. Now I have been told it is a 9 hour flight between here and Wilmington, so it can’t have got back in that time. Maybe my package is now in three places? Of course it being the weekend there is nothing I can do. It will be Monday before I can try and track these down.
Latest Update
June 1, 2007Well the package that was definitely scanned onto a plane bound for America at East Midlands Airport at 05:01 was scanned at Heathrow airport at 11:42. That’s a very quick trip to America and back. This could be good (ish) news. It may mean they are heading home. OK it means that they have missed the show but at least they would be safe. Alternatively it may mean the shipment has been split and some are heading each way, it would make sense of some of the conflicting information.
Thank you to the American quilter who brought me this update.
Art and Soul
I’ve just had a very interesting chat with a friend, who commented that it is like having pieces of your soul out there when quilts go to shows, and it got me thinking about these quilts, the time I spent on them and what I would do if they didn’t turn up.
I was surprised to realise that the technically most important piece in the shipment worries me least. If I had to I could do ‘Decadence’ again, I’d rather not but I could. Most of my soul is with the smallest of them, ‘Blue Moon’. This piece really came from me, I had wanted to do it for a long time but it had never been important enough to get done so a challenge coming up that is fitted perfectly was just amazing. I dropped everything and worked on it solidly until it was finished. That is really rare for me, and I love it. I guess studying astrophysics wasn’t so daft after all. I am not sure I would make another copy of this, it feels wrong to even think about it. I might try something similar but in a different scale or something.
Then there is ‘My Fat Quarter of Paradise’. I was just making this for the show and when I started I didn’t like it much. Boy did it grow on me, I do love it and a friend has made a very similar but smaller version for herself. It’s significance though is that is has the care and support of other quilters in it. It nearly didn’t get entered as I ran out of thread whilst quilting it so I couldn’t send the pictures in. Although I ordered more thread it didn’t arrive and I was inundated with offers of thread from other longarm quilters, nominally my competitors. How amazing are quilters? Although I don’t have the same fabrics I could do a very similar quilt again, although I probably wouldn’t. This was a one off.
‘Road to Mondrian’ is made with fabrics bought for me by the grandmother of a friend just after she died, yes after. He decided that she would like to support my quilting (she did in life so why not) and bought me the batiks that it is made from. I could repeat this quilt with the same fabrics, but the meaning is in this one.
Finally there is ‘Burning Chrome’, it isn’t even my quilt and I’ve lost it. I suspect I don’t have to explain how I feel about that. I just hope they turn up somewhere at some point. This I can’t replace, I guess I could replace the fabric and quilt the replacement, but I it really isn’t the same is it.
Hopefully before I go to bed they will have all arrived at the show safe and sound, but it’s been interesting realising the value isn’t always where you expect it to be.
Do you work for DHL USA?
It’s unlikely I know but I can’t even attempt to track my packages now the UK sales people have left for the weekend. The tracking system I can see is faulty and has been for 2 days apparently. If you were able to see if you could track my quilts for me I would really appreciate it. Please use the contact form to the right and I will send you all the package details.
When I have tried calling American customer services they have refused to look into it because it is a UK package, hence this plea for help.
Where oh where have my little quilts gone?
I have one person absolutely certain that my quilts will be delivered to the show today. They are on an internal flight in America and will get delivered before 5pm local time. I have one person certain they are in the UK and may be returned to me next week. I’ve asked to be emailed if they turn up at the show, as the tracking isn’t being updated and may no be for some time. Isn’t it great having this tracking and accountability.
Still the problem is over for DHL they can all go home for a nice quiet weekend, their office shuts in two minutes and they are free. I wish it was that easy for me. Of course by the time I know who was right I won’t be able to contact anyone. It’s a very clever system.
Eeeek I’m on video
I did know it was coming, you kinda notice doing an interview, but it’s still quite scary actually seeing yourself on screen. Here is what Bonnie McCaffery says about her latest VidCast
On my trip to England I came across 2 quilters that I thought you
might like to hear about.
Ferret – yes that’s her name – is not your standard quilter – she’s
young and does quilted nudes that are gorgeous art pieces. www.ferfab.co.uk/
Maggie Farmer is a country gardener who is inspired by the nature
around her.
If you enjoy the music, you might want to check out Music by Joaquin Taboada http://www.joaquintaboada.com/ You can purchase the CD for $10 at http://www.artistlaunch.com/artist.asp?artistid=4650
VIDEO at http://BonnieMcCaffery.com – click “GO TO
VidCast”. Then select the “MP4″ version if you have QuickTime or
you’re on a MAC. The “WMV” version will work if the MP4 version does
not.
So if you want to see moving pictures of me you know where to look. I would like to say I was very nervous hence falling over my words. I can normally string sentences together. Also I am told by my nearest and dearst that I was slightly picking up Bonnies accent, I can’t listen carefully enough to tell but I am all English really. I always pick up the accent of people I am with it’s quite annoying as they often think I am being rude, I do try not to do it.
Tick Tock
I’ve just checked on my package again. It still claims to be sitting in the East Midlands. Maybe the tracking system is still broken, and it really is in America. I’ve just had a call back from DHL and they say it has landed in America, not sure when or what is happening to it now as the system won’t update until the working day starts there. If I have my time differences right it now has about 8 hours to get delivered. I’ll call them again just before 17:00 to see if there is any more information on it.
….U P D A T E …………..
We have confirmation (we think) that the package got on a plane to Wilmington at 05:01 today. It should be arriving in Wilmington 13:00 our time, which would be something like 06:00 US central time. Wilmington is 600 miles from where they need to be so, if everything goes according to plan (what am I saying) they should make it to the show, but boy will it be tight. Still there are now two people in DHL watching this shipment to make sure it keeps moving and I will get a call to update me when it lands.
I think they need a map
…and someone with a clue. DHL have told me in the last three hours,
- we can’t tell where you package is until after 9am
- your packages wasn’t scanned but is on a flight
- you package was x-rayed which causes a 24 hour delay (on the 29th)
- your package is on our warehouse
I am going to assume that one or more of those is a lie and one or more is truth, but it is very hard to be sure which is which. If I was really cynical it might sound like they had lost the package entirely, but that would be silly wouldn’t it. If it is still in this country there is no way my quilts can compete in the MQS show. They wouldn’t arrive in time.
Hmmm, I’ve just had another call from DHL, they are definitely on a plane. OK so does anyone know where my package is, or where it is going? The only bright side is there is now someone in DHL sounding as bothered about this as me. No one likes looking a fool and this poor man does seem to be being set up by his own company.
Any bets where it is, which way it is heading or where it will end up? Will I have wasted my show entry fees? Will the show ever forgive me? Will I ever use DHL again? Will I ever enter another American show?
All this and more on the next thrilling installment of Dr Jekyll and Mr DHL.