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Laura Corin
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What pieces of luck will you be eternally grateful for? Mine is that, although I  was a postmistress during the period described in this article,  I  did not experience these technology glitches.  In that role one is not an employee but a sole trader, fully responsible for any shortfall.  

What luck will you never forget?

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/apr/23/court-clears-39-post-office-staff-convicted-due-to-corrupt-data?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

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One huge difference between British (and other European) post offices and Canadian (possibly US?) is that in Europe there is a banking (savings accounts, etc.) aspect to the post office that we don't typically associate with the post office in North America. 

I can't imagine the pressure individuals post-masters/mistresses face being completely responsible for their local office. That is a lot of pressure on an individual. 

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13 minutes ago, wintermom said:

One huge difference between British (and other European) post offices and Canadian (possibly US?) is that in Europe there is a banking (savings accounts, etc.) aspect to the post office that we don't typically associate with the post office in North America. 

I can't imagine the pressure individuals post-masters/mistresses face being completely responsible for their local office. That is a lot of pressure on an individual. 

Yes. In addition to savings, state pensions,  similar to SS in the States, were traditionally paid in cash at the PO too. I still get the shivers thinking what I could have faced. 

There were volume incentive payments but in our tiny PO it was essentially minimum wage.

Edited by Laura Corin
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1 minute ago, Laura Corin said:

Yes. In addition to savings, state pensions,  similar to SS in the States, were traditionally paid in cash at the PO too. I still get the shivers thinking what I could have faced. 

There has been some talk in the US about adding banking services to the post office in an effort to ensure wider access to banking for underserved populations. Your story adds an interesting wrinkle to the concept that I haven’t heard discussed.
 

I'm certainly glad you managed to not get caught up in any problems! 

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It's such an onion-layered thought exercise.

Overall though, if I really peel it back, my single greatest stroke of good fortune, by an incalculable margin, was getting myself born to my parents.  That was the lodestone to which a zillion other bits of good fortune can in one way or another be traced.

Which I think about a lot.

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3 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

What pieces of luck will you be eternally grateful for? Mine is that, although I  was a postmistress during the period described in this article,  I  did not experience these technology glitches.  In that role one is not an employee but a sole trader, fully responsible for any shortfall.  

What luck will you never forget?

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/apr/23/court-clears-39-post-office-staff-convicted-due-to-corrupt-data?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

I was torn on how to react. I used the sad reaction in relation to the article. So many lives ruined. 😢 Possibly as many as 900!

At the same time, I am incredibly happy that you were not caught up in this.

1 hour ago, Pam in CT said:

It's such an onion-layered thought exercise.

Overall though, if I really peel it back, my single greatest stroke of good fortune, by an incalculable margin, was getting myself born to my parents.  That was the lodestone to which a zillion other bits of good fortune can in one way or another be traced.

Which I think about a lot.

This. I grow more aware and become more grateful with each passing year.

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You can do a lot of stuff at Australia Post.  You can apply for a tax file number and get your passport taken.  Buy a last minute gift for Mother’s Day or Christmas and send it.  Get a police check or renew your drivers license.  Transfer money.  Pay bills.  It’s a lot of responsibility.  Those poor post office people in that story - how awful. 
 

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I don’t buy into luck or coincidence so...

 

February 26, 2001 - we were pretty new to the military. Our daughter has been born on Feb. 14th at 26w 1day (13.6 weeks premature) in Loma  Linda. We were stationed at Ft Irwin. It is a long and dark road through the desert from Barstow to the NTC. Hannah died earlier in the day. We were driving home and our van had a fire start under the hood on the road home. SMH. DH was an E3. We were broke. Someone stopped to help - normally she wouldn’t have stopped but her brother in law was visiting and she needed some papers, so he offered to run with her. They drove us home. Of course the day’s events come up. 
 

Later, she shows back up. She helped run the AER. They paid to fly us home, the burial, and arranged to have the van repaired. 
 

I will always be grateful. 
 

Edited by BlsdMama
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