From Smash to Tracy

 This is one that probably needs to be seen in person. There is something about the layers and the actual ink on paper that just *glows* - that's not the right word. There is something about actual stuff that has a look - if anyone knows a better word - please let me know. I'd forgotten how pretty that stamp is. The bluish highlight on the right side of the bell is so perfect with the brown tones.

I could go on a long rant here about a job I did for at least 25 years - that I had to morph into a digital job because there is nobody in town who is available for original calligraphy any more. In theory - it would have been simple. In reality - it was one of the most complicated and confounding ordeals I have been through. I'm almost tempted to tell the full story because I know there are few of you old timer analog people who will appreciate the challenge of converting to digital. 

Maybe I'll tell the story in chapters - to fill up these Tracy posts -- since I will have mostly the same thing to say about each one -- isn't this pretty --

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Yesterday I pointed out the unfortunate red rubber stamp stating that the envelope was *non-machineable.* It happened when I went to branch post office and asked for hand-cancels and the clerk assured me that she could make sure that the envelopes did not go through the machines - but she did not tell me that she was going to add her own *non-machineable* stamp after I left. A different clerk at the main PO thought that the other clerk was trying to be helpful - by avoiding the machines that would have put a second cancel over the top of the hand cancel. 

I still need to have a conversation with someone who can tell me if there is a way to get a hand cancel and avoid the machine cancel - without the *non-machineable* rubber stamp. I'm guessing that the only way to make that happen is to have someone at the main PO who can walk the mail to the place where the non-machineable mail is gathering - and put it into the queue. I have more to investigate and will keep you posted. Way back in the previous century - my PO pal, Dave, who ordered a special cancel stamper - JUST FOR MY MAIL - that used black ink (instead of red, self-inking) - and he had to change the date by hand -- I'm pretty sure he told me that he would walk my mail down to *somewhere* and I'm guessing he was going to where he could put it in with the non-machineable - but it was also beyond people who had any kind of rubber stamp to add to the letters. Just a hunch.