I missed the postbox collection at 12 noon & can't send a birthday card

[bronxdad]

I know I don't deserve a lot of sympathy for not forward planning better, but ds was ill last night and I forgot to post my mum's birthday card until 11.55 this morning. (Her birthday is on Monday.) Dashed to the pillar box which I thought was emptied at 12.30 but it's been moved forward to 12.00, and had gone. The notice on the post box said later collection at the local post office Sat 1pm, so I dashed to the post office which was closed but the lady came to the door & told me the sign was out of date, no collection after 12.00 now.

And that it is literally it, last chance. In London it used to be possible to pop down to the sorting office, but all that seems to be gone (I think they used to let you drop it in until 5pm on a Saturday not too many years ago.) I've searched all over the internet, called DHL, courier firms etc and can't seem to find anyone who will take a letter for delivery on Monday in the Isle of Man.

Am I being unreasonable to moan that in today's London you are literally stuffed to get a letter to an address within 48 hours, just because it's a Saturday afternoon. Or am I just wrong? Help!

Put card in postbox. Phone Mum on Monday to say Happy Birthday and ask if card arrived ok. When informed to the contrary, rain curses on Royal Mail and their loose interpretation of First Class Post...

Or order flowers (budget permitting)

Thanks! But I think I'm a bit too much of a serial offender for that one.
It's going to have to be Interflora, which is good value compared to courier service who would take the card all the way on a taxi, and charge accordingly!

Moonpig deliver on Monday if you order today!

This is where you need to put a shout out for IOM mners to rush to your aid and hand deliver card for you

I think it used to be possible to post letters on a Sunday from Charing Cross post office - no idea whether this is still the case or whether you could be sure a letter would get there on the Monday, though. I feel your pain - my parents live on an island too and it does need forward planning to get cards there on time, especially when the ferry service goes down in windy weather etc!

She is after all your mum phone her tell the truth, the card will arrive on Tuesday she will forgive you and still love you.

Too late now but I second Moonpig. If you order by 2 it will arrive next day.

I agree Moonpig it

Thanks for the tips! I've had a look on Moonpig.com, their cards are no good, order on Saturday or Sunday and they will put it in the post (not deliver) on Monday. Moonpig flowers, no problem, they will deliver same day on Monday, so I guess they are the same as Interflora.

Flowers it will have to be! Maybe it's a boy/mum thing but Mum always knows that if the card is late you didn't think about her, and even a £100 bouquet won't disguise that.

Thanks also for the tip about Charing Cross post office, but I don't think this will help, because although the post office is open, I don't think Royal Mail will pop in to collect the mail until Monday. All Sunday collections are finished, as are any collections after 12noon on Saturday. (There's also a post office in Belsize Park that opens till 11pm on Saturdays! Useful to know, but not for posting a letter!)

What I don't get is why you can't go down to the sorting office like you used to be able to, that's where all the Royal Mail vans go, the place is full of people sorting out the post being brought in from the postboxes, so what's the problem with letting people drop in an urgent letter?

Have PMed you.

Trumpton had the brilliant idea (brilliant because simple) of the kids doing a birthday card on the computer and emailing it - worked a treat. Thanks, Trumpton!

Aw ! Shucks !! and even better-er that your dad had them printed out at library so she had a hard copy.