I ordered some books from one of my publishers recently … delivery was arranged as per normal – with specific leaving instructions to leave in a specified dry place, if out.

Upon the mate and I returning home from a weekend away, we found amongst the mail on the door mat a delivery note – out I went to check that dry place. No box of books. Instead the box had been left beside our other car, on the ground…

It rained while we were away, so the water hungry cardboard box sucked up the wet from our brick paved front. The top received a dose of water running off the car. The books were wrecked, damp and out of shape!

The worst of it was to come: apparently an unnamed man had signed for them, an hour after the time on ‘my’ note according to the supplier! The name was of no one living in our vicinity (and anyway if you sign, surely you’d take in for safe keeping…!). The delivery instructions were very clearly marked though…

After discussing with the supplier I had to remove the front piece from each book and a page from anywhere else in each book … I got the mate to do it (even she ended up in tears) … then send off to the supplier for them to know that the books had been destroyed. It was heart breaking.

I now await additional copies while they ‘sue’ the delivery firm. I thought about naming them – they deserve it.

Here are two views of the partially dried out box with a damp patch showing on top … the inside was wetish. Dampened books don’t look very nice after this treatment! Mindless!