Have you ever lost something? About three years ago Don lost a ring that he had purchased years ago. The ring had the Masonic insignia along with sapphires and diamonds. He told me that it cost a lot of money back then. He remembered making several payments.

That day he had been to the barber, picked up a prescription, and bought a few groceries before he ended up here. All he knew was that when he got here the ring was gone. He figured that it fell off in his glove and he lost it that way. He really felt bad. The ring had gotten loose because his fingers had gotten smaller.

The next day he retraced his steps. No one had seen the ring. No one had turned it in. His daughter and granddaughter came that spring. They went to a second-hand shop.

While there they told the owner about the ring since it is very distinctive. He told them he would watch out for it. It had my husband’s initials inside. It is unique. It was made to celebrate an anniversary of the Masons.

Nothing happened. We never heard a word from anyone. We sort of forgot about it figuring it was never to surface again.

Late this past summer we were making room for some of Don’s things to come up here. I was out in the room between the garage and the house. I moved a big container and saw something that was round. I reached down and low and behold, what I had in my hand was Don’s ring. It had been there for nearly three years. I was overjoyed.

I took the ring with me into the house, and asked Don what he thought I found. Of course, he was unable to guess. I reached over his shoulder and put the ring down in front of him. He was amazed! He really could not believe that it was found. Much less he could not believe that it was in the back room the whole time!

I told him that I wanted to take it to a jeweler to have it re-sized to fit his finger as his birthday gift. The day we took it, they told him that the stones were in danger of falling out. It could be repaired, but they would have to send it away. I said yes, I wanted it repaired. We left the jeweler with a receipt for the ring.

That was in the month of September. We were not in the crisis that happened at Christmas with everyone shipping all of their gifts besides ordering them on-line. The people at the Post Office really worked hard this past Christmas. They had more packages than they knew what to do with.

In December I called the jeweler. They assured me they would call back. When it got to be 2021 I called again. I heard from them this time. They told me the ring was done, but it was in Mississippi! They told her they would have it to them by the next day. Well, it did not get to the jeweler the next day, but it did arrive the next week.

My husband and his ring are reunited. It fits perfectly and the new prongs will hold the stones securely.

I am still missing another package that was mailed on November 4. When I put in the tracking number the only information I get is that it left the Russell Post Office. I filled out a form about lost mail. It was only going to Fairview, Pa. The post mistress told me to call that post office so that they can be on the lookout for it.

When I talked to a young man from that office, he told me that although our mail normally went from Russell to Pittsburgh, when the Pittsburgh office was shut down by COVID, all of the mail was dispersed all over the country so they could not be sure where my package went.

Low and behold I got a notice from the post office that my case was resolved. I was puzzled. I did not have the package. The business that I mailed it to did not have it. How was it resolved? At this point I called the local post office again. She asked me if I filed the form for lost packages. I told her I did.

It is now close to three months for this package to travel from Russell to Fairview. The young man told me with the information he had, it said it was in transit. I wonder where it has been? I am guessing that it must have gone to Alaska, Hawaii, or California. At any rate I am still waiting for it to arrive in Fairview.

While one of the things that was lost in the mail had a happy ending, I do not hold much hope for the other one. At least it was the ring that made it home! I am not sure exactly where all that ring went but I can assure you it traveled more than we have traveled this year!

Ann Swanson writes from her home in Russell. Contact at hickoryheights1@verizon.net.