Amazing isn't it? I still don't know the trick, unless they come in a container load, get sorted to the USPS zipcode hub and then hits our system. For example, all the little towns around here are 530## and all the mail coming or going is sorted in Milwaukee. If the packages are all sorted in boxes before they hit Milwaukee, the USPS would only handle the shipments once. I'm making this up and guessing. Maybe someone knows?

But yes, I can buy things from Asia if I'm willing to wait, for less than the gas costs to drive to the local hardware store, and besides, some things, make that most, are lower cost delivered than I can buy at Walmart, Home Depot or Ace.

Just offside, we're 4 miles North of Port Washington and South of Oostburg which is pronounced Oots Berg, those crazy Dutch? I'm in an unincorporated town, we have a church and cemetery, so my mail comes from Belgium. No really, Belgium Wisconsin 53004, Pop. 2,245 (one of the big cities around here). The area is actually old time farms settled by Luxembourg immigrants. We live miles closer to Fredonia (Hail Hail...) Pop. 2,160 but something about townships means we're in Belgium. Hardware store that sold liquor, going out of business. Gas station is now closed Sunday. But we have a truck stop with the classic "great food".

Waubeka, named after chief Waubeka was the larger town, until the Railroad went through Fredonia instead, to miss a big river bend. Waubeka Pop. 657 - no mailbox anywhere to drop a letter, is however still famous for the home of Flag Day in the United States. There's a parade and party with fireworks in June.

The really biggest city South of here is Port Washington. Pop. 11,250 downtown is an upscale tourist type place in the Summer. Used to be a fishing port, Lake Michigan Port for steamers, wood, crops, goods and very busy... until the railroad went through Chicago. (does this remind anyone of the old westerns?) The last grocery store of any size, closed in Port last week. Not to worry there's an old time killer meat market and the farmers market, they shut down a long section of street once a week.

So for you city folks, I moved out here when I kind of retired, I only have four jobs now, living somewhere between Green Acres, Hooterville and Mayberry. And we love it.

Here's the view from the end of the driveway. Pretty much nothing but cows and corn, except when the crops are rotated for soybeans. Same as the back view, except no county road there.

And any rail fans, there's a nightly freight from Milwaukee, Shoreline UP, sometimes it's as many as 8 cars, I've seen it headed back, just the locomotives. Sheboygan power plant burns coal, UP runs trains as needed. They come from Powder River Wyoming.

The train through Fredonia, WSOR, runs as needed, Most days I count 2 or 3 cars. The tracks along the lake shore end 20 some miles North of here. The WSOR along the river, could go farther but doesn't go past a quarry about 28 miles North.

However, I can buy electronics from China, it gets delivered to my door and costs nothing for postage. I can't even mail a letter for that! How do they do that? Red, White, Blue, LED strip lights 10 each, for the 4th porch decorations, (or flag day?) $4.80 each, free shipping.