The Leaning Tower Of Mailbox

Many years ago, I requested a new mailbox post and mailbox. While I was out of town, Sam gifted me both. And all was good - well, for several years.

However, over the past year or so, the mailbox has started to lean and twist and become a bit wobbly (as we all do over time). And over the past several months, the leaning and wobbling has become even more pronounced. And since Maribeth has become a professional USPS employee, she has been quite vocal about the disservice I am doing to my mail carrier.

So I decided to do something about it. I knew it needed concrete at the base. But would I have to dig the whole thing up and start over? That certainly sounded like too much a lot of work, so I put it on the list of things I was going to hire a handyman to do. And then I had a "I Am Woman" moment and decided to do it on my own.

I went to Home Depot and secured my bag of Quickrete. I read a few words of the instructions that I interpreted as "dump the bag and pour water and stir." Since I am quite proficient at making brownies from a box, I felt confident in doing this. And so I began.

First I needed to straighten and secure the mailbox. Which I did by tying it to the nearby tree (I started this project late in the evening so my neighbors would not be alarmed that next I would be parking cars up on blocks in my front yard). Then I took some blocks from the side of a planter (that I am no longer pleased with) to make a border around the mailbox post. Then I poured the concrete mix in, and Maribeth and Everley came out to help with the watering and mixing and spreading. Then I added a second layer of blocks for finishing out, once the concrete had set.

Of course, it rained (as in poured), and I tried to prep the area by covering it with a trash bag and boards. By the next morning, when I removed the rain-protection apparatus, it appeared that all was well, the concrete was set, and the project was ready for phase 2.

I returned to Home Depot and purchased rocks and sand, which I placed in the remaining space of the block circle. I tugged at the new, sturdy mailbox and found no movement. Once again, my mail receptacle was ready for the mail. I happened to look out as my mailman was filling my mailbox this afternoon. He opened and shut the little door a few times - probably trying to figure out if it was a trick or not. And I think he was probably pleased that he didn't have to do a contortionist act to place the mail in the box. Hey, moms of postal workers have a responsibility, too! Oh, and I did untie the mailbox from the tree - gotta keep the neighbors happy until the next project!!

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Thankful today for: two miles in the hod with KB: finishing the mailbox project; beef tips dinner with Maribeth, Everley, and Molly