Mailbox Moves

Had to take Thing Two to the dentist this morning for some sealing work.  Since what he needed done is effectively the fixing of a cavity without a cavity actually being present (drill and Novocain included), he was not very happy about it.  And the dentist really pissed me off by informing me crabbily after the fact that he was upset during the procedure.  No shit, Sherlock.  You expected hearts and flowers and joy, for crying out loud?  He let you do your job.  Take your sanctimonious attitude and shove it.  In her defense, she's usually very good with him, and he's usually very good with procedures--maybe this was just a bad day.

At any rate, he went cheerfully to school afterward, and I went home and did some outdoor painting to blow off steam.  The doors and trim on the big shed are now flawlessly white, as is the mailbox post.  And thanks to Phil the handyman, I did not have to take my life into my hands to paint the post this time around.

We live on a rural county highway.  Unfortunately, the mailbox is on the opposite side of the road from the house.  Do builders actually have to consult the post office to see which side of the road to put mailboxes on?   Anyway, to add insult to injury, the mailbox was originally located so close to the road that the snowplows or passing trucks clobbered it once or twice a year.  I took to buying replacement mailboxes and installation plates two at a time at Home Depot, to make it easier to replace the damn thing post-impact--at least there would always be a spare in the basement.  But having to stand in the middle of the road to fix it every time was annoying, not to mention seriously hazardous to my health.

So, when the post rotted out and fell over last spring, I had Phil put the new post two feet further back.  Yes, it took me six months to get around to painting it.  It happens.  But at least I was safe this time when I did it.

And the next time a truck or snowplow veers too close to the edge of the road, it will take out my next-door neighbor's mailbox first, since his is now the furthest forward.  Serves him right for letting his dogs run loose.