Auntie Em! Auntie Em!

We worked on an unexpected little project this weekend.  I've been noticing for quite some time now how yucky our mailbox was looking.  I tried to tell myself it didn't really matter.  "It's just a mailbox!  And unless I can have one of the fancy brick ones,  then I don't care." But it really was disgusting, the top of the once black box had faded to a weird shade of gray and the wooden post was weathered and mildewed.  Apparently someone else thought the same thing and took it out for us on Friday night. 

As B.J. and I drove out of the neighborhood on Saturday morning to purchase a new one, I began to notice every one's mailboxes, which I've never before paid too much attention to.  What I realized is that all mailboxes are ugly no matter how many embellishments they are adorned with or what kinds of flowers have been planted at their base!  (with the exception of the brick ones of course)   

At Lowes we debated over which post we needed to buy.  We didn't need another box because we had a spare (black one) in our storage room.  (I know not everyone keeps a spare mailbox, but as long as we have lived in our house the neighborhood has been a target for mailbox vandalism.  We suspect it is kids, but this was the first time the post was destroyed as well so we think maybe someone hit it.  Where it is located makes it a prime target: at the bottom of a hill and in a curve.  I'm surprised it has not already been taken out.)  Back to which post to buy:  I didn't want another wooden one.  He did.  We both didn't want to pay over $100.00 for a metal one with the potential of another wipe out.  So, what did we do? Compromised.  At least I think that's what we did.  We bought a fairly inexpensive white plastic one along with some black spray paint especially made for painting plastic since it did not already come in black.       

Back at home,  B.J. painted the post.  It looked like the expensive wrought iron one (kinda) and we were both pleased.  He carried it to the street and leaned it against his truck while digging a hole.  And in a very FEW minutes he brought it back to the house.  It had folded like a pretzel.  And was melting.  MELTING!!  So funny.  At least now it is!  The only thing I could think of was the witch on the Wizard of Oz when she melted and left nothing but her hat behind.  I wish I had taken a picture of it, but he snatched it up pretty quickly (before it was all gone, ha) and headed back to Lowes with it.  I couldn't believe it, but they gave us our money back since there were no instructions on the box stating it could not be painted. We think maybe the black paint and heat reacted to the plastic melting it. Just guessing!

So I now have a shiny new black mailbox sitting atop of (you guessed it) a brand spanking new wooden post.  Oh well,  the bright side is that he bought a cedar one so I'll never have to worry about moths eating up my mail.  Ever!  Or coming home from work one day to find a box floating in a black puddle of liquefied plastic mailbox pole.  MY LITTLE PRETTY...