Mailbox Improvement Week 2012

Yesterday started National Dog Bite Prevention Week and also Mailbox Improvement Week. Each year the third full week in May is a week designated to making mailboxes (especially those on rural or city driven routes) look nicer, but also help our letter carriers access and use them easier.

If you live in an area like me, you are prone to getting snow..which means plows come and obliterate the mailbox once a season. Luckily, this years snows weren't too bad and the mailbox made by step 2 held up nicely. In my area I see lots of rusty mailboxes and wonder why people do not take more pride in them. Well, perhaps they aren't as loving of the mail as I am..but it still makes me sad. If I were a mail carrier I would rather have a nicer neater box to deliver to as opposed to a rusty hard to open (or shut) mailbox. And I am thinking that was the motivation behind this national week of improvement.

So, I urge you to clean up your mailbox or replace it if it need be. Think of all the hard work the USPS does for us..the least we can do is make their job a little easier. Here are the five points the USPS is hoping to accomplish:

Mailboxes should be:

1. Approved by the postmaster general.

2. Designed to protect the mail from weather.

3. Safe to use.

4. Conveniently located.

5. Neat in appearance.

Does your mailbox meet those standards? If not, are you going to try and make it better?

Antique Stores

Many of you know that my new job leaves me with an hour lunch break. Not only that but the library is within quick walking distance to an antique shop and the post office. Well, I decided to take a trip to the antique store to look and see what I could find.

I really thought I took more photos, but apparently I didn't. But regardless, here are a few of my favorite things:

This is essentially the basement of the place. I am not sure why I took this photo as there aren't many things I really wanted down here. Sure there are neat chairs and dressers, but overall...everything is WAY out of my price range. 

This typewriter is downstairs, underneath a desk down in the basement. I am not sure if I would consider buying it. The keys stick pretty badly and honestly it is really hard to see how much work it would need. I haven't even asked the price on it yet.

Now..this is almost exactly like my mailbox growing up! So I am pretty sure when I remember to take cash with me (they only accept cash) I will need to purchase this mailbox, and one day use it as my own. It is cast iron and very heavy. But would totally be worth the $37 price tag.

If you want to see one that looks exactly like my childhood mailbox..you can visit the etsy listing here.

Do you visit Antique stores? If so, what draws your eye? This one that I visit has lots of old pens too...Something tells me I will certainly be adding to their business. 

Mailbox Bandaids

Is this not one of the coolest things ever? I giggled with delight when I pulled it from the mailbox. How fitting. Not only is it a mailbox with bandaids on it..but it is a book cover! Oh Kelly P. you are amazing!

On a side note, Limner turned me on to this blog and I instantly fell in lust with her sketches! I think I may have to own some by buying one of her zines. It definitely makes me what to create a zine. But then I think..would anyone read it?

Well, I am off to write more letters!

Sad Mailbox News..

Look closely at the lower left side of this picture and you will see the post that my mailbox used to be attached to. It had been in the ground since my grandparents bought this house which was over 60 years ago. Today, early this morning, a young girl slammed on her brakes to avoid running through the stop sign on the bus in the opposite lane. With all the rain we have had her brakes locked up and she ran smack into the post/mailbox.

As you can see the mailbox isnt too damaged. A few screws will need to be replaced but overall it held up pretty well. And the brightest part of the news is that the young girl was not hurt at all, though I suspect she will have some whiplash soreness later on. Her car was fine too, and as far as I know she was not sited by the cop. We didn't exchange insurance info (the damage was too insignificant to worry about, plus we were just thankful she was ok) and my brother came and got her car unstuck from the post(which was hung up underneath the car).

You can see that she attempted to stop way before the mailbox, but when her brakes grabbed and stuck it jerked her car. She said all she could think about was that she was going to hit the telephone pole that is just to the left of the picture above. Someone must have been looking down on her, because it could have been much much worse.

This is a good lesson for me to remind Carter of why I tell him NEVER to stand near our mailbox (or near the road in general). It only takes a second for something like this to happen. Even accidents can cause major damage.

Lets end todays post on a happy note shall we?

This is Dozer, my brother's dog. He is HUGE. But how can you not love that face?

Thrift Store Finds

How about a look at some of the neat things I found yesterday while thrifting?

Who could pass this up?? I used to have one when I was younger..though I am sure mine was all wooden. This one has a plastic top.

Random greetings cards are always good to have, and Postmark Paris is a really cute book!

Can we say mail art supplies??

A whole box of Crayola colored pencils..for 50 cents!! Yes please!

How about a Noel mail box? Who knows this may make a nice gift to someone around Christmas. =)

This Rural Mail Carrier cup was too cool! I still haven't taken the price tag off..but it was only $3.99.

This froggy valentine deliverer was too cute! I am not much on ceramics, but I couldnt pass this up.

And then my mother had to trump me by finding this among the niknaks. Uh. She always finds the coolest stuff. But then again..I am her favorite daughter. (I am also the only one..but thats besides the point).

So tell me..have you gone thrifting lately? If so, have you found any mail related objects?