Find a place inside where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain. - Joseph Campbell
From the office area of my bedroom I can see our mailman, oops sorry mail carrier Scott delivering our mail, I can see that he has a hard time reaching the boxes since they are pretty low. When I installed mine (mine was missing when I moved in) I tried to match my neighbors box the best I could. Later I found out that the Missouri Dept of Transportation had knock them down and since no one was living in this house the neighbor had only put theirs back in and didn't buy the new material to reinstall it the way it was, so it ended up being pretty low... which I not knowing any better tried to match.
One day I talked to Scott about his trouble and told him that I would take care of raising both boxes, but it may take me a while, I had several other projects going and I wanted to talk to the neighbors about it too, didn't want any trouble over a mailbox.
Well one day Mazie the neighbors daughter came by with her mom Bridget to drop off some cookies (a late Christmas gift), so I talked to Bridget about the mail boxes, she had no problem with me fixing them and offered her husbands help and money if I needed it, I gracefully declined both. Then it got cold and I stayed inside a lot so the project was delayed.
All of that was said to say that the last three days have been warm, Saturday was in the mid 50s, Sunday and Monday in the mid 60s, so I have been busy working on stuff outside. Worked on the chicken coop and got busy with the mail box project. I have got the chicken coop done for all intents and proposes, I may change the way to get into the nest boxes, the way I have it now is too hard, but it is useable. So it's time to email the lady with the laying hens and see if she still has some for sale…
The mailbox project went easier than I thought it would, I wanted to try making the post without using any metal fasteners, no real reason just leaning towards the old woodworking ways and wanted to see if I could. Well it turns out that I totally enjoyed myself and the project turned out good not perfect but I'm real happy with it. I did learn that a real woodworking bench and a lot more clamps would have made it easier and even more enjoyable…
It was so nice on Monday that I really wanted to finish it and install it. The big problem as I saw it was going to be digging the hole, I found a manual post hole auger at the local home improvement center which I thought would be easier on my back than the kind you drive down and spread and lift.
I dreaded the hole digging but I had to have a hole to put the post in so I went out to the road and got busy, much to my surprise it went well, there is more dirt there than I expected (not as many rocks) and the digging or boring went well.
As I was working on the hole another neighbor Nathan came walking by on his way to pickup his son from the school bus stop, I have seen him for a long time walking to and from the bus stop in the ditch in front of my house, one day several weeks ago I told him that he was welcome to use my driveway which runs parallel to the road it would be a lot easier for him and it doesn't bother me at all. He has been using it since and I'm glad. He stopped both times he pasted by and we chatted for awhile.
Since there was no mail delivery yesterday day I can't say if it works better for Scott but I sure think it will and in my opinion it looks better too…
As I was cleaning up the stuff from the mailbox project Richard (Bridget's husband) came home and complimented me on the job and let me know that he thought it was a lot better… neighbor happy, I'm happy two down one to go…
I was so sore by the time I came in that I had a hard time getting out of the chair to do anything last night but I got a lot done and am happy I did…
Herc woke me up around 2 am and wanted to go outside, REALLY!
I got up and took him out and then was wide awake laid in bed wondering why I'm not asleep, after awhile I got up and here I sit writing this, and I feel a lot better now not hurting much at all maybe I'll go out and dig another hole tomorrow, maybe not.
I know I keep saying it but I so glad to be here, I know more of my neighbors here than I ever did in California or even Phoenix and people here seem more real. I love it here.
Another Awesome Week Here In The Ozarks!
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