Attitude Adjustment

Join the Two Writing Teachers ladies for more slice of life stories today!

 

This morning, as I was lucky enough to be still snuggled in my warm bed, my husband sent me a text.  He had just arrived at work and told me that we had been vandalized by the snow plow yet again this morning!

Last Thursday, our mailbox post was completely snapped in half by the snow plow.  We were irritated, of course.  I called the city and they assured me they would send someone out to look at it and get back to me.  As of this morning, I still hadn't heard from them.  In the mean time, my husband had managed to prop what was left of our post and mailbox in the snow bank so that at least we could still receive our mail.

This morning, it was knocked down again!  This time, the box was completely ripped off what was left of the post!  So, again, he propped the box in the snow bank with the hopes that we will still receive our mail.  (In our town, the post office closes at 5...we are rarely home from work before they close and neither of us work in our town to be able to pick up the mail before they close.  See the issue here?)

So, I called the city AGAIN!  The woman I talked to this morning informed me that if the snow plow had actually hit our box, they would help us.  If the snow (from the plow, mind you) had pushed it down, we were responsible.  She also let me know that my homeowners insurance should cover it.  Does she understand we have a deductible?  Hmmm...

I asked her if she had any suggestions for fixing my mailbox.  It's fairly obvious that with the 15" of snow we just got and the -30 degree temps we are having that I will not be able to dig a hole for a new post until...oh, maybe July?  She suggested I let the post office know.  (Sure, but since their phone number only rings busy all day long every single day, that's a little difficult.)  Her best thought was to get a 5 gallon pail, fill it with sand, and stand the mailbox up (which I'll remind you is not in three pieces) up in it...after we clear the ridiculous amount of snow around the mailbox enough to do that, of course.  "Just be sure to let the post office know that it's the best solution you have until the spring thaw," she said.

She said she would have someone come out and check it soon to be sure it was the force of the snow and not the plow. 

My response?

"Be sure to save yourself a little time and have them check the other 6 mailboxes that were also knocked down on my street at the same time."

I'm not usually one to rant publicly.  I understand that the people plowing my city streets have been working very hard and I really appreciate all that they have done and how quickly they have done it.  However, I have lived in my house for over ten years and this has never happened, much less to this magnitude.  Six at the same time in a one-mile stretch?  I find it a little hard to believe.  I guess that's why I'm a little bitter.

And then came the attitude adjustment that I needed.

Not even a half hour after all this drama...I received word that a friend and co-worker's (whose young daughter is currently battling cancer) home had a fire.  They have extensive damage to their home, maybe a total loss, but they are all safe and unhurt.  I can't even begin to comprehend what they are going through right now on top of everything else they are already struggling with in their lives. 

I'm pretty happy to have issues with my mailbox today.  If I could trade my mailbox getting hit every day for the rest of the year in exchange for fixing their home or their daughter, I would do it in a heartbeat.

I'll happily stand my mailbox in a 5 gallon pail until spring and be very thankful I have the home that goes with the mailbox.  I'll happily stand my mailbox in a pail and be very thankful that my four children are healthy, happy and warm in our home.

So...if you've read along this far, please say a prayer for my friend and her family.  They need all the prayers and support that they can get.  Thanks :)