Views of the Neighborhood – Different Things

Today we are going to go to the neighborhood and look at two different things. We are being catered by Con Todo of Austin. Our entertainment is Patsy Cline.

Menu (click to enlarge if needed)

Picture of an old time school bus

We are ready

This is a mailbox in the neighborhood. This photo was pulled from Google by The Producer. It is what is considered a ‘before’ photo.

Here is the after. Looks like someone got too friendly with VooDoo Rangers.

Here is the interim view. Need to continue to get mail.

Now for the cement block first phase of construction.

The next phase of stucco work is complete.

 

Finished product.

Here is a culvert with brickwork.

Here is a culvert with brickwork of another kind. (Go figure, right?)

I hope you enjoyed the different things. Relax and enjoy the food and music. I hope you have a terrific week.

79 comments

  1. robertawrites235681907's avatar

    Hi John, our postal service has collapsed and we no longer get mail. Lots of useless post boxes still around though. I prefer the electronic mail. The snails don’t eat them 😂

    Liked by 2 people

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      Gives new meaning to snail mail. 😊

      Liked by 2 people

  2. OIKOS™- Art, Books & more's avatar

    Hi, John! Sorry, for another delay. It’s a great rebuilt of the mailbox. I am considering the same, also needful for parcels. Enjoy a nice rest of the weekend! xx Michael

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      Thank you, Michael. Yes you need a big box for packages. They do make them.

      Like

  3. Darlene's avatar

    I love love Patsy Cline! Great job in rebuilding the mailbox.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      Thanks, Darlene. Glad you liked it.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Charles Yallowitz's avatar

    Hope the new postbox can take down the next challenger. Imagining there being a solid, immovable pole hidden inside.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      That would be the best way to trap the idiot. Thanks, Charles.

      Like

  5. GP's avatar

    Sorry, but I had to chuckle when I saw he mailbox on the ground.
    Thanks for having Patsy Cline. The range of her was outstanding.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      I agree, GP. She was amazing.

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Jill Weatherholt's avatar

    That’s the perfect song to accompany your photos, John. My mom and I love Patsy! Wishing the Howell household a peaceful Sunday.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      Thank yu, JIll. Wishing you the same. 🤗

      Like

  7. shoreacres's avatar

    The culvert with the red bricks made me wonder if someone either had gone over that edge, or watched someone else put a wheel off the road. It’s actually a rather good idea: the bricks, not inattentive driving.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      I can’t tell you about the bricks but I think you are close to the reason for them. To get stuck in the culvert would not be a good thing.The bricks that are just laying around have been that way for the last three years. The house is also falling apart, so I suspect it is a rental.

      Liked by 1 person

  8. JFRSr's avatar

    Great musical segue from “I Fall ToPieces” to the culvert brick rubble…you are such a clever fellow.🐳

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      Thank you, Big Tuna. 😁

      Like

  9. T. W. Dittmer's avatar

    Quite the idea on redoing the mailbox, and a nice finish. I’ve thought about putting a low wall at our driveway culvert, but decided against it because of winter snow conditions. Patsy Cline sounds nice and brings back memories of listening to her in my ’64 Chevy.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      I had a 64 Chevy too. It was the first new car after marriage.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. T. W. Dittmer's avatar

        I bought mine in ’66 for $650 from a guy who got drafted. I sold it to a guy for $650 when I joined the Army in ’68. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

        1. John W. Howell's avatar

          Mine was an Impala and I think it was around $2000. I think you got a great price.

          Liked by 1 person

  10. Priscilla Bettis's avatar

    I love Patsy Cline! My husband is her distant cousin, kinda cool.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      That is cool. 😊

      Liked by 1 person

  11. coldhandboyack's avatar

    Yup. We used to live just off the highway in Nevada. Our mailbox had to be along the highway. I must have bought a dozen, because kids think it’s funny to drive by with baseball bats and destroy them. My brother and I built new ones with I-beams, 10 inch iron pipe, and built a butterfly valve out of the same quality materials so the mailman could access them. After setting them in four feet of concrete we never had another problem. They’re still there to this day. Those things would stop a snowplow.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      Sounds like the way to handle it. We lived in a rural area and the kids would do the same or hit the box with a shotgun. Hard to prevent the shotgun damage.

      Liked by 1 person

  12. noelle's avatar

    No food today – I am full of lobster. Nice job on redoing the mailbox but it still looks monolithic. Culverts are always ugly – we have a HUGE one next to our property that the construction company finally surrounded with plantings in an attempt to hide it – only partially successful

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      I agree on the ugly culvert situation, Noelle. Nothing worse.

      Like

  13. Kymber @booomcha's avatar

    I loves me some Patsy! When I was a kid, we had a teenage neighbor who thought it was great fun to run down our mailbox. So not cool.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      That is when you want a pole set in concrete. Thanks, Kymber.

      Liked by 1 person

  14. lois's avatar

    My mailbox is still right up the porch steps, outside my front door attached to the house. Several years ago, the city changed it so all new residents had to have their mailbox on the street. You can drive down the street and see who are the newbies and who are the old timers. And I use ‘old-timers’ very loosely…

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      You could say ‘vintage.’ 😁

      Liked by 1 person

      1. lois's avatar

        I think I’ll stick with old-timer. 😆 Thanks, though, John.

        Liked by 1 person

  15. Liz Gauffreau's avatar

    Not surprisingly, the great Patsy Cline stole the show!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      Yes she did. There are very few ‘Live’ performances.

      Liked by 1 person

  16. Debbie's avatar

    What a shame about the messed-up mailboxes! More than a few neighborhoods have had similar problems, usually via vandalism from kids. Those stucco and cement block varieties look pretty sturdy though.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      The do go down though. We have had several hit.

      Like

  17. Mae Clair's avatar

    My guess is that new mailbox isn’t going anywhere, LOL!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      I think you are right. Thanks, Mae.

      Like

  18. Dale's avatar

    Haha! Perfect song for the post, John!
    I’m thinking the new and improved no. 503 will be harder to destroy…

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      I think so too.

      Liked by 1 person

  19. Resa's avatar

    LOL! This is funny, John!
    😂⧗😂⧗😂⧗😂⧗
    Patsy’s song at the end is perfect.
    Have a fab Sunday, and remember -“Nothing echoes like an empty mailbox.” – Charles M. Schulz

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      Thank you Resa. Have a fab Sunday as well. Always fun playing with you. 🤣X 🤣X 🤣X 🤣X

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Resa's avatar

        🥎X 🧶X 🎱X 🪩X

        Like

        1. John W. Howell's avatar

          ⚙️X 🍐X 🍅X 🫒X

          Liked by 1 person

        2. Resa's avatar

          I see…… hmph
          It’s time to up the ante!
          🕛Ẍ🕒Ẍ🕕Ẍ🕘Ẍ

          Liked by 1 person

        3. John W. Howell's avatar

          Good ones 🎱X 🏵X ⏲X 🧭X 💣X

          Liked by 1 person

        4. Resa's avatar

          It’s the bomb!!!!!
          💥𝑋💥𝑋💥𝑋💥𝑋
          You win!

          Liked by 1 person

        5. John W. Howell's avatar

          You are too kind. 🍩X

          Liked by 1 person

        6. Resa's avatar

          Takes one to know one! 🍩X

          Liked by 1 person

        7. John W. Howell's avatar

          Takes two to know one. 🍩X 🍩X

          Liked by 1 person

        8. Resa's avatar

          🍩X 🍩X

          Liked by 1 person

  20. candidkay's avatar

    John to the rescue! Mailbox looks great now:). And I’m all in on that squash taco–sounds too interesting to pass up . . .

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      Thanks, Christine.

      Like

  21. The Coastal Crone's avatar

    I guess it was a hit and run for that mailbox, but it looks even better than before. The second culvert could use some repair work too. I’ll take the squash taco – thanks!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      It does look good. Thanks, Jo.

      Like

  22. Dan Antion's avatar

    I love Patsy Cline, John. Good choice for these pictures. They did a good job rebuilding the mailbox.

    The menu was a little hard to read, but I think I saw “Beef, bacon and grilled onions?” Oh yeah.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      I think they did a good job, Dan. What is not to like about Bacon, beef, and grilled onions

      Liked by 1 person

  23. Author Jan Sikes's avatar

    That poor mailbox took quite a hit, but looks good as new now. Love Patsy Cline! Great song choice!

    Like

  24. Jennie's avatar

    503 seems like an unlucky number. The bricks on the culvert look like fun building blocks.

    Liked by 1 person

  25. petespringer's avatar
    petespringerauthor · ·

    Hmm, people usually worry about stolen mail, not stolen mailboxes. 😊

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      Yes, indeed. Thanks, Pete

      Liked by 1 person

  26. D.L. Finn, Author's avatar
    D.L. Finn, Author · ·

    The new post box looks like it will stand up to anything.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      At least a car. Truck I’m not so sure.

      Liked by 1 person

  27. Teri Polen's avatar

    My dad used to have problems with people knocking over his mailbox with a baseball bat. He finally built something similar to the one above, and it gave me a bit of happiness thinking about that same guy getting a big surprise when he tried it again.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      I would love to have a photo of that guy coming to a stop on your dad’s mailbox. 😁

      Liked by 1 person

  28. circadianreflections's avatar

    What a bummer about that mailbox! The menu for our tour today looks really yummy!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      Thank you, Deborah. Glad you liked both. 😊

      Liked by 1 person

  29. Sorryless's avatar

    Mailboxes should really have a union.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      They sure should.

      Liked by 1 person

  30. Tails Around the Ranch's avatar

    That mailbox murder seems to suggest how some Coloradans think of when they see Texas plates in the state. 😆 📭

    Liked by 1 person

    1. John W. Howell's avatar

      I can imagine. When I see a Colorado plate I always think they are visiting cause they sure wouldn’t want to leave such a beautiful area.

      Liked by 1 person

  31. dgkaye's avatar

    Looking better now than before. Nice work. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person