Lookie what came today -- our house number plaque! In the run-up to moving down to DC, Shannon and I have been concentrating on the big stuff (replace the windows, fix the floor, get a new water heater, etc.), all of which has taken up the clear majority of the time we're able to devote to the new house from here in Boston. About two weeks ago, though, we realized that the new place is essentially anonymous, with nary a marker showing it's number on the block. And in true DIY-style, we figured that this was an opportunity for us to get something nice to put up, something that keeps with the style of the house and lends it a bit of je ne sais quois. We liked the look of the various cast bronze plaques that are a dime a dozen at internet merchants, but didn't know how well they'd hold up to the elements (and accordingly, whether we'd be scrubbing outside wall as the bronze deteriorated over time). That's about when we stumbled upon Bryson's Stuff, a foundry in Pennsylvania that specializes in cast aluminum products. Given the width of the space next to our front door, we opted for the 10" oval plaque, and (as you can see from the picture) it looks just plain awesome. I can't wait to get down there in a few weeks and put it up!