Mailbox is sturdy and beautiful.  I covered the holes in front (from the inside), knowing that they would be a potential source of weather leakage (they were).  So no complaints or surprises there. 

But water leaks in at the top hinge.  Im too irritated by it to have turned my attention to a solution yet.  It gets pretty wet in there.  And there isnt drainage at the bottom, so I guess Ill have to address that too.