Alexandria is the address we use for mail delivered to our homes because our letter carriers operate out of post offices admistratively under the Alexandria Post Office. An acceptable alternative address for residents in 22309 is "Engleside, VA 22309" and is sometimes recommended as the one to give an insurance carrier to obtain lower rates on home and automobile insurance, rather than "Alexandria 22309," because a clerk in another area of the country who does not check the zip code may assume that you live in the City of Alexandria.

Mount Vernon is where we live, but if you would like to use it as a mail address for your correspondents to use, there are two steps you need to take - one for postal service and one for e-mail.

Mount Vernon 22121 is the Mount Vernon Post Office. It does not provide mail delivery. So if you wish to use this postal address, obtain a box at the Mount Vernon Post Office. You can indeed use both addresses. (However, don't try to combine the two into one address. Mail will only be delayed, at best, if you try to use your street address with the Mount Vernon address.)

Getting a box and using the Mount Vernon address for your telephone bill will allow you to list your residence in the Bell Atlantic telephone book without the street address and will substantially reduce the number of telephone solicitations you receive.

@Mount Vernon address for e-mail may be used by simply signing up with our local Mount Vernon Net. You do not even have to own a computer. Your e-mail address is

YourName@MtVernon.Net

which not only supports our community but is a nice address to use with friends and on business cards, Christmas cards, letterhead and résumés. It can be your permanent life-time address. (Because the service automatically delivers the e-mail wherever you wish, and you can change Internet access services whenever you wish - as explained at E-mail and Mount Vernon Net.)

Your house number: Is it easy to read from the street? It will help your friends, delivery services (like pizzas and UPS) and, most importantly, emergency vehicles. Lives have been lost because the ambulance or fire engine went to the wrong house. The local hardware stores have inexpensive holders for house numbers to be placed on the house, front fence or mail box.