Me, spilling out all my thoughts, inner and outer, on just about anything! Lots of poetry, short stories from past experiences, anecdotes about teaching elementary school, music, relationships....garage sale type thing...Something For Everyone!

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

The Spring BIG Item Pick-up!




I don't dare go out for a walk any time now. I may never make it home. And this has nothing to do with my recent heart condition. You see, it's that time of year again. Birds are singing, flowers are blooming and people are sorting their junk for the big item pick-up!! Yes, you can't walk one door down from your own house before coming across a huge pile of items no longer of use to the owners just stacked at the curb free for the taking!

It goes without saying, (hey, but I'm saying it!) that anyone who has a vehicle of any sort is out cruising the streets and shopping for any items they could possibly ever put to use. No one can resist. No one is immune to the magnetic effect. I am completely awestruck and totally at the mercy of the curb this time of year. I innocently start out on my walk, supposedly to get my heart rate up with increased speed, but alas, to no avail! Invariably I have to stop and scout the inventory at each house.

And you can't rush these things. You have to peruse slowly and "savour the flavour",trying to think of a variety ofuses for every item you see. Creative thinking knows no bounds! Most of the time it is well worth a thorough search. There is always perfectly good stuff there and I constantly wonder why it was discarded. More often than not, I just get past a few houses and my hands are full, which necessitates a return trip home to unload. Then, I nicely get a fast walking pace going again when I get pulled in once more a bit further along by some more enticing garbage. And so it goes until my garage and basement are full and I still haven't done my walk!

It is rather exciting though, and gets my adrenaline firing with each stop I make! Toaster ovens, couches, stereos, old window frames....The curb is my oyster and the basement is the world in which these pearls reside for yet another year when I finally put them out on MY curb!!


Mother of Invention, looking forward to her walk today!!

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23 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

The garbage truck looks sort of fairytale scary, like it could eat you up!

We don't have anything like that here, but when the students from VA tech graduate they leave some pretty good stuff on their curbs.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

 
Blogger bulletholes said...

Thats how I found my first girlie Magazine...Miss June, I think.
I used to have a bad case of junkitis ut if anyone is immune, its me!
I did pick up a Desklamp a few tears back that I am certain came from Los Alamos, having been used to design the A-bomb.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

 
Blogger twilite said...

Hi MOI! Read that some people make their million from these in this part of the world! Happy walking, walking, walking...

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

 
Blogger Barbara said...

The other day I watched a trash truck pick up a sofa and slowly smash it to smitherines. Those are powerful trucks.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

 
Blogger Bob said...

We have acquired several pieces of furniture this way over the years. Our first TV was a curbside rescue that required a pair of pliers to change the channel.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Colleen: You just can't resist a look!

Steve: HA! Yeah, I guess you had to downsize junk when you lived in the trailer! I'm a self-confessed packrat!

Twilite: You should see the trucks come by, pick up junk and sell it!

Barbara: Yikes! It must have been a crappy one couch if it was left!

Bob: Too funny but I've heard tons of stories like yours. My sister got a great dishwasher and stove plus at the cottage dump they got couches...that maybe bears were sitting in so when people ask where they got it they say "De Bears" instead of Deboers! (A really high end place in Toronto!)

Thursday, May 24, 2007

 
Blogger the naked tapdancer said...

I'm with you, MOV. My first retail store was largely a product of yard sales and flea markets, but I soon progressed to finding freebies via the curbside and looking in dumpsters. Now I need to have a yard sale to get rid of the excess roadside finds!

Thursday, May 24, 2007

 
Blogger Richard said...

You are brave to admit you collect other peoples' junk. Of course, many smug people will turn up their noses, preferring instead to part with their money at garbage sales.

I have been known to pick some things up from other people refuse. I am not proud. Of course, like most thinks I collect, it just ends up languishing in the garage to basement until such time as I wait for inspiration to do something with it.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

 
Blogger Stephen Newton said...

I hope you find the perfect castoff, Mother. I have left so much behind me, that I'm not inclined to search for more things. I can see how it would be like a treasure hunt and hope you have much fun, heart condition notwithstanding.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

 
Blogger GEWELS said...

To funny! You should stop by my place sometime- I am ruthlessly getting rid of so much stuff.

Trying to go a bit more minimalistic here.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Naked TD: I would have frequented your shop often...let me know when the yard sale is!!

Richard: Lots of people do it...it saves space at the landfill so is becoming trendy and Green! It's almost a social outing throughout town with people going around in trucks and stopping along the way.
Yes, I have a lot of that too and it's hard to part with if you think you MIGHT use it soon!

Stephen: Thanks! I do get a kick out of going to flea markets, rummage sales, and garage sales too. Since I haven't moved in 20 years, and have a big attic, it is had for me to downsize but I have actually done it a few times.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

 
Blogger gary rith said...

Nothing like dragging home a circa 1976 avocado green oven.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

 
Blogger mystic rose said...

you sound like a child on a teasure hunt! :)

Thursday, May 24, 2007

 
Blogger mystic rose said...

MOI,
thansk for the tip about the audio poetry thing. will look into it. :)

though I feel shy at the idea of doing it. :)

Thursday, May 24, 2007

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Gr: Yes, exactly! We had one of those!

Mystic: You should see me at garage sales and rummage sales!

Looking forward to hearing your voice read your own poetry. I know what you mean about reading it.I'd be a bit shy too and I'm not sure if I would do the words justice.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

 
Blogger Bobealia... said...

I love garbage picking.
I wish I lived in NY so I could garbage pick the really foofoo neighbourhoods.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

bobealia: We used to tour the ritzy garage sales in Toronto! It's amazing what you can pick up!

Thursday, May 24, 2007

 
Blogger Diana said...

But just think of the upper arm workout you're getting toting that stuff back to your house! Aerobic curb-stuf combing. Or you could just give in and pull a wagon behind you...

Friday, May 25, 2007

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Okay, I'll chose bigger biceps! With rewards!

Friday, May 25, 2007

 
Blogger Annelisa said...

Great idea! As far as I know there's nothing like that over here, but if someone would start it, it would be such a wonderful way to recycle!

I must admit, if I see something I like, I try to find a home for it, even if I don't need it. I did laugh when I read about your walk - I can imagine your hubby being driven nuts by your bringing home armful after armful! (Boy, would I love to see your attic and garage! :-D )

Saturday, May 26, 2007

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Annelisa: You'd have a blast going out for walks with me! You wouldn't have time to take pics of sun and clouds..you'd be too busy hauling stuff back to your house~~!

I should post pics of my attic sometime!

Sunday, May 27, 2007

 
Blogger brooksba said...

How much fun! It would be like a treasure hunt each day. As a previous user, you'd also have to feel good to have your things get used again instead of end up in the trash heap.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

I experience the previous user thing and the treasure hunt!

Thursday, May 31, 2007

 

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