I have found chairs to refurbish. Then one day sitting In what I called the King’s chair I heard something while I was having a beer. The wide wood stained arm rest had a couple tine holes. I discovered termites were still alive in my found prize. I injected the hole with a fluid I don’t remember what. But a few days later the arm rest was quiet.
I can imagine both of these scenarios! It's always funny to see piles of (really good) stuff marked 'free' but which have had no interest - but as soon as an 'Only £5!' notice appears beside it, well, it's GONE!
These are great observations, Sharron. The way our minds work is crazy. If it's free, it is obviously trash. The same piece of junk with ANY price on it, is snapped up, even stolen, because people think they're getting away with something valuable.
Haha, yes Sharron. Thieves are an eclectic bunch. Some don't care what it is they steal - as long as it belongs to someone else, some want anything that has a price tag on it.
Haha, It happens here all the time. Anything near the curb is fair game. A friend of mine was mowing his lawn and went inside for a break. When he came back out, the mower was gone. He left it too close to the street.
There's a house in our neighborhood that throws old bathroom fixtures at the end of their driveway. I imagine they do a lot of bathroom remodels, but quite often, there's a toilet or two sitting out there in front of God and everybody, waiting to be taken away.
Well, our neighborhood is very much of the Nevada kind rather than the California HOAesque mentality. We all have roughly an acre and we do as we please with it. There are farms animals and gardens, expanses of grass and trim flower gardens, areas left to Nature with sage and wildlife, shops bigger than the houses for husbands to get out of the way. A newcomer to our road saw me tending to my chickens and came over to ask me if it would bother me if he built a shop in his front yard. His house was built way back from the road. I think he was both surprised and pleased when I said, "It's your acre. Do was you want with it." Lots of newcomers from California come here just for that reason. They can erect flag poles and radio antennas, build out-buildings and raise any animal they want (maybe). And there's also the guy who leaves toilets on the roadside. They usually disappear within a few days. (Hey, this reminds me of a very old story I posted on the old Ring Around the Basin. Maybe it's time to resurrect it.) Thank, Sharron.
A very unique opportunity, if you ask me. Freedom to what you want with your own land. Where I live, cats and dogs are not allowed out to roam and it is prohibited to hang our beach towels to dry on our front porch rails.
Yeah, I've lived in similar places. Must keep things tidy, mustn't we. It's not so tidy around here, but if you look beyond someone trashy yard or build a fence to hide it, life is good. There is a rancher here who'se tried twice to put in a solar array to generate power to sell. (Ranchers are always looking for ways to diversify their income sources.) It just takes a couple of complainers and one woman said she didn't move from SoCal to look at an industrial area. Irony is, there's an industrial park just down the road from her, but not in the direction she likes to look. Anyway, Jeff and I thought she ought to plant trees. A lot of people do around here. Don't like the view? Plant trees. Look the other way. Mind your own business! (gasp)
Live and let live - especially since you have such LARGE properties! It is a little different in the tiny community I live in. We are all so close together we have to behave ourselves...
guilty as charged. And as I shuffle things off to the thrift store, Jeff buys stuff from Amazon. It's Christmas nearly every day. He's addicted, I dare say. And even in a small house, we collected so much shi ... stuff, I felt like it would cave in on me during the night and crush me.
We have an active curb service here on the border. Scavengers from our neighboring city in Mexico pass by regularly in their old pickups and vans looking for discards to resell. They perform a valuable service.
I have a quick story to share. My neighbor at the time found a usable garage door opener out on the curb and installed it in his garage. A few years later, he converted his garage into a family room and gave the door opener to me. I'm still using that third-hand, discarded garage door opener twenty-five years later!
The first story reminds me of life as a deli owner. We made some bad stock decisions. There was the granola we couldn’t shift. £4.95 was too rich for our small town. I took it off the shelf and with a month left before it went out of date I popped it back out, prominently displayed. The sign read ‘New Price £6.50’. They sold that morning!!
Beautiful example, Barrie! In a Sociology class I took at University, we learned of a study done at a shoe store. Two pair of shoes in the window - the exact same shoes. One pair marked $62 and one pair marked $82. More sold at $82, even though, when asked, the clerks said there was no difference in the shoes.
We were amazed by the retail tricks (we were avowedly not ‘retail’). When we closed, we wanted to sell everything - except the gin, that was written off! - and we labelled Sardines, £5 each or 2 for £10. We sold them ALL in pairs even when we explained the joke!
Why settle for free stuff when you can steal free stuff?
My wife belongs to a local Facebook group whose sole purpose is to give stuff away. You post it, and when someone says they want it, you put it on your porch, and they come and get it. You don't even need to go to the curb. Or make a sign. 🤣
It's great for purging stuff in the house. Which is my latest hobby. "Give it away!"
Of course, she tends to replace what we give away with different free stuff. "It was free." 🤣
I have found chairs to refurbish. Then one day sitting In what I called the King’s chair I heard something while I was having a beer. The wide wood stained arm rest had a couple tine holes. I discovered termites were still alive in my found prize. I injected the hole with a fluid I don’t remember what. But a few days later the arm rest was quiet.
You saved a chair! Great fix! Thanks for your comment.
Love the chair one, so funny, and makes so much sense in this crazy world.
Glad it made you laugh, Linda.
Good ones, Sharron! "Someone steals them", "the boxes are already gone." - That's the way the world really works. : )
Thanks, James Ron!
I can imagine both of these scenarios! It's always funny to see piles of (really good) stuff marked 'free' but which have had no interest - but as soon as an 'Only £5!' notice appears beside it, well, it's GONE!
Human nature? Both stories are true, which makes it even funnier, I think.
Yes!
These are great observations, Sharron. The way our minds work is crazy. If it's free, it is obviously trash. The same piece of junk with ANY price on it, is snapped up, even stolen, because people think they're getting away with something valuable.
Exactly!
Haha, yes Sharron. Thieves are an eclectic bunch. Some don't care what it is they steal - as long as it belongs to someone else, some want anything that has a price tag on it.
Sad, but true. Humans are weird. Some of my best friends are ... humans.
Haha, It happens here all the time. Anything near the curb is fair game. A friend of mine was mowing his lawn and went inside for a break. When he came back out, the mower was gone. He left it too close to the street.
Oh no! THAT was an expensive mistake. Thanks for the story, Jim..
There's a house in our neighborhood that throws old bathroom fixtures at the end of their driveway. I imagine they do a lot of bathroom remodels, but quite often, there's a toilet or two sitting out there in front of God and everybody, waiting to be taken away.
Euw. That has to mess with the value of the neighborhood, I'd think.
Well, our neighborhood is very much of the Nevada kind rather than the California HOAesque mentality. We all have roughly an acre and we do as we please with it. There are farms animals and gardens, expanses of grass and trim flower gardens, areas left to Nature with sage and wildlife, shops bigger than the houses for husbands to get out of the way. A newcomer to our road saw me tending to my chickens and came over to ask me if it would bother me if he built a shop in his front yard. His house was built way back from the road. I think he was both surprised and pleased when I said, "It's your acre. Do was you want with it." Lots of newcomers from California come here just for that reason. They can erect flag poles and radio antennas, build out-buildings and raise any animal they want (maybe). And there's also the guy who leaves toilets on the roadside. They usually disappear within a few days. (Hey, this reminds me of a very old story I posted on the old Ring Around the Basin. Maybe it's time to resurrect it.) Thank, Sharron.
A very unique opportunity, if you ask me. Freedom to what you want with your own land. Where I live, cats and dogs are not allowed out to roam and it is prohibited to hang our beach towels to dry on our front porch rails.
Yeah, I've lived in similar places. Must keep things tidy, mustn't we. It's not so tidy around here, but if you look beyond someone trashy yard or build a fence to hide it, life is good. There is a rancher here who'se tried twice to put in a solar array to generate power to sell. (Ranchers are always looking for ways to diversify their income sources.) It just takes a couple of complainers and one woman said she didn't move from SoCal to look at an industrial area. Irony is, there's an industrial park just down the road from her, but not in the direction she likes to look. Anyway, Jeff and I thought she ought to plant trees. A lot of people do around here. Don't like the view? Plant trees. Look the other way. Mind your own business! (gasp)
Live and let live - especially since you have such LARGE properties! It is a little different in the tiny community I live in. We are all so close together we have to behave ourselves...
guilty as charged. And as I shuffle things off to the thrift store, Jeff buys stuff from Amazon. It's Christmas nearly every day. He's addicted, I dare say. And even in a small house, we collected so much shi ... stuff, I felt like it would cave in on me during the night and crush me.
The first one is a hoot. The second is so true.
We have an active curb service here on the border. Scavengers from our neighboring city in Mexico pass by regularly in their old pickups and vans looking for discards to resell. They perform a valuable service.
I have a quick story to share. My neighbor at the time found a usable garage door opener out on the curb and installed it in his garage. A few years later, he converted his garage into a family room and gave the door opener to me. I'm still using that third-hand, discarded garage door opener twenty-five years later!
Ha ha ha! Pretty funny, KC!
People are funny, aren't they? One motivates doesn't motivate all, it seems.
Funny is right! Both these stories actually happened to my son.
I just love these, Sharron. You have such a gift! xo.
Connie
P.S. I'm going to remember these the next time I clean out my garage and don't feel like hauling shit to the recycle place.
Good plan, CJ. To have it taken away for sure, just put everything in a large Amazon box, tape it closed and leave it on your porch overnight. Gone!
The first story reminds me of life as a deli owner. We made some bad stock decisions. There was the granola we couldn’t shift. £4.95 was too rich for our small town. I took it off the shelf and with a month left before it went out of date I popped it back out, prominently displayed. The sign read ‘New Price £6.50’. They sold that morning!!
Beautiful example, Barrie! In a Sociology class I took at University, we learned of a study done at a shoe store. Two pair of shoes in the window - the exact same shoes. One pair marked $62 and one pair marked $82. More sold at $82, even though, when asked, the clerks said there was no difference in the shoes.
We were amazed by the retail tricks (we were avowedly not ‘retail’). When we closed, we wanted to sell everything - except the gin, that was written off! - and we labelled Sardines, £5 each or 2 for £10. We sold them ALL in pairs even when we explained the joke!
Ha! Human nature combined with a lack of math skills....
Folk seem so tuned to an expectation of bargains! Mad really.
Too funny, Sharron, and so true!
Absolutely true, in this case - both happened to me son. Ha ha ha!
Haha! They’ve happened to me as well… 🤦♂️ 😅
Why settle for free stuff when you can steal free stuff?
My wife belongs to a local Facebook group whose sole purpose is to give stuff away. You post it, and when someone says they want it, you put it on your porch, and they come and get it. You don't even need to go to the curb. Or make a sign. 🤣
It's great for purging stuff in the house. Which is my latest hobby. "Give it away!"
Of course, she tends to replace what we give away with different free stuff. "It was free." 🤣
Your wife is in the vanguard, and a woman after my own heart. Nothing like a good cleaning out!
Yes! Who needs so much stuff? Just keep what you actually use and get rid of the stuff you have stored for years.
Hehe, what a great strategy! "STOOLS $10.00 ea. Someone steals them."
He thought they would. Funny how people's minds work.