Junk Day = Happiness

I love Junk Day.

It's the day in the neighborhood when trash men come with their big trucks and pick up ANYTHING you set by the curb.  I should say anything that's left at your curb.

You see, we put a bunch of stuff out, like a mattress, toilet, dresser, old wood, chairs, scrap pieces of whatever ... you get the picture.  Then people from near and far come driving around our hood collecting the things that look like goodies to them.  And let me tell you, people have varying tastes of what is good.

For instance, today Dan put out our old mattress.  Our mattress has been outside either leaning against the shed, in the shed, in the rain, out of the rain, or on the ground for the kids to jump on for about 3 months.  He pulls it to the curb and a guy with a truck says, "Aw man, I wish I could fit that mattress in my truck."

No.  No sir, you don't.  Be thankful the bed of your truck cannot fit our nasty old sittin'-outside-for-months mattress.  That was a blessing in disguise for that man.  He just doesn't know it.

Also, keep in mind that this year most of the junk sitting out at the curbs is from flooded basements.  We weren't the only one with a flooded basement in our hood.

Most of our stuff was a victim of the flood so not only was it in water in our basement, it then sat outside in the gallons and gallons of rain that have fallen from the sky in the last few weeks since the flood.

Our couch was steaming one day when I pulled into the driveway after dropping the kids off at school.  I am hoping that couch is still waiting by the curb and hasn't been picked up already.  Blech.

A soaking wet carseat was taken.  A wooden chest which actually wasn't in too bad of shape.  A wooden door that was mildewy.  An old printer.  An old dvd player.

See?  People love free stuff.  I am sure a lot of people like to tinker with things and see if they can get it working again.  It's funny to hear all the cars throughout the day and see them slow down as they drive by your junk pile.  There have been times I have pulled into my driveway while people are scavaging.  That's a little awkward.

I love it though.  I feel happy getting rid of stuff and knowing people are going to try to use it in some way.  And, the people are happy filling their trucks and trailers with all kinds of treasures.  It's like this major recycling effort.

And, I will admit.  I have grabbed a thing or two from neighbors when they have set it by the curb.  Our lawn chairs with the soft cushions for instance, and the coffee table we put in our basement before the flood.  Granted, it wasn't junk day, but free is free.

And free makes me, and a lot of other people, happy.