One Man's Trash

We're entitled to two council kerbside clean ups each year and I dunno, I guess spring is in the air and it was time for a tidy. The shed was largely full of old tax records, uni materials and fabrics that Clare thought might be worth keeping and some old toys and treasures in plastic bins (I even found a tub with my old cot quilt in it, still clean and dry and well preserved), a Triton work bench and jigsaw table that nobody knows how to use (Melanie I wish you were closer because you'd probably know just what to do with it), a 25 year old Suzuki 500 (my other brother's and I wish he'd take it home!), horse paraphernalia, some of my nieces treasures and then all the stuff that actually belongs in a shed such as tractors and landscaper's gear, tools and tarps, horse feed and fencing equipment, conduit and fluorescent light tubes and five dead and truly dessicated rats that only I had the courage to prize from their gluing sticky points of demise.

Sadly it had all collapsed into a higgeldy piggeldy mess of pottage, the floor daubed with rat droppings and chaff spillage, oil and muck. Frankly it was disgusting, so much so, I couldn't bear to take a 'before' shot. We killed about 8 unusually large red back spiders living among my nieces Uni exercise books. Clare had a conniption every time she saw one and was relegated to assembling the industrial surface spray contraption and removing saddles for cleaning and future storage. Useless.

A lot of what was in there was rubbish but amongst the 'throw outs' we also had a perfectly good computer desk and bed, removed only 2 weeks ago since Clare installed her double bed and shelving unit. Even the Salvos wouldn't take them despite them being in excellent condition . . fussy these charities, they only want goods in a pristine 'as new' state. I wonder if their clients would mind that a little melamine strip had torn from the front of the keyboard section on what was my computer desk until a fortnight ago! Then there are two screen doors and a few things in the 'container'. If you haven't used it in six years do you really need it? My bro, also tried to give his modular lounge, complete with a double sofa bed to the Salvos but they wouldn't take it because it was a bit grubby on the arm rests. We were insulted frankly because we'd been using these pieces until . .well . . last weekend but apparently our furniture is not good enough for the homeless and down and out. Talk about making us feel grubby.

When my younger brother moved in next door six years ago, we all chipped in and bought an old shipping container . .as you do . . .

No actually the container was to house furniture that belonged to my parents that my other brother said he'd like to keep and a few other bits and pieces that we also thought worthy of hanging on to until we all move on. Most are judiciously wrapped in bubble wrap and sprayed with Baygon to keep the bugs out. It's not seaworthy but it's pretty weather proof and hides surreptitiously behind the shed.

So on Saturday, it was a bit of a discovery tour as we opened the doors. We were expecting a rat ridden cobwebfest but actually it wasn't too bad. A few Daddy Long Legs and a bit of mould on the leather suite but basically everything was dry and in good nick. I found a horse rug and some Christmas decorations that I didn't know I had! Mmm treasure!

The upshot of our cleanup was some pretty decent furniture that with a little TLC would revive quite well: A modular lounge suite, a Domino bed base and Oregon timber bedhead and screws, a computer desk, an entertainment unit, actually another computer desk, a couple of old mattresses (fair enough, mattresses aren't the most hygienic of give-aways - funny, we don't mind putting our own kids in beds they've peed in but don't like giving them to someone else), two fly screen doors and a load of old rubbish that we won't put out until before pickup day because scavengers scatter garbage everywhere looking for something useful.

Within 1 hour, almost all had gone. We put them down at the end of the driveway and the scavengers came in their four wheel drives, sifted through the good and the bad and have taken everything except one two seater sofa (I suspect because they couldn't fit it in their car and may be back for it tomorrow). It was amazing . . a charity who cares for the underdog, the homeless, the impoverished refused collection, yet some well dressed bloke in his Landcruiser and with a younger fellow for muscle, took just about the lot! I really lament that furniture we were using three days ago was rejected by a charity yet will be recovered, refurbished and resold through some 'vintage' outlet by an enterprising couple. Just goes to show that one man's trash really is another man's treasure.

Ohk! Nobody wanted the workbench . . sign of the times I guess, we don't 'make' anything any more. But if you're interested, it'll be on the kerb next weekend . . I wonder how for how long?

Yeh . . happiness is a clean shed! Well until tomorrow's hay gets delivered. Please note the lack of cobwebbiness. Thank you Adam. Oh, and the leather suite spruced up nicely . .last seen in Babybro's lounge with his wife languishing on one of the recliners!

And sorry about the quality of posts these days. Bloggers block has gripped me big time.