Maybe, it is a guy thing, but anytime I come home with something from the dump it’s a good day! Lynne: it’s definitely not a guy thing. I’ve scored plenty of things from the dump. And don’t forget, your bro-and-sis-in-law scored many things for us from their dump like our current bed frame you made from a daybed that we still are using.
Now, let’s get this out of the way. It’s the DUMP! It was called this because you went there to dump your stuff off. And you put them in DUMPSTERS – not transfer station bins. The transfer station seems more appropriate for a cross-country train trip. Maybe it’s the modern way to pretend you’re not ‘dumping’ stuff but ‘transferring it’? I digress.
I came home with something recently. As I was sorting the recycling, out of the corner of my eye, I saw this peeking out from inside a huge dumpster.
I haven’t had much luck down here at our ‘transfer station’ but this brought back fond memories of those rare times when I hit pay dirt going to the dump. Last time a had a find like this that Lynne was excited about was a huge block of wood left up in Manchester, New Hampshire as we were packing up our moving trucks. We simply added it amongst our stuff and it soon became a small 2-seat bar table in our kitchen here in Tennessee.
The best part of ‘finds’ like these is nobody questions you walking off with it to your vehicle AND it’s free! Another great find I recall was well before I met Mrs. Basketmaker. In the small town where I lived, the dump had a side area where you could lay out stuff that might be too good for the dumpster for people to look at. Saturday was the main dump day and on this day I timed it right. I was quickly going through this side pile of odds and ends and I spot a shoebox full of random stuff. I shuffle through it and I see some coins! I grabbed it quickly. When home I found there were over twenty dollars of silver coins—Half dollars, quarters, and one whole dollar. I heard of throwing away money but I had never seen it firsthand.
That was a good dump day and then there are the dump regrets. Those are the times when you see something and you and you ask yourself “Can I use this?” But before giving it enough thought you leave and then that is when the regret hits you. This has happened a few times where I saw a broken old bureau but it’s missing a drawer so I pass. But then as I’m driving home I envision this piece could be easily converted to a bench for the shop. I turn around to go back and it’s already gone. That’s a big dump regret.
My greatest dump-find regret was at the same one in my rural town and in the late 80s. This dump also had a burn pit. You could throw anything leaves, brush or anything of wood in the pile to be burned. Someone threw the top of an old piano in the pile and it was all in pieces but you could see the ivory keys. “Do I pick out all these keys and take them home.” I didn’t think fast enough and soon thereafter they were all engulfed with the other refuse. A real ‘find’ regret!
Back to the pic above of what I saw peeking out of the dumpster here. I have seen this before, not at a dump of course and I knew what it was. I thought it has to be all busted up but I need to go see, so off to ‘dumpster dive.’ This was a construction dumpster, where you put everything big that doesn’t go into the household trash dumpsters. They are much taller and larger than the other bins, so I backed my pickup close to it so I could get in the bed and be able to pull it out to inspect. I wasn’t overly excited because I thought who would throw away this if it was all in one piece? I was expecting it to be broken right off at the bottom. When I pulled it out I was shocked that it was almost in near perfect condition.
This frame is mid-century and held a mirror, that’s obviously not there now. Don’t want the mirror anyhow. I thought immediately that Lynne could use it as a frame for something. Now I was giddy to get back home and surprise her. And I also thought it would look great on the side of the house in front of our patio. So I placed it out front and had Lynne come out and see what I scored.
She was happier than I expected. Then she started researching it. Yes, it is a mirror frame and it’s actually quite valuable in terms of what a molded plastic mid-century wall hanging could be. Meaning, it’s okay to hang it outside. We did contemplate selling it online but that was short-lived. We needed to utilize this. I cut out a board in the shape of a circle to fit in the middle and Lynne Gessoed it and already started working on the painting inside. She says she should be done with it very soon. So when I get it installed, I will be sure she shares pics of it!
I would love to hear your Dump Finds or Regrets – either here on the blog, or as most of you reply, on my Facebook page!
Have a good weekend!
Mr. Basketmaker
