Fun from the dumps

One person’s junk is another person’s treasure

One of the fun things I got to do as a kid with my Dad, was
go to the dump. Go to the dump? A favorite thing? Yes,
to us it was an adventure… we would empty out the truck,
and then walk around and see what others had thrown away.
My mother hated it.. because some times we almost bring back
as much as we took. There would be wheels, some kind of
item that my Dad could fix and sell, or use. It was always cool.
There toys that we would see, new things with tags, not wanted
anymore.. Yes it was quite an adventure.

And many years later the kids and I would do the same. My boys
especially had the best made bikes and wagons, that they built out
of spare parts from the dump. No wonder each one is a mechanic
either in their occupation, or as a side job. Saving great money on
their own family vehicles over the years and their friends.

There were funny stories about some of the things brought home.
There was the cool ice cube maker of feet, or so my son thought it
was… until I turn it over and it was the upper torse of a woman’s
body that the ice cubes made. And I had a red face 11 year old son.
There is the cart they made of spare parts and with a car steer wheel.
The oldest always being the driver until badgered into letting the next
in line to be able to drive.
#2 son being about 9 and 3 years junior of the oldest.. And on the way
down it was bumpy and the oldest behind (as that was the agreement
of letting the younger one drive. Not the best decision) With #1 Son
complaining on the way down, the #2 son got fed up and raised the
steering wheel, which was not bolted to the shaft, and handed it
back to the older one. Of which time the cart became slighty airborne
and turning on its own, and rolled the rest of the way down the hill on
its side. #1 son is a logger and does mechanic work on the side. #2
son has his own restoration of old vehicles shop.

Then there came the replacement of the dump…transfer stations. I
had an elderly friend who ran the local on in Roslyn. He would stop
by after work and drop off things that could be used. And I would find
homes for them. A lot of them were children clothes.. still with the tags
on them from local stores. I knew a lot of single mom’s or families
without jobs, who could use the clothing for their kids. Or house hold items.
At the transfer station he would put the items to the side and if anyone
had an interest In them, he would give them away…(kind of like the
Colburn Mall) and what wasn’t gone by the end of the day, he would load
up and see if I knew anyone who could use them.

But now… you go to what is known again as the dump, and see many
things you could use and the gals are hard as a rock NOTHING LEAVES
THE DUMP…… unless it is in the Colburn/Dufort Mall area… I love to get
wood, boards and such I can build with, those are never in the Mall area.

We thought we were recycling back then…
Nope, going to the dump isn’t as much fun anymore