The Bells Have Made Me Deaf

A web site which connects groups of people with things to give away. Rather than dump perfectly usable items and add to landfill problems or in my case, keep it hoarded in every available cupboard, why not Freecycle it. My local group has 329 members although most of the posts seem to be for things wanted rather than things being given which kind of misses the point of the whole thing.

It’s an excellent idea. I know I’d be much happier letting some stuff go if I thought it was going to good use.

Thanks to DAIC for the link.

I’ve had this bottle for almost as long as I can remember. It was given to me as a piggy bank way back in the 70’s and although it holds no real beauty or value, it somehow never seems to reach the bin. I had a bad experience with vodka and cider combined at the tender age of 15 so I cant even claim to be a fan of the drink. Along with a fishing rod my grandfather gave me when I was ten, it sits at the side of the mantle-piece where it refused to be photographed. Even on top of the stove, it was a bit camera shy. Some of my other ornaments are stones I’ve picked up on the beach. Royal Doulton just doesn’t do it for me… lol

… but it was free.

I’ve been looking for an industrial machine with a walking foot or needle to cope with some of the thicker upholstery jobs that I’ve had to turn down and low and behold, today on delivering me goods, there was this dilapidated piece of rust sitting outside the shop. Jimmy Dial-a-Van had just dropped it off with me Da minutes before I arrived. It’ll need a couple of minor new parts, a lick of paint, maybe a replacement motor and I get to sniff 3 in 1 oil while I clean it up. I have yet to plug it in to see if the motor works. Beats forking out dosh for a new second hand one any day. Ohhh the excitement is almost too much…

Some plants are hard to kill I know but when I admired the huge Arum Lily at my little cousins new front door, I didn’t expect them to dig it up and send it home with me. Being non gardening types I think they were happy to uproot. I don’t understand this at all. It looked beautiful where it was but they feared it might stimulate hay fever… huh? I didn’t argue, although I would have been happier if it hadn’t been hacked out of the ground quite so enthusiastically. Now I have a bin bag full of ready split stems on somewhat butchered roots which I hope will not die if I pot them up individually. Too late home tonight to do anything about it so I hope it can make do with the bin liner till tomorrow when I get a chance to go lilypot hunting. I had no plans to start a container garden here but it looks like it’s on it’s way…