It turned out that this was an instance where giving something away for free worked out, but shortly after we moved into the house, we got a knock on our door and on our porch were two cute little Hispanic girls who asked Margaret--with really thick accents that were quite endearing--if they could gather some of our hydrangea blooms "for the church." Margaret's heart melted and she said, "of course you can," and went back inside. Later, when we went outside to go somewhere, we looked at the hydrangea bush and there wasn't a SINGLE BLOOM left on it! We later found out that it was a scam and that they were really gathering the flowers to dry and sell in arrangements. Now when they come to the door, Margaret goes out and cuts them a few blooms herself. Nothing like experience to turn you into a cynic.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Since we got a new desk at Ikea this weekend, it was time to finally retire the old Costco special that I have had since I was in college. That thing was enormous--it was a full wrap-around desk and was the kind that should only be moved once--and that's its first move from the store. After that, each successive move results in greater and greater damage until, as we found out--after four moves, it becomes so wobbly and unstable that you're afraid to place more than four sheets of paper on the desktop for fear of it collapsing. Of course, that isn't a good situtation to be in when you have a 200 lb. computer monitor sitting on it. Well, anyway, we took the old desk apart and put it on the back porch. Not wanting it there, but knowing our finely honed procrastination skills could possibly see it still sitting there until The Reckoning© before we got around to taking it to the dump, I decided to place an ad on Craig's List (an online classified ad service). I stated that the desk was free to a good home. It was the first ad I've ever placed online, and I didn't know what to expect--actually, I was thinking that I'd better get a response within the seven days alloted to ads. Well, shortly after posting it, I got TWO requests for the desk, and in the time it took me to reply to the first person and take the ad down off Craig's List, I had gotten EIGHT more! I had no idea that it was so efficient. Now Margaret and I and wondering about a whole slew of things that we have been putting off doing something about that we could take care of on Craig's List--like an ad offering our dilapidated deathtrap garage--a building that is so far gone that I'm sure it would collapse should a squirrel or raccoon get on the roof--free to a good home.
It turned out that this was an instance where giving something away for free worked out, but shortly after we moved into the house, we got a knock on our door and on our porch were two cute little Hispanic girls who asked Margaret--with really thick accents that were quite endearing--if they could gather some of our hydrangea blooms "for the church." Margaret's heart melted and she said, "of course you can," and went back inside. Later, when we went outside to go somewhere, we looked at the hydrangea bush and there wasn't a SINGLE BLOOM left on it! We later found out that it was a scam and that they were really gathering the flowers to dry and sell in arrangements. Now when they come to the door, Margaret goes out and cuts them a few blooms herself. Nothing like experience to turn you into a cynic.
It turned out that this was an instance where giving something away for free worked out, but shortly after we moved into the house, we got a knock on our door and on our porch were two cute little Hispanic girls who asked Margaret--with really thick accents that were quite endearing--if they could gather some of our hydrangea blooms "for the church." Margaret's heart melted and she said, "of course you can," and went back inside. Later, when we went outside to go somewhere, we looked at the hydrangea bush and there wasn't a SINGLE BLOOM left on it! We later found out that it was a scam and that they were really gathering the flowers to dry and sell in arrangements. Now when they come to the door, Margaret goes out and cuts them a few blooms herself. Nothing like experience to turn you into a cynic.
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5 comments:
You should put your racoons on craigs list also, maybe somebody will take care of them for you too!
Hey--now THAT'S an idea. They've gotten so brazen as to eat the cat food while we're watching them through the glass door. They just stare right back, knowing full well that we can't do a thing to them as long as the door is closed--the only way to get rid of them is to spray them with the hose!
Ooh yes - and the opossums too. Those beady red eyes freak me out.
It is that freaky rat-like tail that always wigged me out!
Just be thankful you don't have armadillos. Or gaters. Nothin' worse than waking up to a 6 foot gater in your pool.
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