Trash and treasure

Yesterday, I spent the day cleaning around the house. I took a day off from work because I knew the "to do" list just wouldn't get done over the weekend. Except for the distraction of a "Stargate SG1" marathon on Sci Fi, I did a pretty good job at staying on task.

As I cleaned out the basement (picking up the last wrecked casualties of a recent mini-flood), I tossed out an old NESCO roaster. It was a bit dusty and cobwebbed, and it was missing the temperature knob on the front. I put it out to the road with a pile of other things for the next day's garbage pick-up. About 15 minutes later, when I was going to my car, I noticed the roaster was gone. Someone had stopped, looked at my pile of garbage, and decided it looked like a good deal.

Now, I don't begrudge anyone for taking it. It just felt odd to have someone take it from my yard like that (even though it was being thrown away) and so quickly after I put it out there (like they had been watching to see what goodies I didn't want). Strangely, they didn't take the broken garden hose that I also tossed out.

Thankfully, I don't know many of my neighbors and probably won't be invited over for a potluck. That would be awkward: "Hey, that roaster looks familiar ... why is there a painted bottle cap where the knob should be?"