Friday, July 12, 2013

Junk Crimes and Misdemeanors

Some of you may want to shoot me for what I did yesterday, but you'd have to be a quick draw to beat me to the trigger. Besides, you shouldn't shoot someone who's black and blue from kicking themselves all day and into the next.


Besides I'm confessing and begging forgiveness. You wouldn't shoot someone on their knees begging for mercy, would you?


Let me tell you about it, because I know how much you all love to hear about my ridiculousness. Why am I such a loser when it comes to making decisions, you might ask. Why can't I choose correctly at least half the time? These are questions for the wise among us. Me, I can't figure it out. I do know that it doesn't seem fair that I can't even have 50/50 luck with decisions. I am truly a freak of nature because I defy the odds.

It's apparent to me that I should have a professional junk decision maker at my beck and call, at all hours. I do have my friends, Lynette and Kathryn who, had I called, would may have told me to keep this, but the fact of the matter was, the professional decision makers (the "yes (wo)men") are not so much morning people, necessarily. They may be up for all I know, but I'm out at between 6:00 and 7:00 some mornings, and if I called them every time I had a junk dilemma at that hour, I think I might quickly get my number blocked.

At least I got a picture of it.

Plus the problem was that right after I found this, I had to go somewhere for the day and didn't want to leave this sitting outside, in case of rain. Didn't want to bring it in because it was dirty and heaven knows, it's hard to get such things out once they find their way in, and the family would have had a cow about another item in the walkways. I couldn't bear the recrimination. So, the painful fact is, I made a rash decision to let this go right after I got it.

Curses!

At least I didn't just let it get it away. Do I get points for that or does that just drive my stupidity home further. I drove by this again and again to decide whether to even pick it up, and got it on the third go round (that's another of my curses - the thrice picking of piles). I managed to finagle it into the car and then back out at home, drug it around to the back patio in a rush and immediately wondered when I would have time to figure out what to do about cleaning this chair. It wasn't too bad at all, but it needed an heavy duty steamer used on it and I couldn't imagine when I'd get around to finding one, and where, by the way, would I store this until then? Being as it was fabric, it couldn't stay outside. But oh, wasn't the tufting so cute? I quickly considered whether or not I could chop that part off and save it for something, but I was dripping with sweat (even though I'd just had a shower) and I was late. I had a long drive ahead of me. I was not in my right mind. I was in my usual mind, yes, but that does not make it right. Oh, why oh, why, did I have to rush headlong into a stupid decision?! Three of the wheels for the feet were gone, so it was lopsided, and seeing it on my back patio where I have many things piled up awkwardly somehow made the chair suddenly felt like a burden. I ran back out front, sweaty and my hair frizzing in the humidity and checked to see the distance between me and the trash truck.

He was on the next block and making his way to my block. A very quick decision had to be made. Now mind you, this is the fallback when getting junk. You get it knowing you can always throw it away when you get home. So I've been trying to train myself to grab things while I can and toss them later, but it's easy to get attached, you know. And the problem is, we only have bulk pick up once a week. If I hadn't gotten it to the road pronto, it would have had to wait on the back patio another week. That wasn't going to do.

Oh, how I wish I had missed the trash man now. I'm really beating myself up for letting it go. It's not my style as far as the caning, but the tufting is adorable and it's a padded chair. The fabric was fine, just dirty. Oh woe! I chose poorly, so poorly. I'm sick to my stomach about it because I thought I was doing good to think fast and run it to the curb. The truck had just pulled up across the street as I ran back, grabbed it and ran it down the side yard and across the grass to the road. The guy saw that I was running to get it out and smiled and went ahead and came over and picked it up to carry it to the pile over there so the claw could get everything at once and he wouldn't have to back up and drive the truck back over to my side.

Bye, bye little sweetie. I'll never know ya!

And I see now that it could have been an adorable companion to the sewing cabinet I found yesterday on the side of the road as well. [Kick, punch, dagger to the gut!]


More on that slapstick adventure later.

One of the reasons I quickly decided quickly to get rid of the chair was because it seemed too short for a side table to sit next to it without looking awkward, and random chairs are fine if you have a side table, desk or something to pair them with them. It now appears it may have been perfect for the sewing cabinet with some wheels added back on to the feet. That just adds insult to injury. Oh, no! I just remembered this:

I got this for $2 a few weeks back. It's short. Perfect for that chair in fact! Oh, if I only had time to show you all I've been up to, you might understand how I could make a horrible rash decision and to not be able to remember all I have and what would go with what.

Okay, now I'm just wallowing and maybe I'm looking for pity to keep you from wanting to strangle me for being so dumb. "Doom, despair and agony on me...deep dark depression, excessive misery... (woe...)" 

In reality, I should probably be locked up for junk crimes. It's a cryin' shame.

Okay. Take aim. I deserve it.


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34 comments:

  1. You sure do find some NICE items by the side of the road! I feel your pain. How many times do all of us pass up great bargains and want to kick ourselves later. Something else will come along. Just wait.

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  2. Ok it is high time to get some sort of storage shed you can pile all that cool stuff in! GAAAAH but I wish you could just ship stuff to me!!!

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  3. It's OK! You should be proud of yourself for being able to let something go! Who knows, maybe it had more problems than you know... better things will come along! At least that's what I tell myself when I'm in your position... :)

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  4. don't beat yourself up...the past is past, can't change it. Can you find a place where you can sell your treasures? just a thought

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  5. Hi Liz,

    I can SO relate!! About 15 years ago, I was lucky enough to get a FREE bedroom set from a dear friend of mine. It had belonged to her father-in-law. I did not have the 'eye' I do now for valuable (monetary/credibility) pieces. Sadly, I never ended up using it and gave it to Goodwill. A few years later, after becoming addicted to antiques, did I realize that I had snubbed a gem! I can only hope that it ended up with an owner who truly appreciated it, either for economical reasons or expertise!

    It happens to everyone; you will find more treasures, and make wiser decisions!

    Poppy

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  6. No shame from me....I'm as wonky on decisions as the next junker. My issue is wondering what to do with what I find....can't decide on color, on technique, on price. So stuff just sits there. Unfortunately, inspiration finally strikes after I've already put a coat or two on something and realize, 'hey, this would be better in blue'. *rolling eyes*

    I believe you'll find another replacement soon. May take you three times around the block, but you'll find it. :)

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  7. Liz,
    Don't beat yourself up we have all done this. Let a good one go. It just was not meant to be. You find so many great treasures to re love so I think you gut may have been just telling you something on this one. You can't save them all!!!!
    Kris

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  8. Okay...the funniest part of that is finding out that you watched HEE HAW !!

    tee hee !

    but I understand...I've done the same thing and I regret to this day letting some things go. I think we've all been there.

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  9. I am disappointed you paid $2 for the little table. I would expect you to find it on the side of the road, covered in mud. You amaze me with your crazy finds and experiences.

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  10. Liz
    all I have to say is I have that same chair (free after an auction) in gold velvet and yours looked a lot better then mine! I still have mine and the sad little chair is still waiting to be redone, maybe next year!
    Rebecca

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  11. We've ALL done it and we'll all do it again. Just think of all the good stuff you did get!! Lucky you!! There will ALWAYS be a next time!! Forgive yourself and move on!! You are a great trash picker!!

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  12. Don't be so hard on yourself--you can't save everything!

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  13. Give yourself a break. But you did help me. I have a very similar chair and I've had it for quite awhile. Seeing it with white fabric finally made my decision for me. I've bounced back and forth whether to paint the chair and go with floral fabric or leave the chair be and have it recovered in white fabric. Yep gonna let it stay dark wood with the caning and do white fabric. Thanks for helping me. Oh said chair is currently dark wood like your's but with solid gold (as in harvest)fabric. Thanks for helping me with my decision.

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    1. Yay! Finally vindication. Andrea, I'm so happy you stopped by and told me that. Now I feel that at least there was a purpose to my adventure. I feel MUCH better now. It truly was very nice in white and I would not have painted it had I kept it. I would only have cleaned the white fabric. It was a nice fabric too. [Sigh] I hope you get around to redoing it soon so can enjoy it! Just so you know you come up as a no-reply blogger and I had no way to contact you because I don't have google +. :(
      Liz

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  14. I know just how you feel. I can't begin to count the number of times that I've passed something by or let something go that I've later regretted. Funny to me that those are things I wind up focusing on instead of the ones that I DID score. I keep telling myself to learn from my mistakes, but that doesn't always work either. ;)

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  15. I am having remorse today myself. I left something behind. I should not have done that, it will haunt me now.
    Bliss

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  16. OMGosh! I bought the round version of that sewing table at the Goodwill for $15!
    http://reposhture.blogspot.com/2012/06/painting-of-round-table.html
    I love this table style!
    Kim@reposhture.blogspot.com

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  17. Do you think we have some sort of illness? I do the same kind of things and have the same kind of regrets!

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  18. You let the claw get it!?! N-O-O-O-O!!! Flogging at six tomorrow morning. At least you could have waited until after the truck left, put it on the curb, and let someone pick it up. I will have nightmares of the big, giant claw crushing that poor chair. I do love that cabinet however. You can assuage your guilt over the chair with a great transformation story on it.

    Hee-Haw!

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  19. Your trash picking stories always crack me up! That helps keep me from being green with envy over your amazing finds! I love that little chair but sometimes you just gotta let things go I guess. The cabinet and little tray table are sweet finds too! Can't wait to see what you do with them!

    Blessings, Vicky
    Life On Willie Mae Lane

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  20. I'll let it go this time only, lol. Oh yeah, the decisions we make when the heat is melting us and the humidity is giving us a real bad hair day. I've had my share of regrets for letting go of stuff too soon...some of those iffy things. Love the little table!!

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  21. Maybe it had bedbugs?

    I'm glad we don't have curbside pick-up. I'd never be able to park my car in the garage!

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  22. Lord knows I'm just as guilty! If you're like me, it's the response you know you're going to get from your family that stops so many things from being dragged home! That's also a blessing for me because I would probably drag home everything and anything with "potential"! I'm already embarrassed to open my garage and let the neighbors see! Stop beating yourself up. Now you have permission to grab the next awesome find!
    XO,
    Christy

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  23. Too funny. I once turned around for two iron patio tables. Tops were nowhere to be found, so I made a top for one - which warped over the years/rain. Ended up moving them and keeping for 6 years before I told DH just to donate. I still shake my head...
    I hope you'll drop by to see DD2 MBR Redo (#3 at Met Monday).
    Allison
    Atticmag

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  24. How did God make two of us??? I could have written this entire post with the exception of the Trash guy picking up furniture. How lucky you are! I have to think more carefully because it is me who has to haul all the rejects to the dump, then I scour the dump for more stuff to bring home while I am there! I have a friend who is a voice of reason with junk, but I too am out at those hours, and she is not an early morning person. Liz, you should call me! I have an Iphone, and I am up early. Text me the pics. I might just add to the problem though, like a drunk leading a drunk to a bar. Bad!

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  25. I can sympathize, I missed out on a gorgeous vanity at a thrift recently because I was in my little car, not hubby's truck. When I went back, someone had snagged it. :( On to the next great find for us both, though! That's funny, that you and I have so many of the same items! (Piano benches, sewing cabinet...) We have good taste :)

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  26. Liz I have decided just now..YOU NEED TO WRITE A BOOK...maybe you could would title it
    "lady and the junk truck"..actually I am sure you wd come up with a much better title..hey I WOULD BUY ONE!

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  27. Oh you sound just like me, good think we are trying to shop together and make a decision. It would be terrible. Great story and you did wind up with some treasures. Thanks tons for linking to Inspire Me. Hugs, Marty

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  28. I really don't pick up much furniture. It does take up a lot of space. I do have a small chair that I picked up for $3. We will see how the makeover goes! Liz, there will be another chair and maybe another and another. Don't sweat tht one! I think the free curbside pick up makes it so tempting. The fact that I have buy almost everything I pick up makes me slow down!

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  29. Liz, I'm with Jonell, you should write a book titled "Junk Crimes and Misdemeanors." You are hilarious and made me laugh out loud as I read your post. We have all made bad junk decisions and we will make more of them as we go along so don't beat your self up. The fact that you can write a hilarious post about your junk escapades is proof that you make good decisions at least part of the time. We would like to invite you to party with us at 5:00 on Thursday evenings at the new Blog Strut Peacock Style Link Party to share your very creative story. Come on over!! http://wp.me/P2Vf55-1K

    Also

    We'd like to invite you to Turn Old Into Awesome and win a fabulous prize package! The Whimsical Peacock and My Personal Accent are sponsoring the Dare to be Different, Up-cycling Challenge. Ends 8/12. See post for a complete list of challenge rules and prizes http://wp.me/p2Vf55-TQ Let's see what you can bring to the challenge

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  30. WOW...such AWESOME FINDS!!!! I can't wait to see what you create...that is the best part...you rock at it!!! Sending hugs...TFS!

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  31. Oh Liz, we all do it now and then. It's hard to make a decision when the trash man is pulling up. This one may be lost, but you will save many more fabulous things! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  32. I think we've all thrown out something only to regret it later. Maybe there is a reason you got rid of it that you don't even know about. Maybe it was full of bed bugs or something. Yuck! I say that because my daughter's apartment at college a couple of years ago at college had them. It was a nightmare! Sure it was a cute chair, but there will be others. Now go nurse your self-inflicted wounds and forget about it :) Better yet, tackle another project to feel good about!

    Hugs,
    Deborah

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