Saturday and peopling

 

Community Free Market

I may have mentioned in prior blogs (or I may not have) that my son's girlfriend and her parents are involved in several community minded efforts.  For example, they host a "Little Free Library" in their yard.  You've probably seen them around... just a box on a post, but enclosed, so sheltered from the weather... a tiny bookshelf.  You can pick a book, or leave a book, and the whole concept of a neighborhood library has been expanded.  Obviously not as robust as a full public library, but a neighborly thing to do.

They also help host the Community Free Market.  For those of you who don't have the benefit of a Community Free Market in your town, it's like a multi-family garage sale, only the price for everything is zero... it's like donating to the GoodWill, only it's going directly to people who show up to look.  

The third event they work is the Repair Cafe, where anybody can bring in something they have that is broken, and the volunteers who come repair it... for free.  My kid sis took a lamp there once, and came back with a working lamp.  

In fact this was the first event that my son invited me to come to, in order to facilitate meeting this young woman he had started to keep company with.  I didn't make it that time, but two months back I did get there, just to check it out.

Last month I happened to be kayaking on the day they held it, so I was determined that I would take some of my excess things to this month's market.  I started pulling a few things together, and last evening, I packed the car.  A folding table and chair, and two boxes full of "stuff" I was ready to release to new homes.

I was heartened to see that most of the folks there masked, even though it was held outdoors.  The tables were setting up with social distance between.  Almost right away, before I even got a photo snapped of my spot, the little folding lawn chair I'd bought for a great-niece's use was claimed by a grandma!  The unopened rubber gloves went with her friend.

As the morning progressed, several folks accepted lens wipes for their glasses.  A young woman setting up her first apartment was happy to take my old drapes (from the new sliding glass door) off my hands.  A young man exclaimed, "Is that a can crusher?  I've always wanted one of those!"  His girlfriend tucked it into her bag for him.

At some point, the multi-vitamins that didn't have iron in them disappeared.  A book lover took two of the books off my hands.  Having gone with two boxes, I came home with just one.  The door hardware didn't go.  The extra keurig refillable filter (where you grind you own beans to fill it) didn't go.  And several of the books didn't go, either, but I really didn't expect to shed a lot of books.

All in all, I survived, and the great de-stuffing project goes on!  I didn't bring any NEW junk home!  And some of my junk WAS someone else's treasure.

This afternoon, it's Nebraska football in the background, and indoor pacing as it's nasty hot outside.  

Let's now get out and live the rest of the one and only Saturday, August 28, 2021 we'll ever get best we can, taking care of our health, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual!  Because we're worth taking care of, each and every one of us.  Life is good, no matter what.  Keep breathing, and Spark on!✨💖