Not laughing at me now are you !!!

    Every generation of parents does things that just drive their kids nuts.  Today's kids are probably the most vocal about their dismay as opposed to their elders but let's be honest if it has happened to every kid.
     Growing up it was my Dad ~ oh how he used to drive me nuts talking to complete strangers in the stores.  Asking them this or that, sharing his opinion as if it truly mattered, just horrible embarrassing things. Well I can assure you that MY kids Never Ever complain about me doing that one.  My Dad also had the habit of actually talking with the sales clerks.  Making eye contact with them, sharing a smile.   But he'd also think nothing of showing those baby pictures in his wallet when we were shopping with him as teens. 
     As if that wasn't enough my Dad had this insane habit of tinkering on things.  Now our house wasn't full of unfinished "stuff" as he would be singularly focused on his treasure until he finished it.  We had some pretty cool things around the house that he brought back to like.  BUT OOHHHHH how embarrassing was it when he asked a neighbor what this thing was in their trash and would they mind if he tried to fix it.  UGGHHH DAD..... of course the child of that family would have to share with everyone at the bus stop how Brenda Fender's Dad (see why I go by Bren) dug something out of their garbage.  It didn't matter that the thing was on top of the garbage for all to see. My Dad was a trash picker!!!
     Well dear friends I have also inherited that trait.  Now let me specify..... I only take what I can see.  A few years ago we were trying to kill grass in an area and so whenever I saw large pieces of wood/paneling I'd throw them in the van and then laid them on the path..... NO Grass.  Like most families with kids in the 90's we have the Little Tykes table with Yellow chairs... found extra chairs.   Emily loves large bags for school and they were lying all over her room..... Now they're on a Hat Tree.
     Regardless of the good intention that I may have with my Treasure Troves from Trash my family loves to pick on me.  In fact recently I decided that I want to create a drip watering system for my garden.  This is going to require a lot of hose.  Well I don't know why but on one Wednesday 3 different families in a part of our neighborhood had hoses out for the next day's trash.  One even had a large hose storage container THAT works.  We now have approximately 150 feet of hose and we haven't found a hole yet!  Why this seems to work so well is that I drive Meg home from Youth on Wednesday so I get to see everyone's trash out for the next.  The boys now know when I call the house at 9pm or so and say meet me in the driveway I have found one of my Treasures.... and the teasing and fussing about carrying out my treasures commences. 

WELL NOT ANYMORE!!!

Patrick like most teens his age wants workout equipment.  However a bowflex isn't happening anytime soon in our budget.  Patrick leads the teasing I usually get when I share the latest treasure find as well as the fussing about carrying it out back. Can you guess where this is going....

Today while driving to church I barely left my driveway when I had to pull over.  

There in a neighbor's drive way sat a weight bench with stack weights!!!

Boy would my Dad be proud!!