There are people in town who do nothing but drive up and down streets looking for things left at the curb, either for the trash, or to be picked up by them. I often stick in a note if I know something about why it doesn't work or why I don't need it (and am not donating it to Goodwill, etc.). I've picked up items at the curb myself when I knew I could put them to use. I have a lovely little bench out on my front porch. It was a small table, made of redwood, that was missing one slat in it's solid surface. I think I posted a photo of it here before--I painted it and spaced the boards out to give it a different but still good look, and a new life.

Before and After. I use that to sit on (it's a lovely seat in the morning in the sunshine. I take out my morning cup of tea and look at the garden) and I put potted plants on it and hide my sprinklers and nozzles under it to avoid tripping hazards on the porch. It really is quite obscene all of the materials we waste without attempting to reuse or recycle.

I picked up three bags of ripe bananas (they sell for $1 a bag at Albertson's, and they each hold about 8 pounds of fruit). We'll eat a few, they're actually not quite as ripe as I like for eating, but most of them are destined for my annual baking to take to my co-workers. I have a few loaves frozen already. Consumable gifts are great--no trouble figuring out where to store it, eh?

SRS