Our Free Library I

Some of the canned fruits found two weeks ago, a Lidl brand. Expiry date nothing to worry about. I also had two with pear halves. Placed those already, one by one, at the free library by the lack of having anything like a blessing box nearby that I know of. But I'm careful with it because it's officially only for books and too much other stuff will alarm the authorities and may freak out inhabitants who somehow are obsessively scared of rats. And nobody wants to loose those bookshelves! But I saw one of the cans taken within hours, as by chance I passed there again the same day.

This is the library when it was still next to the supermarket. Under the gallery, a dry place for the books and a great meeting place for locals.

Two years ago the supermarket did a renovation or even expanded. Not sure about that because I shop at another further down.

Anyway, library had to go but found a new place across the street. Same gallery, but with New York Pizza on its right side. Neighbourhood had to get used. Then fairly soon after the recycle center opened on the left side. This turned out to be the success formula! From day one everybody embraced this new 'shop', free books almost next to their entrance just fits. And I see even more people standing and chatting there than before.

Do you notice the new rack in wood colour? This is a weird story. This summer one of them miraculously disappeared. Must have been stolen, it wasn't anywhere in the trash nearby. Thrift shop replaced it as soon as we had one available. Isn't that community thinking? Though we do dump unsold books, we have nothing to do with the maintenance.

More to tell but later.

Downsizing On Dress Dummies

In the past I've been thrilled to get curb found dress dummies or displays, but though I retrashed some I have too many. Time to sell.

I made an overview for myself. If you care look back with me.

2007: Card board male torso and a front part lady model. The latter a street market stall thing. I gave both back to the curb. I aleady have a sturdier male torso for the Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfigger polo's that I found earlier this year. Just can't find them. Stored away somewhere to keep clean...

2008: The first thing coming close to a real mannequin.

2009: I found a way to make it stand up on a pole. Somehow I only used it for my handmade scarves and didn't start selling clothing on line until 2016.

2009 earlier: A baby mannequin without hands. I really wonder if I should keep it. But the idea is to start on kid's clothes once I pick up knitting again. 

2016: The antique dummy, found by my neighbour Freek, probably had just come in then. In one piece easier to drag to the yard. There is an issue with the tripod though, so I had to be careful with that. I listed it, but had no reactions yet.

2017: The complete and intact version of the one found in 2008 also found by Freek. So far the one I used most to sell clothes and with fair success. But being the same construction I know the post could break off by dragging it around to much. But looking most attractive, second one to list, it sold quickly.

Strong iron foot!

The thing is Freek also found me an even better alternative. A more professional sturdy model on a wooden pole with an intact tripod. I forgot when but I had it for years. Just started using it now and I prefer the neutral cover over the blue decorated satin.

Next thing to do is to retrash the white satin dummy, including fan foot and rod. It won't be easy but selling is a no go. I have to continue downsizing.

Merry Christmas, Happy Solstice

Modest Season's greetings from Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

This is our only decoration and with 40 cm high it's enough. Placed upstairs in the Chef's apartment. I found it across the street last November or so including working lights but just left it in the hallway. Man found it and took it without asking, the stinker. But it's fine with me. Up here we look at it together at least. Bad picture without flash but to show the lights.

He had one without lights before that he had found years ago. That one had the cute musical instruments. That he now added to the lit tree that only had a few tiny balls. Top star I had somewhere, most likely found in some trashed bag with small things. Pic with flash here to show details.

Note: Bastet statue, bought. We love it. Globe, curb found last year. Wall, to be repainted.

No more big trees for me as I had in the past. To much hassle and I lack place. I still have this one in storage and it will have to go sooner or later. As well as the one my friend left me in 2003! I'm afraid they're not good enough to resell. I gave away a lot of the decorations already too.

I'm not against decorations as such. The tree as a symbol of the returning light and growing season, as in ancient times celebrated by the Germanics, makes sense to me. Perhaps some day in the future, I may do a rescued live tree again.

I just hope that more and more people will realize that we are pushed by commerce to buy more and new stuff every year. My parents had two boxes that came from the attic every year. Only broken or really old things were replaced.

On our last sales day before closing until the new year, a young man came to bring a box full of near new balls to the thrift shop saying I don't need them anymore. My collegue asked: no more decorations? His reply: we decided on a new colour. Need I say more?

Emergency Food Stock

Four days ago: two bags full of groceries neatly placed on the curb, on my way to recycling center and then post office. I had to turn back and bring them home first.

In the end it wasn't that exciting, but I won't say dissappointing. Just that where I had hoped for soups the big cans were fruits in sirup which we don't eat and a part of the volume was taken up by shoes and textiles. Good for kilo price though. This lot here is what I kept. For now.

I also don't like the dried soup, but the last time I tried I didn't add much. Maybe it will taste better if I use it as a base stock of a really home made soup. Omelet mix never tried. Not to judge yet.

Very happy with pasta, rice an couscous. Machine soap always welcome.

It looks like the giver had stocked up on discounts, possibly for the Covid19 lockdown in 2020. As all products have an expiry date between 2022 and 2024. Nothing to worry about and safe to eat.

Bag made me think: expat leaving or just going home for the Holidays clearing out?

There never had been any official advice for making emergency supplies for the lockdown, but a lot of people did. Sheep behaviour. Now with the situation in the East of Europe there is and I don't know what to think of it. But with this I will easily last the recommended 72 hours.

A Meaningful Christmas Gift

Don't you love a piece of good old craftsmanship like this?

                        

I was straight away in love with it when I found it over five years ago, right across the street, despite the seemingly poor condition. I can't say how old, but my feeling says 1960's latest.

The worn out paint doesn't say anything about the construction, and despite cracks, it turned out to be very stable. I left it in a corner of my bedroom to list later but it stayed there for years. Finally last year I moved it to my kitchen, because my plastic step stool went upstairs. Chef cook there wanted it. Fine with me, as it's smaller than the plastic one, just high enough for my planks and looking good. 

However a replacement came, a fold-up Pullman that I picked up cycling home. Not half the charm but taking even less place than that. And it's higher which makes it more versatile. So I was ready to let my beauty go for a fair price and a hopefully good destination.

Because it was already there I photographed it on my kitchen floor. Without the option of taking it to the yard, I think this makes the pictures a bit more attractive than on my wood imitation living room vinyl.

I listed it with all the defects and cracks clearly showing and set no price. Just curious what it would do. First evening I had a bid of €25 and someone else sent a message offering that or 20. I forgot. But none of them reacted back, so I gladly removed things thinking what looks to good to be true is too good to be true.

Then four weeks nothing. Until yesterday morning someone offered €10. That made sense, but she withdrew, messaging her husband found back his old work stool. Okay... Well glad they didn't get it. Something better happened. Yesterday evening another bid of 10 came in and I was able set the deal within hours with a pick-up appointment for this morning. Very young man came to my door. First looking with admiration at the craftsmanship, but saynig the pictures had showed that already. Handed me the cash and then the story came. He was going to do a complete restoration to serve as a doorstep for a camper. A Christmas gift for his friend who just bought the vehicle (second hand I presume if the gadget was missing).

I can see him right now sanding and maybe filling up cracks. I agree with Gregg Koepp from Not Buying Anything that bringing gifts just for the sake of bringing a gift is wrong. To bring your love and yourself means most. But in this case, someone putting sweat and time into something that a friend actually needs, makes a beautiful story. Made my day!

Merry Christmas to my readers!

Kemetyl Winter Screenwash

Taking indoor photographs does involve cleaning and organizing my crowded space. Not that I'm that lazy and a big neglector where it comes to the first, but when you live alone and not that many people come over it tends to lose priority. There are more fun things to do after all. So a little kick is welcome for me.

To sell the cat litter box I gave my bathroom floor and wall a job. And for other pics that I took today and will show later my kitchen top and tiles were ready for a treatment.

My helper for a long while has been a jug of car screen wash! Picked up some two years ago two streets down by a glass recycling bin. It was still over half full and I thought: if it cleans car windows, why not my house windows and other surfaces and it does. Of course!

I'm using the liquid from a used up spray bottle. I think I have enough left for at least half a year. After that we can alway go back to vinegar and white spirit. The natural things to clean with if you haven't a to be rescued product at hand.

Extra Large Litter Tray Savic Nestor Jumbo

I found this just five days ago in front of my door. Tossed on top of the bulk trash pile half upside down looking like trash as well. Totally intact and almost new at closer look.

 

And a cute cat's doormat hidden inside.

I looked it up and found it's available new at lowest retail price €31,99. I listed it €10 set no bidding no bargaining and got it. Very nice lady came today and I had to hear the whole story about the old cat, how after his passing away they cleaned up the tray but then the top cracked, and now, long after they have two new kittens. And using the roofless tray make a lot of mess of course.

I just love it when buyers don't just pay and walk off and I take all my time to listen. 

Mind you, yesterday I had to go to a supermarket just outside my neighbourhood to get what was out of stock in mine. And on the way back I saw the exact same litter tray parked by a sidewalk... Unfortunately, with my bike loaded already no way to take it home and even then. But made me think: maybe another cat owner who found out that a huge tray is nice for the cat but takes too much place in a city apartment?

My customer came from outside of town by car, half an hour ride, so I take it she lives in a house that has enough place.

I see loads of litter boxes in the trash all around but normally I never take them. They are clumsy things to bring home. But it always makes me wonder why they were trashed. My own is a 35 year old non fancy model that generations of cats have used and my current one is happy enough with.