I volunteer for a thrift shop that accepts donations, sells used clothing and housewares and other smalls for VERY low prices , and gives clothing and housewares to folks referred by Social Service Agencies.  I try to filter all the " hard" goods that come in for " collectibles" and "antiques" that can be sold for closer to fair market value to support the overhead, and buying underwear and socks, which no one wants used (would you?).  It is amazing some of the things that were cherished by their parents  that get thrown out by millennials.  I found a deco dressing lamp that we sold to a dealer for $90, a cast iron dog door stop that we got $50 for, and a number of Orvis, Pendleton, and LL Bean coats that we sold for $25, as opposed to the $7 that a coat usually sells for.  I have also pulled a lot of Leather coats that have put the operation in the black for the first time in many years.  One mans junk is another man's treasure!  

Oh, and we can barely give away sets of china, but we have a keen eye for Pyrex, Fiesta ware , and McKenzie Childs, and any Correlle we get goes out as "starter dishes" for the referrals, because it is nearly unbreakable.

🍻🍻🍻 For serving your community Lucky.

I keep telling dad (I am not much better LOL) that we need to get rid of stuff, but it is a losing battle. Neither one of us can throw anything away. I may need that random old part someday to get me out of a jam. Hell at this very moment I am wearing a 30 year old baseball jersey from high school.  yes its a little tight but still fits...........

Yep. We spent 3 hours this morning at a local flea market. Just had to bring home a mahogany and brass sailfish for the almost completed tiki bar.

Some day, someone will wonder what the heck were they thinking.

A bad news with some good.
Thursday I pre packed as much as possible for my grandsons cub scouts trip. I'm so glad I did as tragedy struck on Friday.
At 11 am while eating lunch at work we noticed something strange out the window.
People thought it was just dust, I knew the difference. Our plant caught fire. We have a 1.5 mile shed type conveyer belt system that transports cement ( dust) to our port for barges at the river. It had caught fire.
Now industrial fires are the worst, very toxic.
There is a natural gas pipeline that runs right along the conveyer that had to be disabled. 5 fire companies responded. A train blocked access for 23 minutes. Our hydrants didn't work. This became a huge event.
I sprung into action helping fire crews any way possible . Pulling hoses, filling coolers, buckets , and anything I could find with ice, bottled water and Gatorade until I had to leave at 4pm . All I could taste and smelled like was burnt rubber and electrical wire.
Fireman were very fatigued and 1 was taken to the hospital. It was a very difficult fire because access was very limited. The natural draft in the enclosed system just kept the fire spreading.
I've worked there for 30 years and seen some fires but this was the worst.
So arriving home later than planned, we just threw everything together best we could and headed of to the scouts.
Another unfortunate thing is that I was only 1 of 2 males there. It was mostly all mothers taking their kids scouting, yes there was a female scout. Its just sad the fathers were or are to busy for their children ...
Nuff said there.

The trip was great. We did a 3 mile hike to a natural state park waterfall. We actually walked in 2 states, NY & MA
Then we went swimming in and old iron ore pond.
We also tried to earn some badges towards fishing but honestly, there were no fish in that pond at all.
Last night a huge storm came in about 8pm and everyone ran for cover. Some slept in their cars as their tents weren't worthy.
We batten down our tent and were just fine.
By 6am this morning people were just packing wet gear in their vehicles to get out.
We made coffee and took our time.
Home now , tired legs and 3 days work to catch up on.

I guess the message is to be kind and help your fellow people in anyway you can .

Those pictures show the contrast of how that day went,from a smoking hell to a serene waterfall and pond.Bet the work around your farm/house was a piece of cake

Lol. Its actually twice the work now.. Butcher called me Friday night wanting to take my pigs because is getting busy. I wasn't home or ready so I told him to hold off until after labor day. Got home to see my pigs are now ripping boards off my garage so I texted him I was ready to see them go. Tomorrow evening is the date.

The fridge ,garden and some boxes are chuck full of tomatoes. My daughter is making sauce now, she was camping.
I had about 2 dozen pickle cukes ready so I processed them.
The lawn is a hayfield and my pool needs vacuuming.
Soon today we are going to buy some lumber to build my youngest grandchild to be 1 years old Thursday a type of low level climbing fort.
Heck yeah I can buy one but the wife insists on building 1.
Ugh ... is it hunting season yet so all the garden and livestock are over.
Can't wait to spend some time without the home responsibility.

Now you know why I like fall and winter 👍but not snow.

Fall is my favorite,but I HATE winter.

Winter is my favorite. All the gardening and livestock are done. Deer are finished by Thanksgiving weekend and processed.
The only work thing left to do is feed the woodstove.
I get a break of about 2 weeks to prepare for ice season then its game on until I burn out from fishing around mid March.
Another short break to get boat ready for the month .
Then it's all work and no fun in the summer heat