Our new trampoline is anything but new. Someone in our neighborhood left it by the curb on trash day with a sign on it: FREE. Who could resist? Apparently all of our immediate neighbors had been talking about it the night before. My next door neighbor saw it first. “I see you’ve been dumpster diving.” “Oh yes!” I responded, even though we didn’t really get it out of a dumpster. The springs are quite rusty, and there are a couple of smallish tears on one side of the canvas, but for a couple of small girls, it’s heaven! They will bounce for hours with – you guessed it – our next door neighbor’s kids. We have a few rules though. I make them take turns – only two at a time. And when they are finished, they have to go straight to the tub and wash off their black feet!

I have to admit this isn’t the first item we’ve rescued off the curb on trash day. Last fall there was a really nice computer desk with a “FREE” sign on it. We picked it up and placed it in my older daughter’s room. It’s great for all her art supplies. Of course the younger daughter wants a desk too, and I told her she would get one the next time a nice one shows up on the curb. The way things are going, I think she just might get her wish!