Contact Me

Friday, January 25, 2013

Trash Picking and A Story

Ball jar, lid and ring

It is amazing what people will throw in the trash. Thankfully, there are people who think nothing of trash picking.
 
When exbf came this week, he was disgusted that someone threw away something. I was very anxious and came right to him when he said, "Look what someone threw away at work." My knees were weak before he pulled it out of the bag. One perfect Ball jar with a never-used lid/flat, and a ring.
 
Happy, yet skeptical, I mused aloud about what could have been in the jar. I am always afraid someone peed in things or that something noxious had been stored in what I am loving. He was quick to dismiss that notion.
 
The jar was full of trail mix with a ribbon and homemade card, he explained, saying it looked like a Christmas gift from a kindergartner. Sooo, a gift thrown away in the break room at work. He dumped all the trail mix under a tree for the birds and rinsed the jar. I was so proud of it that I took it and immediately set about washing it. I can always adopt more fruit jars.
 
One jar at a time. You now know the way to my heart--anything straight from the trash.
 
Fruit jar story
Several years ago, a bachelor friend was talking about decluttering after he moved from larger to smaller quarters. I mentioned that if he had any fruit jars to toss, I would gladly come and pick them up, explaining that I canned. He said he did have fruit jars that he could collect and give to me.
 
I picked them up and thanked him profusely as I puzzled over what he gave me. He gave me glass jars, alright. But, they had been bought with food in the jars. hmmmm.....
 
A few months later, he asked if I needed more jars for canning. Now, I was puzzled. Finally, I asked him if they were Ball or Kerr. He explained they were the same fruit jars, just like I said I used. Now, I was puzzled.  I explained that I wanted Ball and Kerr in order to can in them.
 
This flustered him, and he spitted and sputtered that he had bought them "DOLE" with fruit in them from the produce section of the store, and that was what I asked for--fruit jars. I tried to gently tell him--canners call these Ball jars "canning jars" or "fruit jars," no matter what we intend to put in them. He was amazed, asking why we call them "fruit jars" if we are going to can green beans.
 
"We just do."
 
Yes, I know the Dole jars have other uses. I just did not want more right then. Now, I would take cases of them!
 
Your turn
Does your husband or good friend or bf  proudly bring the trash to you?  Would he be embarrassed to take something from the trash? AND, do you refer to canning jars as "fruit jars" and "canning jars"?
 


13 comments:

  1. Nice save! I don't think Husband ever actually looks in the trash anywhere. There could be a $100 bill on top and I doubt he'd notice.

    I call them all mason jars, regardless of the brand. That's what my mom called them.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wendy,
    Lots of guys don't notice found items until you point out what YOU find. I have converted several guys to trashing looking.

    Yes, mason jars I understand. I would never question anyone who said mason/fruit/canning jars. I still chuckle at HIS misunderstanding.

    ReplyDelete
  3. My husband used to snort and turn up his nose at going to thrift stores and at my never being able to throw away a glass jar of ANY kind. Now, when he spots a wooden pallet off the side of the road, he slams on the brakes and tosses the pallet in the back of his truck. Wood is wood, he now concedes. Men can be taught!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anon,
    Yes, they see savings and suddenly it seems like a very good idea they had. Thanks for the reminder.

    ReplyDelete
  5. DH works in a hospital where they have a section near the dock that they stack things that they no longer need or want and are free for employees to take. Last week he brought home boxes of the old printer paper with the wholes on sid(cant think of what they were called) we couldn't use it but the grade school near us was thrilled.

    He has also brought home mats for under computer chairs and bulletin boards. He also brings home any pallets that can be broken down for my sister as she has a wood burning stove

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Judy,
      WOW!He is a good picker. And, he has a wonderful, approved place to choose useful items. That is great he will take the time to go look and take good items. I need a truck!

      Delete
  6. I have a hanging produce scale in my kitchen from a store remodel that my husband did. I also have an island table/top that came from the same store remodel when the health dept required meat departments to quit using wooden butcher block and to begin using a less porous material. All it needed was to be sanded down. (Belt sander .... not just a piece of sandpaper light sanding)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have a hanging produce scale in my kitchen from a store remodel that my husband did. I also have an island table/top that came from the same store remodel when the health dept required meat departments to quit using wooden butcher block and to begin using a less porous material. All it needed was to be sanded down. (Belt sander .... not just a piece of sandpaper light sanding)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Janet,
      I have been wishing for hanging scales! That is some good stuff he brings you.

      Delete
  8. Ack! I can't believe someone just threw away a perfectly good canning jar! Well, actually I can believe it. I brought a jar of homemade jelly to a friend last summer, and I'd bet my front teeth that she sent the jar to the recycling center when she was done with the jelly.

    My husband has no qualms about "rescuing" things from the garbage. I have to limit him to "top layer only", meaning no digging around, just take stuff off the top. I try very hard not to think about where or for what something might have been used.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lili,
    "Top layer only" is a good notion. You are lucky you have someone willing to rescue things.

    I ask friends to return the jelly jar to me. So far, no one in the last 10 years has done so. I could easily quit being generous. I suspect my friends add my jars to their stash.

    ReplyDelete
  10. My mother collected old canning jars. I have boxes and boxes of bail/glass tops as well as the ones with the zinc lids. I brought out 5 or 6 of them last night to use as vases for sunflowers that I will use as table decorations this Saturday when we have family here for Tracey's memorial service. I think sunflowers are so cheerful and we need a little sunshine this week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Janet,
      The Ball jars with sunflowers will be lovely. Yes, sunflowers are cheerful. I will be thinking of you. Actually, I have been thinking of you since I heard. I am sure Tracey would approve of the jars of your mother being used to brighten the day and mood.

      Your mother's collecion sounds fabulous.

      Delete

Okay, hoping the annoyances have gone away.