Married to the king of Dumpster Dive

Medicine Woman

Almost Self-Reliant
Joined
Nov 2, 2021
Messages
342
Reaction score
1,015
Points
155
I knew before I ever married DH that he can’t resist a peek in the dumpster. I have brought him to the recycle bin to get rid of my recycle items and he leaves with 8 rod and reels and teaches DD to help herself so she leaves with a set of encyclopedias.
So ever since Hurricane Ida went on her rampage and tore our community in pieces he has been salvaging all the treated lumber he can among other things.
We are in residence at his parents house....over 100 year old shotgun style Cajun house and part of the neighbors house landed on the roof, damaging the sheet metal and original roof. We went to the lumber yard to get prices on sheet metal and the boss man said we can have the cover sheets for $1 a foot rather than $4.68/foot. We ended up buying 199 feet and then got the screws and nails. The job got started with friends and the original roof had to get fixed first...only thing needed was nails, tar paper and some kind of glue. DH’s lumber pile was utilized. Then the top roof was repaired and new sheet metal, by way of cover sheets were used. It costed less than $700 and we have material to do other things. DH couldn’t get on the roof because he has medical procedures pending....not that that’s gonna stop him from looking in junk piles. Now we gotta pay our friends a little bit. Contractors would have sliced us open.
 

Alaskan

Almost Self-Reliant
Joined
Mar 16, 2021
Messages
1,127
Reaction score
3,183
Points
195
Location
Kenai Peninsula
I knew before I ever married DH that he can’t resist a peek in the dumpster. I have brought him to the recycle bin to get rid of my recycle items and he leaves with 8 rod and reels and teaches DD to help herself so she leaves with a set of encyclopedias.
So ever since Hurricane Ida went on her rampage and tore our community in pieces he has been salvaging all the treated lumber he can among other things.
We are in residence at his parents house....over 100 year old shotgun style Cajun house and part of the neighbors house landed on the roof, damaging the sheet metal and original roof. We went to the lumber yard to get prices on sheet metal and the boss man said we can have the cover sheets for $1 a foot rather than $4.68/foot. We ended up buying 199 feet and then got the screws and nails. The job got started with friends and the original roof had to get fixed first...only thing needed was nails, tar paper and some kind of glue. DH’s lumber pile was utilized. Then the top roof was repaired and new sheet metal, by way of cover sheets were used. It costed less than $700 and we have material to do other things. DH couldn’t get on the roof because he has medical procedures pending....not that that’s gonna stop him from looking in junk piles. Now we gotta pay our friends a little bit. Contractors would have sliced us open.
I too LOVE looking through the trash.

Such wonderful treasures!

Sure was nice to get such a great deal on the stuff you had to buy.
 

Medicine Woman

Almost Self-Reliant
Joined
Nov 2, 2021
Messages
342
Reaction score
1,015
Points
155
They know him at that lumberyard. After he loaded up the trailer with stuff he kinda organized the area it was taken from. You’d have sworn he was some kind of foreman there. He had a few young guys stacking stuff up in order. He said they can drive another vehicle around here now or the forklift. A few of the bosses witnessed it. Might be why they like him. 🤷‍♀️
 

flowerbug

Super Self-Sufficient
Joined
Oct 24, 2019
Messages
6,170
Reaction score
11,720
Points
297
Location
mid-Michigan, USoA
i've always been of the sort that it never hurts to ask. Mom is the same way and by asking she was allowed to raid the dumpsters at a place that made counter tops out of stone or poured cements and such, so she would come home with her trunk of the car with interesting things in there that we could usually find some use for.

as a kid i was often out and around in the neighborhood while it was being built up and watching people build houses and often by asking they'd be happy to have me help them so i could learn a lot just by watching and doing small things, but keeping my eyes open. the brick layers didn't mind if i carried bricks or mud for them and so i learned how to do foundations and drainage. i did not get into much carpentry. i can do it now but back then i just wasn't big enough for some things yet. :)

all very good experiences.
 

Medicine Woman

Almost Self-Reliant
Joined
Nov 2, 2021
Messages
342
Reaction score
1,015
Points
155
Well my king is out of commission for a while. He had surgery yesterday on something involving his lower GI track and I am totally in charge of both our farms, his dog, the house, his medicine, driving, shopping....everything. I best keep him home as much as possible to avoid any possible temptation.
 

Alaskan

Almost Self-Reliant
Joined
Mar 16, 2021
Messages
1,127
Reaction score
3,183
Points
195
Location
Kenai Peninsula
Well my king is out of commission for a while. He had surgery yesterday on something involving his lower GI track and I am totally in charge of both our farms, his dog, the house, his medicine, driving, shopping....everything. I best keep him home as much as possible to avoid any possible temptation.
:hugs

I hope he heals up well.
 

Latest posts

Top