Photo Credit: MorgueFile
Last spring, I did a little dumpster diving with a friend. It was a house right next to school, and a field trip was headed out that morning. Which means that 90 percent (okay let’s just go with 100 percent) of the parents driving out of the school lot stopped to either a) make fun of us or b) lament that they couldn’t dumpster dive with us. Love those people.
My friend found this great frame. There were nails everywhere, she was digging, and it was like a tetanus shot waiting to happen. I think there was a moment I considered holding her ankles so she could get further into the dumpster for something she wanted, but we decided against that route, because we are mature, logical mothers.
After a bit of rummaging, we found these drawer fronts.
Oh, yes. I knew I wanted it. I knew exactly where it would go. Look at that keyhole! Lovely. I would paint it (of course), and it would be adorable. I’ve always wanted a towel near my sink. There is no place to put one, and when people wash their hands at my kitchen sink, I usually end up sprinting across the kitchen to give them the towel from the oven door. So, my perfect, cute, adorable drawer front was going to go on the side of the upper cupboard near my sink. And a towel would hang on that lovely knob.
Perfect plan, right?
Wrong. I’d forgotten about my husband. You see, he actually considers things out of dumpster to be trash. Crazy, right? And since I have absolutely no skills with hanging things, I knew I needed his help. So, the cute, adorable drawer front sat in my laundry room for months. And months. I mentioned it to my husband once. I think he said, “are you going to paint it?” Or something like that. And of course I was! But sometimes when I walked past it, it didn’t have quite the beauty I remember from that dumpster diving day. I mean, didn’t tell my husband, but it looked a little like trash. I can’t even believe I’m saying that.
And then one day, I was walking through Target and I saw this.
And I knew it would make him happy. It’s not that he wouldn’t hang the other for me, but this one would make us both happy. It would be easy to hang and might even possibly look better than what I’d found. Doubtful. But still.
I bought it.
He hung it for me that week. The drawer front is still sitting in my laundry room. We used it to prop the dryer door shut when it wouldn’t close, so it hasn’t been completely useless. I’m not ready to give it up yet. I’m sure it has a place in our house somewhere.
I’m also not planning to admit this to anyone (especially my husband) but… I think I might like the one I purchased even better than that rickety old drawer front. But don’t tell, because I see a lot of recycled items in my future.
So this my friends is the answer to how you stay married: You compromise. And you shop at Target.
Comments 2
Um, I believe I dumpster dove that day with you and Miss Ross. I may have even been second on the scene. But, saying that, it was slim pickiins’ and I like the store bought model much better! Lindsay hates trash too so I don’t usually dive on the fly anymore. But I do love old rickety furniture. A close second.
Loved this, Jill! I admit I haven’t officially dumpster dived…yet. I do shop a lot of garage sales though. 🙂
Target—the answer to most of life’s dilemmas, including when the hubs wants something new and you want something inexpensive (Notice I didn’t say, “cheap.”)
Fun post my friend!