Tuesday is garbage day. I have no idea why but in our neighbourhood there are so many really good things thrown into the landfill. It is so sad really! Anyway, on Tuesday I take the kiddies to a play group and as I’m driving along I see all this GREAT garbage (not really garbage at all). I consider stopping to pick some up but I keep going to the play group. All morning I’m regretting not stopping and I vow that if it is still there when I go home that I’ll take it.
Fast forward two hours later, four kids in the mini van who are tired from playing, and me driving (and praying I’ll admit) that the garbage truck has not yet arrived. I drive up the road where I saw the treasures and – they are still there! YIPPEE!! 
I make my first stop and grab a Safety 1st diaper pail that looks practically brand new! I open it up and see there are a dozen or so brand new diapers in it but that it has almost a full roll of the refill in it too! Looks like a new parent either thinks that the garbage man is going to empty it for them or (more likely) is so frustrated with it that they throw it to the curb. I have to hurry though … the garbage truck is five houses behind me!
I have the kids all hyped up (so I don’t feel so foolish?!) as I put the (somewhat stinky) dirty diaper pail in the van and boot it to our next destination. Stop two (I’ve gained some on the garbage truck) … I hop out and the owner is there. I ask her if that is a booster chair (for the kitchen) that is on her curb. She comes up and says “yes, and it has two trays”. She put it out there hoping someone would pick it up. I look at it and it doesn’t even really need to be wiped down – it’s in perfect condition (minus the back piece)!
She also offers a bath seat for the baby (which I was going to buy on the weekend!) and an adorable “Noah’s Ark” plush toy where there are animals to go inside. Score … but I can’t talk for long … I have one more place I have my eye on.
I shove those items in the van (again the garbage truck is catching up) and I stop at a place that has a “Mister Turtle” sand box. Okay, there is a lid missing but so what?! I RAM it into the car and pry my eyes away from the brand new dining room set at the curb ahead (such a shame!).All in all I think I made out AWESOME and the kids are psyched about all the “new stuff” we got. I calculated and to purchase all of those items would have been a few hundred dollars. My girlfriend (Jennifer, also a child care provider) and I make a pact that on Monday nights we are going to take our identical mini vans around the neighbourhood and load them up then sell the stuff online as a side business. Too bad we’re on opposite vacation weeks for the next month!
