How did you spend your fall break? Well, I took my wife to several doctors most days of that week. I did manage to finish reading at least one book, portions of a few others, shop at KARM, eat out with a friend, mow my and my neighbor’s yard, and put up a storm door at my home library.
My wife is a connoisseur of rummage. She has over the years collected a vast array of items. When we married we added on to and remodeled the house I bought and have lived in since 1991. One week I went into the basement and it looked much as it always had—mostly empty. The very next week, I walked into the same basement and was amazed that so many items, especially some of the larger ones, could have been stored there that quickly. My wife told me that one of her son’s caregivers helped her move all that stuff down there. I breath a curse upon that caregiver’s name, not only because she was instrumental in helping my wife move all that stuff into the basement, but she is no longer available to help my wife AND ME move it out of the basement all these many years later.
My wife is trying to clean out and organize the basement. She has thrown several items away, and nothing fills my joy greater than throwing away a truck full of trash. A universal truth about rummage is that it accumulates much more quickly than it gets sold. It also seems to take YEARS for it to change from rummage to trash. The converse does not seem to hold true, however—trash can turn into rummage instantly!
As part of her basement cleaning, my wife decided to dispose of four pieces of exercise equipment. One piece was a heavy treadmill. Had it not been for my worthy nephew (who also helped me install the new storm door my wife purchased for me for my birthday three months ago), that treadmill would have meant if not my death, at least my incapacitation. Even with my nephew’s strong help, it was not easy on this ol’ fella, let me tell you!
My wife borrowed my nephew’s tent, and he set it up in our front yard. We placed the four pieces of exercise equipment and one old chair that my deceased sister gave me years ago inside the tent. I must admit I was a doubting Thomas. I predicted that the equipment and chair would sit there until my nephew needed his tent on the 14th of the upcoming month. At that time, I figured that I would be hauling all of that “junk” to the dump.
The very next day after we “decorated” the front yard, I received a phone call at work. It was from a fine native Union County gentleman who wanted to know what I wanted for the exercise equipment. I have known this man for years, and have considered him a friend. I told him that he would have to negotiate with my wife about the price. Once again, Thomas crept into my brain. I figured after he looked at the equipment that he would not be interested. To make a long story short, this “friend” bought every piece of equipment (if he hadn’t been a friend before he was now). I would treasure him a little more if he had taken the chair, but I won’t hold that against him.
Everyone as far as I know came out of that deal a happier individual. My wife profited not only from the cash paid for the equipment but from my pleasure that a portion of the “junk” cluttering the basement was gone. I am assuming that my friend was pleased with his purchase—at least, I have heard nothing to the contrary. Hopefully, this tent will be a “magic” tent. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everything placed therein would sell within 24 hours? I’m getting a little excited to see what happens next.
Should you pass 317 Walker Ford Road, Maynardville, Tennessee, be sure to see if there is a tent set up in the front yard. If so, check out what’s inside. It might just be the “treasure” you’re looking for! I’ll throw in a free chair with the next purchase.
Next week I’ll share with you, Faithful Reader, about how a pile of junk came my way that included an unexpected treasure. For now I leave you with a bit of thought-provoking insight from my email world.

God's Plan for Senior Exercise

Most seniors never get enough exercise. In His wisdom God decreed that seniors become forgetful so they would have to search for their glasses, keys, and other things, thus doing more walking. And God looked down and saw that it was good.

Then God saw there was another need. In His wisdom He made seniors lose coordination so they would drop things, requiring them to bend, reach, and stretch. And God looked down and saw that it was good.

Then God considered the function of bladders and decided seniors would have additional calls of nature, requiring more trips to the bathroom, thus providing more exercise. God looked down and saw that it was good.

So if you find as you age that you are getting up and down more, remember it’s God’s will. It’s all in your best interest even though you mutter under your breath.