They've already bought up much of our precious metals and california...

#4 | Posted by nanc at 2009-11-12 12:27 AM

I don't know who was buying it, but guys with pick-ups sure are grabbing every piece of metal around -- at least in my neighborhood.

On our regular trash pick-up day our town also has a program called "bulky item pick-up." You have to call in and give them your name, address, and date of trash pick-up. You can then leave out for pick-up (in addition to your regular trash buckets) any "bulky items" that don't fit inside the trash cans. The items can't be "trash" but anything else will do.

I've been clearing out my house to move and have made good use of their program. On Tuesday night I hauled out my Dad's HUGE, heavy, old USMC metal overseas trunk, his USMC metal ammunition box and another USMC smaller metal trunk which were all used to ship stuff to different bases when he was in the service. (Somehow they all ended up in our garage and we stored "stuff" inside of them for years.)

I left them all on the parkway grass next to the curb in front of my house as we are instructed to do. I had no sooner put the two metal trunks and metal ammo case (along with some other items) out to be picked up when ZOOOOOOM -- along comes a guy in a pick-up and grabs all of the USMC metal trunks and throws them in the back of his pick-up. When he saw me he yelled out he was looking for "metal and steel" and then went on his way. I didn't care as long as they got hauled away.

This happens in my neighborhood on every trash pick-up day -- guys riding around looking for specific types of metal, steel, etc. Also, in Los Angeles the manhole covers on the streets are always being stolen for their steel value.

Who's paying these guys for this metal? A foreign company who ships it all overseas? You have to wonder.

Why?

Because they were Your Dad's that's why. Trust Me someday You'll wished You hung onto that stuff.

Larry

You don't think it didn't kill me to have to give those away, Larry? I couldn't take them with me when I moved. I don't even know if I'll be able to find an apt. with an extra bedroom when I leave this state, let alone some place with a garage and/or a lot of storage space.

I've given away so much of my furniture and personal things getting ready to move out of here -- not to mention clearing out a 50 year old family home (and packed garage) BY MYSELF. And now, after 19 months of NEVER coming down here a single time to help with anything at all to get this place fixed up for sale, my two relatives finally showed up two weeks ago to help paint two bedrooms and remove wallpaper from 2 bedrooms and a bathroom but have made it such a living hell while they were here (for other reasons -- long story) I can't wait until they leave this weekend. So I have enough on my shoulders (and mind) without worrying about my Dad's 500 TON USMC footlocker.

Guess you picked a bad time for your comment, huh? lol Just ignore me, Larry, I've been under a lot of pressure and these last two weeks haven't helped any. : )

Chris, you could have sold them.

Posted by grumpy_too at 2009-11-12 02:33

I know, but I need to get stuff cleared out sooner rather than later so didn't feel like taking the time to put in an ad and waiting. Those USMC trunks were really old and saw a lot of miles so not sure who would buy them.

Why? Were you interested in those old USMC steamer trunks and ammo box, grumpy_too? If it was for you, I would have just given them to you for nothing if I had known. Only problem is it would have cost a fortune just to ship them to you as they weighed a ton!

Don't worry, did save all of my Dad's military papers, aviation books, and memorabilia -- even his flight jacket. Would never sell or give those away.

Did sell my Mom's piano I had here in the house on Craig's List last month so it saved me from having to pay someone to move haul it out plus I made a few bucks on the side. And now I have my Schwinn bicycle up for sale on there too. I'm either tossing, selling, or throwing away.

Say, you interested in a "1939 Underwood Noiseless" typewriter? LOL No kidding. My Dad bought it new and for God knows what reason my folks saved it. It weighs about 90 pounds. I put that on Craig's List for about $50 but no antique buyers were interested. Now I'll be happy to just give it away -- if I can even lift it!

So do you guys now believe me when I said I had a LOT of things to get rid of? LOL But I'm getting there. About 80% of everything is now either sold, (mostly) given away, or packed up. The Salvation Army pick-up knows me by my first name I've called them so often.

So at least I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and the house is almost all cleared out now and ready to go on the market. I'm sure not going to pay to haul this stuff across the country when I move.

I don't envy you Chris. You have definately had a full plate!

#14 | Posted by Lisa at 2009-11-12 05:26 AM

It'll be okay. I'm getting there.

Just wanted to give you a great, big THANK YOU!

If not for your tips on how to remove wallpaper I would still be working on only one room. Your suggestions --

1. Spray wallpaper with water and fabric softener
2. Do NOT score
3. Soak it, soak it, soak it

Worked like a charm. Still hard work but nothing like it would have been without your suggestions to get the wallpaper off the walls.

You saved me untold hours, Lisa, not to mention $$$. Would have cost $500 a room to have someone come in and do it professionally. Thanks again.

I know it's still hard work, but doing it that way is much easier.

Is it all done now?

#16 | Posted by Lisa at 2009-11-12 03:00 PM

Yep. All the wallpaper is gone. My sister and her hubby said they have to leave earlier than planned (were suppose to stay 3 weeks to help but are leaving after 2) so guess I'll be the only one to paint the remaining (now wallpaperless) bedroom and the kitchen (which never had wallpaper).

I had forgotten as we always had wall-to-wall carpeting in the house but there are parquet wood floors throughout. The realtor told me it was a MUST I have the rugs pulled up to show the wood floors. And as you watch HGTV like I do, you know all the buyers want hardwood floors. I talked to a couple different guys and will have one them come in and roll up the rugs and haul them out of here. But I'm not going to the time and expense of refinishing them. The buyers can do it.

Signed a contract last week to get the window repairs done next week and a leaky shower pan replaced. That'll be done while I'm finishing up painting. It looks like Grand Central Station around here.

I'll tell ya, Lisa, this realtor better get me a good price on this place after all the work she suggested I put into it before putting it on the market. But it looks pretty good now and a lot of elbow grease beforehand should pay off on the listing price.

Did you have to do a lot of work on your place when you sold it and moved from Wisconsin? Hope at least you had some help! That's what's taking me so damn long -- and contractors aren't cheap so you try to do as much as you can on your own.

I had hoped to have been out of here by Christmas but maybe not. At least maybe it'll be in escrow, though, if the sale moves fast. I'd love to have it sold by the end of December. I'll keep my fingers crossed -- and keep my statute of poor St. Joseph buried upside down in the backyard. *grin*

Well, I better get back to blogging about politics and news and topics of general interest before Rcade throws me off DR! I don't think he's too keen on turning his blog into some version of "House and Garden." : )

"Who's paying these guys for this metal? A foreign company who ships it all overseas? You have to wonder.'

#5 | Posted by CalifChris"

China is building BATTLESHIPS and that uses much metal.

#20 | Posted by Monstman at 2009-11-12 04:42 PM

That's what I was afraid of when I gave my Dad's old USMC trunks and ammunition case away -- having them melted down to help build up COMMUNIST China's formidable military.

Isn't anyone in our government watching where our valuable resources -- steel, etc. -- are going? Communist China is building up their military at a previously unheard of rate and our politicians sit there with their thumbs up their butts and don't give it a second thought. I can't figure it out.