I mentioned before that Jim was a science teacher. When we moved to Indiana he chose to forgo all the glamour of teaching in order to have more emotional energy for his family. He surprised us all (including himself) by becoming a garbage man.

Jim was (and still is) a great teacher. But there are certain perks that come from being a garbage man – and that is lots of free stuff.

Now, lest you think he is out picking through trash bags, he is not. People will often leave boxes of stuff out, leftovers from garage sales that didn’t sell, stuff like that. And Jim, despite living in Indiana, is a New Englander at heart. And that means he detests waste! If he sees anything that could still be used, he brings it home. He is the quintessential pack rat.

This can cause some tension with me because I am the original no clutter freak! He’s gotten better, he doesn’t bring home everything, but he still sneaks some silly things in every now and again.

These lovely doo-dads that Greyden and Indigo are displaying were castoffs from the YMCA. They are key chains. Jim used them as an object lesson to make a point. The children of course saw them as potential jewelry instead.

The point? I don’t really have one. But the children enjoyed many hours with their toys until Mom rounded them up from between the couch cushions, under the beds, in the cabinet with the plates, on top of legos, in the toilet paper rolls, in my pillow case, on the ceiling fan, and many other places and stuck them all in a plastic tote. Now all I have to do is stick the tote in with the dirty diapers (the only place from which they won’t be rescued).

Thanks for the toys, Dad!