Break Dust – Great Finds From the Side of the Road!

By Stacey Roske
There you are minding your own business – when what should you see but a pile or a lone piece of furniture placed at the curb.

You approach cautiously – is there anything good? Can I stop without snarling traffic? Or, if you are the embarrassed spouse – you think “not again” – as you slink deeper into your seat.

Then you spy it – could that really be a nearly perfect old dry sink? Are those lamps as old as they look?

And if all goes well – into the car your find goes!

My husband and I have coined a term for this type of acquisition – break dust! Because that’s all that dry sink, ornamental wrought iron, table, etc… cost -a little break dust.

I must admit, early in our marriage I was the “slinker”. I was convinced that someone from my workplace would see us – my nightmares usually included a large meeting and a wise acre co-worker commenting “Hey Stacey, saw you and your husband rooting through my neighbors garbage. So, that’s were you get you merchandise.”

Call it desensitization or conversion – but my tune changed the day we pulled in front of an old mansion. Stacked at the curb were piles and piles of old lamps! The owner was outside and encouraged us to “Pleasem, take it all away”. What a profitable stop that was!

These days I am just as likely to drive slowly past a garbage pile (much to the chagrine of my niece and nephew) as my husband. My latest find is a lovely old dry sink which now adds beauty and function to our backyard deck.

What has your greatest find been? Tell us about your best find. Your response my be featured in an upcoming Break Dust segment.