We had heard this urban legend, that people throw all kinds of "good" stuff away on the Navy housing base. I had seen a few things my neighbors had rescued from the dumpsters. Well its no longer a urban legend in our books.
As many know Mark comes from a long line of frugal people. His grandpa Burt was said to bring more stuff back from the county dump than he had originally take in the first place. His other grandfather Frank was never given a pickup truck as building inspector, because his boss knew he would take home anything being thrown out at job sites.
Mark was out riding his bike the other morning and rode by the dumpsters and saw a girls mountain bike laying next to it. It was definitely being thrown out ( Two flat tires, rusted chain and stuck gears shifters). He grabbed it and brought it home to see if it was worth saving.
Kestrel had been wanting a bike with gears. She was trying to understand why Dads bike would go up hills some much easier than her one speed bike. She was very excited to help me check the bike out. We put air in the tires, greased the chain and worked to free up the shifter. With a little bit of work, Kestrel is now proud owner of her first multi-gear bike.
Laurel was a little jealous at first that the new bike was going to Kestrel. I told Laurel that she had got a new bike back in Rhode Island and Kestrel was in need of a newer bike. Laurel still wanted to ride it so Kestrel shared it with Laurel, but after a few rides Laurel went back to her simpler bike and has left Kestrels bike alone.
Kestrel loves her new bike. Kestrel and Dad go for early morning rides around the base, before most people are up. Those pesky hills are no longer giving her any problems as they once did. She is also the fastest bike on the block. The other night all the kids (and some parents) were waiting for the ice cream truck to come down our street, but he had not been seen or heard. Everyone was getting nervous that maybe he wasn't on the base. Kestrel volunteered to go and find the ice cream man and tell him he had at least 15 customers waiting on our street. Ten minutes later she returned and had found him out by the front gate and told him about the crowd waiting for him. He showed up minutes later and everyone enjoyed their ice cream, thanks to Kestrel.
As many know Mark comes from a long line of frugal people. His grandpa Burt was said to bring more stuff back from the county dump than he had originally take in the first place. His other grandfather Frank was never given a pickup truck as building inspector, because his boss knew he would take home anything being thrown out at job sites.
Mark was out riding his bike the other morning and rode by the dumpsters and saw a girls mountain bike laying next to it. It was definitely being thrown out ( Two flat tires, rusted chain and stuck gears shifters). He grabbed it and brought it home to see if it was worth saving.
Kestrel had been wanting a bike with gears. She was trying to understand why Dads bike would go up hills some much easier than her one speed bike. She was very excited to help me check the bike out. We put air in the tires, greased the chain and worked to free up the shifter. With a little bit of work, Kestrel is now proud owner of her first multi-gear bike.
Laurel was a little jealous at first that the new bike was going to Kestrel. I told Laurel that she had got a new bike back in Rhode Island and Kestrel was in need of a newer bike. Laurel still wanted to ride it so Kestrel shared it with Laurel, but after a few rides Laurel went back to her simpler bike and has left Kestrels bike alone.
Kestrel loves her new bike. Kestrel and Dad go for early morning rides around the base, before most people are up. Those pesky hills are no longer giving her any problems as they once did. She is also the fastest bike on the block. The other night all the kids (and some parents) were waiting for the ice cream truck to come down our street, but he had not been seen or heard. Everyone was getting nervous that maybe he wasn't on the base. Kestrel volunteered to go and find the ice cream man and tell him he had at least 15 customers waiting on our street. Ten minutes later she returned and had found him out by the front gate and told him about the crowd waiting for him. He showed up minutes later and everyone enjoyed their ice cream, thanks to Kestrel.
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