Scrapping has given me more than just an income

Yes, it has given me an income to help support my family but personal wise it has given me so much more than I ever realized until one day my mom said to me, ''we
spend more time together than my mom and I did.''

My parents had 5 kids to raise and worked multiple jobs each to support the family and each one had a parent die very young. There wasn't much time for them to spend ''fun'' time together with their remaining parents beyond helping them out with life.

mom and I drive around each Sunday and stop for coffee and ice cream, its been the routine for 4 years. My dad and I drive the second round and stop at the bar for a drink and something to eat and play some games before I pull my all nighter break down.

yesterday, dad told one of my brothers he didn't even want to go fishing with him (and he LOVES fishing) because it was more boring then our scrap run. I was pretty shocked when I heard that. Maybe its just that he loves our time together. he has been known to call me when I'm out with mom and ask if we are getting close to coming home for his turn lol. Mom and I know he's sitting in his chair, flashlight in lap waiting.

I'm not only here on sundays I'm here multiple days during the week to work on scrap also and mom makes me stop and says ''lets take a ride around the yard'' to look at all the flowers and trees and gardens and whatnot going on. She forces me to stop and smell the roses so to speak and take a break from worrying about making money all the time. My dad also knows he can count on me to help with something if I'm here also around the yard.

It has allowed me to be home for my family more than it would if I had a 9 to 5 job also. I can make my youngest son coffee when he gets up and have lunch ready for the middle son when he comes home for lunch. Scrapping also gives us a goal together and teaches them to do what we can to help the earth besides making money and sets a good example of hard work and payoff and respect of not only the earth but of meeting other people and that you should never judge people by how they choose to do it no matter what.

I hope my children appreciate that I am there for them more than my parents were for us and theirs for them. I think they do I know it hit me hard when my mom said that to me.

I nominate this for Thread of the Week.

The thank you button was just not enough. Your post lifted my spirits after a hard day. Mike.

My wife likes going to the yard to see all the different machinery taking care of business and get's a kick out of tossing stuff out with no regard to breaking it.

We go to Estate/Garage Sales every week and the calls to pick up scrap dictate the area where we look for sales. Every Saturday the kids have to listen to our adventure when we get home so this weekend our daughter decided to go with. Within 3 hours we had 800 pounds of scrap and bought a old brass bed with rails, birch fireplace logs with fake fire and sound, antique oak dining table, vintage foot stool fan and a cool end table. Daughter caught on quick figuring out that the scrap covered the purchases and the resale value was looking good as well.

Only complaint was the van was full way before Happy Hour at Sonic (2pm).

Kz, your post makes me chuckle because the garbage pickup day got changed out here so now, my Sunday with mom driving with me is done and she won't give up Judge Judy on Thursdays to drive around -kind of, HER happy hour!

And, every time my youngest son brings me something from work he is always quick on asking how much it was worth. Plus, he always ether calls me or texts me when he does get something, even if its a sheet tray from the kitchen area.

Soooooooo....in trade, my dad whines and cries about going to exercise class with her 3 days a week (omg, he HATES it on a serious level that borders on psychotic , seriously, I hear about it when we drive around and I want to push hm out of the truck and maybe needing medicine to calm it down lol) I offered to go with her on her day of choice so she doesn't have to miss this most healthy of excursions and we don't lose our day ''out'' together.

THEN.......then, she came up with this brilliant idea about cleaning. Yeeeeeah...........uh............I got some things in the garage needs broke down .....uh huh, yeah, there's a bucket of motors waiting . I don't believe she bought that.