In the last few months I have embraced the internet as my mall and donation dropoff.
Here’s what I’ve purchased:
Office armoire, Craigslist. Retail value: over $1,000. Paid $450.
Palm Treo 650, eBay. Retail value: $500. Paid $170, including shipping.
Changing table/dresser combo, eBay. Retail value: $250 unassembled, not including shipping. Paid $100 for fully assembled with local pickup.
Case gDiapers flushable diaper inserts, Freecycle. Retail value: $52. Paid: $0
Simple Human grocery bag dispenser, Crate & Barrel, $15 plus shipping. Reclaimed an entire shelf in the cabinet under the junk drawer.
Here’s what I’ve purged via Freecycle (I heart Freecycle!):
Four years’ worth of Real Simple magazine
100 Audio Cassettes of 70’s – 90’s music (hard to let that go but come on, I NEVER play that cassette of Sinead O’Connor anymore)
Four metal folding chairs, slightly rusty
1 Panasonic VHS-C Palmcorder with 2 blank tapes, camera bag, a/c converter. Tape stuck inside, not working. (The person who took it came back the next day with the stuck tape for me.)
1 Olympus Camedia digital camera with broken lens, with camera bag and 2 memory cards
Space freed up in the office (soon-to-be nursery) closet: priceless.
*****
For the curious, I went to the doctor yesterday and here is my pregnancy status report:
31 weeks
Weight gained: 24 pounds
Braxton Hicks contractions: confirmed
Baby’s heartbeat: within normal range
Mom’s blood pressure: normal to low
Belly measurement: Right on schedule
Mom’s favorite doc comment: “Oh, your poor bladder” as he poked around to feel where the baby is
Baby’s position: Feet down, heading facing mom’s back, butt sticking into mom’s abdominal wall. I can spank him already!
Because of the Braxton Hicks contractions, the doc and I had to become intimate for the first time. I wasn’t expecting an internal exam until 35 weeks, so when the nurse pulled out the white paper blanket I asked her what it was for. When she told me, I got flustered and I blushed and I told her I hadn’t groomed properly for an internal! I also apologized to the doctor for this. He took it in stride, and distracted me from the exam with more questions about cramping and bleeding and other such bodily functions.
Cervix: Closed
Baby: High
The point: I’m in no danger of going into labor anytime soon. Whew. Plus, now I don’t have to be coy around my first male OB/Gyn anymore.
Glad to hear you and the baby are healthy. Very good news.
I am going to check out freecycle and get rid of stuff – I can’t stand anymore tag sales.
I love FreeCycle, too! We got a bunk bed for Luke from it. I also got rid of a bunch of old bridesmaid dresses that were taking up closet space.
I’d never heard of gDiapers before. Have you been using them long? Do you like them? I’ve been thinking about cloth diapers, but at this stage of the game I’m not willing to switch. A disposable that is biodegradable sounds pretty good, although it looks expensive.
I think I’m going to have to explore this freecylce site. It sounds pretty cool.
Glad to hear all is well on the baby front.
I love freecycle!
Cervix Closed….
Interesting. 😉
Steve~
Oh, this is very exciting and good news! I’m so glad that everything is going swimmingly for you. The countdown begins!
I loves me the Craigslist. Just posted a bit about it today. I think my next laptop will probably come from there. And maybe a camera (but I might buy that new.)
I tried freecycle, but it somehow malfunctioned and did not let me get the daily post, but I kept getting ALL posts. Tried to fix it, but to no avail. I finally quit. I was amazed at how much was flying. 24 lbs. – how enveyable.
i love freecycle. my fav i when ppl respond with their sob stories on how they should be the one you pick to get the stuff. i respond and say hey, no need for the sob stories the stuff is on the curb go get it 🙂