Smooth Criminal... or not!

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One man's trash is another man's treasure. That's how I look at it anyways. Last week our neighbors moved out and they left behind them a bag of trash and a lantern with 2 candle holders outside their door. Giving them the benefit of the doubt thinking they MIGHT come back to pick it up, I waited 4-5 days. They just left it behind. So I picked it up and brought it inside.

I have a healthy addiction to pinterest and got a few ideas, so I snatched our neighbors left behind candle holders and lantern. A few coats of paint later and I put them outside on our table on the balcony. :-) I've only had to listen to Arild make fun of me for a few minutes over "stealing the neighbor's trash."

A couple of days after this incident and nearly a week after our moved-out neighbors left the bag of trash and decor outside, I answer the doorbell, thinking it was Arild coming home from work and just playing around. Nope, it was our neighbor and she wanted her stuff back. I felt so stupid and low. So, I quickly scrubbed the paint off the lantern and then gave her the lantern and candle holders back, apologizing every other word and telling her I thought she just had trash lying out.

Part of me was thinking, "Okay, WHY would you have things just lying out like that and wait so long to pick it up?" and another part of me was thinking of how stupid and embarrassing all this was.

Thankfully, a few minutes later, Arild arrived home and I explained this incident to him. He just laughed. And laughed. And laughed some more calling me a "criminal" and teasing me by asking me at random times during the afternoon if I was quiet because I was plotting to steal stuff.

So now, if I see something reusable lying around I am not going to take it even if it appears to be something someone has thrown out.

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