Chip off the old block

James and I are collectors - treasure hunters - gleaners.  Ok, we pick up stuff on the sides of the road.  C'mon, admit it, you do it too, right?  James is much worse than I.  I bet he's accumulated at least 10 ball caps he's found while running.  He also finds tools, bungy cords, toys and even some things he doesn't recognize but brings home anyway (???).  If anyone needs a gas cap just go for a run near a gas station.  James says for at least 100 yards past a gas station you will find many of them along the road. That's how we got our last one.  I wonder if another runner has picked up one of ours. 

We don't have curbside trash pick up.  We take our stuff to the dumpster.  Sometimes there are great finds left outside the dumpster for others to take home.  Lumber is one of my favorite finds.  Sure, we may have to pull nails out but you never know when you're going to need a scrap of plywood or a 5 foot long 2x4.  Since our son grew up watching us be trash pickers this has rubbed off on him.  He's been known to call me and say, "hey, there's a ____________ at the dumpster.  Do you want it?" 

By now I know my mother and father are probably shaking their heads in shame.  "Where did we go wrong?  At least we have two other respectable daughters". 

Last week Adam was out driving some back country roads and found something on the side of the road that spoke to him.  Yes, it's true, some things just call out to you to be picked up.  His friend backed the truck up and Adam somehow got this beast of a find into the bed.  I'm pretty sure he had no idea what he was going to do with it at first, but he told me later that he thought, oh, Mother's Day is coming up.  I'll give it to Mom.  Before I saw my gift James told me it's a gift no other mother will be receiving.  I think he was right.

Now I need to come up with an idea how to use it.  It's a beautiful piece of wood.