It's Free. Isn't That Enough?

I am a member of several Facebook groups that are buy-sell-trade, and a couple that are free stuff only. Not just because I like finding and getting free stuff, but because I like to give away stuff. I have had so much given to me over the years, usually appropriately to my needs. Even when not, the intention has always been . to somehow help, so it's all good, and I want to return that favor. (Those favors?)

I usually don't have decent stuff to give away. I tend to use things until they fall apart. So, when I do have something to give, it's a big deal to me. And a special joy.


I have posted a few items with what I think are accurate descriptions. And have learned to note : No pictures.
The first thing SOMEONE always asks is "Pictures?"
Well, no. (That would be why it says no pictures.)
I have a family, a job, a life. I am not going to spend my time taking pictures of stuff I am giving away. (Selling, yes. Giving, no.) I don't have an adequate camera, I don't have adequate technical skills, and I don't have time.

You are either in need of a couch or want the bag of shoes, or you don't.

I don't mind questions about the offer. Are there holes? What color? Can I choose which ones I do or don't want?

But the requests for pictures drive me insane. (This may be a personal quirk. I'm fine with that.)

I've seen similar responses on other threads. "Pickup only, mornings, in Mt. Orab. And the other party says "Can you bring this to Batavia at 5 pm?"

Greedy lazy and that almost always adds up to ungrateful. (Not always. Sometimes it's just a matter of not being able to make arrangements. Stay at home single moms with very young, no car, vs third shift worker who also has no car, for example.)

Anyway, either you want or need the item offered or you don't. Don't waste my time, or yours.

It's free.
That should be good enough.

Baby Mommy

My grand daughter has just been for a brief visit. It was a surprise visit to us all -- Her pappaw said Monday "Let's go get Hailey for a couple days." So we did. He even drove to go get her.

She's 3 1/2 now, and starting to learn letters and count and ask endless questions and wonder about everything. She has two favorite questions. "What's that, Mammaw?" and "Who's that, Mammaw?"

Parents and grandparents have long known the entertainment value of a picture album. Let me tell you, that entertainment value triples when it's a computer slideshow. Hailey will stop what she is doing and sit in the computer chair and watch the pictures change. If she knows the person, she identifies the person. If it's her, even her baby pictures, she says. "That's me! That's me, Mammaw!" Sometimes, just for variety, she will ask, "Is that me?" instead of telling. Maybe she wants to be sure.

If she doesn't know the person, question number two is in effect. "Who's that, Mammaw?"
Thank goodness that for now all I need to do is give the person a name. A half centruy and more of two lives amble across my screen. My people I know, his I'm not so good with, but I can come up with a name, and all is well in Hailey's Mammaw House world.

Some of the "Who's that, Mammaw?" photos are my daughters as they were growing up. Hailey has no problem with pictures of when Mommy was a little girl. But she happened to see a picture this time around that totally floored her.

A baby picture of her Mommy.

"Is that me, Mammaw?"
"No, that's your mommy."
Her mouth fell open and her eyes widened. "A baby Mommy?"

Whoever heard of such a thing. Now she watches for the picture to return, and squeals when it does.
I don't think she believes me.