Free Table Score!

In the 2nd floor lunch room at my work there's a table that has been deemed the "Free Table" where co-workers leave any unwanted items they think someone else could use. Usually this includes a range of coupons and random books & magazines, but every once in a while there's something really good. Walking by the kitchen/lunch room on a regular basis, I generally take a glance at this table right after checking out the table where people leave free food (Lunch meeting left-overs? Homemade brownies? See's candy with a butterscotch square still in the box? Yes please!). That quick glance has earned me savenger's rights to a host of interesting items:

• A hand-stitched leather satchel/briefcase, only missing a strap connector
• Various DVDs, including the Music Man (stocking stuffer for Mom!) and Sideways
• Trail mix packets (no chocolate in the mix, but they did have dried cranberries and pepitas!)
• French vanilla hot chocolate packets in a festive Christmas tin
• Large burlap coffee bags to be used for some unidentified craft project (tree skirt?)

Yesterday we were having the kick-off meeting for this quarter's Wellness Program Focus, Exercise & Fitness. There were already a decent amount of people in the lunch room signing up for their pedometers and enjoying healthy goodies and Vitamin Water when I walked in. I did my typical scan the room, check out the free food, glance at the free table routine, when I was struck by the large Bed, Bath & Beyond on the free table. Sitting inside was a George Foreman grill, complete with built-in bun warmer, drip trays and three pronged scrapers. I couldn't help but exclaim, "Wait, is this free??" to anyone who would listen.  How was it possible that with all the people in the room, no one had claimed this?!  Surprisingly enough, since usually the free items are claimed without really knowing the giver, the co-worker who had left it on the table responded.  Amy M. explained that her and her husband had just gotten a large grill and didn't really use this.

So excited, I immediately walked it back to my office, smiling the whole way. My mom had just told me a couple days before about how they enjoyed the yummy George Foreman grilled sliders my dad had made on Saturday so much that they bought a refurbished one from the Grocery Outlet, a.k.a. "the Rainbow Store" (only my parents) for the beach house. At the time I had been slightly envious of their two GFGs... but now I have one of my very own! And it was FREE! Score!

With this and all the other kitchen items I've received from work friends, I can't wait to actually be able to use them in my own place :)