From Daisy from Dexter

Loyal reader and all-around arbiter of awesomeness Daisy L.M. sends in this pic, inaugurating a new sub-section of the blog: free signs in the media. Newspapers, tv, movies, wherever. If you see a free sign in one of those places, send it in. A case of Acme® Little Brother Repellant goes out to Daisy L.M. as our little way of saying "thanks for sharing" this screen grab from Dexter.

First timer

All-around fab chick and beloved FOAF Judy D. sends in this federal offense photo from Funtown, Tennessee. After all the cd's have been nabbed, I'm sure Judy's gonna have her questionable-immigration-status assistant take the box right back to the UNITED STATES POST OFFICE. A case of Colt 45 goes out to Judy D. as our little way of saying thanks. Drink 'em all before the postal police come.

Reader of the year Kim C!

The reader of the year award goes to Kim C., who adds this little cherry on top of the sundae of victory:

A case of Jaegermeister goes out to reader of the year Kim C. as our little way of saying thanks for all the good work. Keep it up in 2011! xoxo

From the land of down under, loyal reader and blogtastic buddy Brad J. put down his Foster's beer long enough to send in this pic from scenic Horseshoe Bend, NSW, Australia. G'day, mate! Watch out for the kangaroos and tell Crocodile Dundee I said "hey!" A Ken Done beach towel is on its way to you as our little way of saying 'thanks.'

Two to take

For each of these two, I took the picture first and the stuff second. The window fits perfectly at home and the mints were delicious. Yum.

From the lovely corner of Valley and Avalon in Milton, Mass. comes this sub-mission from new reader Brian M. who happened upon this doll "just standing there looking beautiful, yet vulnerable" on his way into town and noticed it was gone ("hopefully off to a nice home and not to some pervert" -- like that twisted designer who made the poster for "Whatever happened to Baby Jane?") on his way back home.

A carton of blue painter's tape in various widths goes off to Brian M. as our little way of saying "thank you."

God beams not included

Or, if you'd rather: the crepuscular rays are not a part of the deal.

More cupboards for the mud room?

Maybe these would go well in the kitchen. Decisions decisions.

Love the K

K is just a great letter. It's the symbol for the Kelvin system of temperature measurement, it's purportedly the funniest letter to end a joke with, it's the symbol for a strikeout in baseball, and it's the stock symbol for the Kellogg's corporation, manufacturers of Pop-tarts and Rice Krispies. Which is a perfect segue into it's highest incarnation as far as I'm concerned: its use as an intentional misspelling of words that actually begin with "C".

A karton of Kool goes out to enthusiastik reader Wyatt S. for sending in this kool sign:

Not sure

Not so sure about the Señor Coffee Maker, but I'll take some of that fab orange paint if you have it. Thanks to best-ever reader Alice R.M. for snapping this shot. A case of non-dairy creamer goes out to her as a token of our appreciation.

Cleaning day

Just when you're wondering where to put your washing machine, along comes a whole counter set just perfect for the cleaning room. Thanks to loyal reader and fab friend Kim C. for sending in the shot below. A case of low-sudsing Tide with color-enhancing bleach goes out to Kim C. as our a token of our squeaky-clean appreciation.

Tricycle

Reader Wyatt S. sends in this trio of tires from down Glenford way, where, I guess, people like trikes. A case of Slim Jim Meat Snacks goes out to Mr. S. as our little way of saying 'thanks'.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

Fab-tastic perma-awesome reader Claire M. sends in these two pics from Trumansburg, N.Y.. Claire, I've always wanted to have a neighbor just like you. A case of awkward family photos goes out to Claire as a token of our appreciation.

Same sign, different crap, vol. 2

And, I think, the last installment of "same sign, different crap". Or not.

Firecracker chuckle factory and loyal reader April T. sends in this fab pic of the permafree sign down the road. It's like they're running a store where they give it all away with new crap every week. The sign's been there for at least a few months and we'll see how long it lasts.

A case of used 2005 Cheval Blanc goes out to Mrs. T as our little way of saying "thanks for the effort."

Encino. Sepulveda.

Loyal reader April T. sends in these two pics purportedly taken by her nameless sister who supposedly lives out by the Sepulveda Dam. A carton of Parliament filter cigarettes goes out to sister X as our little way of saying "Gracias!"

The sands of time

The Sands of Iwo Jima. Found this sign in the driveway of our local jarhead. Got there too late to get the sand.

So much free, so little time

We've got 3 kids and cover a lot of miles just ferrying them to and from their friends' houses. On the downside, it takes a lot of time and uses a lot of gas, on the upside, it's almost always fun to hang with the punks in the car and sometimes we pass a free sign. Or two. Or three. Or five. Yesterday was a banner day for free signs.

Stoop

Lovely and loyal reader Rachel C.D. sends in this exercise in naming items from the brownstone steps of New York City. Money makin' Manhattan. The big apple. Gotham. I see there's a free lamp and a free basket, I only wish the rest of the stuff were labelled so I could know what it is.

Special thanks and a case of Yonex AS-50 Shuttlecocks go out to R.C.D. as our little way of saying "Yo. Tanks a lot."

101

Brooklyn reader Season Whatever sends in this free sign behind bars from the land of Welcome Back, Kotter. A case of baby back ribs goes out to S.W. as a yummy token of our affection.

POST # 100!!!

Loyal reader and wonderful friend April T. sends in this pic, complete with her own title suggestion: Toy Story 4 "The Big Escape". Too bad we already had a title all picked out for this momentous hundredth post. 100 posts and, I'm guessing, about 130 free signs. Not too bad for 15 months of collecting. A case of 1995 Krug "Clos Ambonnay" Brut Champagne goes out to April T. as a token of our appreciation.

3 for 99

This is my 99th post here and what a swell one it is, with 3 fab shots from 3 fab peeps (okay, 2 fab peeps and me).

Greta's giving away some skids and I happened to be on the scene to snap the pic below:

Muito gostosa reader Andrea M. sent in this lovely sign:

And reader Rachel C.D. took time out of her busy birthday week 2010 to snap and send this sign from the bed people who hate capital "R"s.

A case of Downtown Leroy Brown's Perfect Manhattan in a Can goes out to the gals as our little way of saying "thanks." Thanks.

Sign of the times

Stoop-labor jobs (such as sorting through free used Christmas paraphernalia) that were once the exclusive domain of illegal immigrants willing to work for tiny sums of money are increasingly being taken by ordinary Americans, as seen below:

Sad stuff

Readers April T. and Norm M. both sent in a pic of this noteworthy mountain of free stuff. While usually a cause for celebration, this pile had the distinct whiff of eviction about it and instead became a sad catalyst for thoughts about the state of our economy.

Thanks April T. for sending in; a small donation to Family of Woodstock has been made as our little way of saying 'thanks' for sending in.

Step right up

Step right up, step right up, everything must go. Two pics from today's bumper crop of yard sales, with my boy Moss on the mike.

Dapple-dawn-drawn

It's all free, just like this poem from Gerard Manley Hopkins.

Mystery meat

Fab friend and all-around fun chick Rachel D. sends in this lovely shot from the road to nowhere. A case of Nicolas Feuillatte Palmes d'Or Grand Cuvee 1997 goes out to her as our little way of saying "thanks". Cheers, Rachel D!

Imagine...

...someone who works out on the Nordic Trak and then sits on the couch.

Now imagine someone who sits on the couch and then works out on the Nordic Trak. Now, in your mind's eye, is one of those people fat and the other thin? Anyway, here's a nice looking couch and a swell Nordic Trak found on the way to and from lunch with Wyatt and just before the rain started.

The back road to Catskill

A box of books picked nearly clean rests on a discarded "yard sale" sign.

A cap for an old Bronco sits on a flat bed.

On the way home from camp

Picked Daisy up from camp yesterday, it's great to have her back hiding in her bedroom playing on facebook. Got some swell free sign snaps on the way home. This one below, for the invisible electric dryer and the one under that for the colorful cornucopia of kid's crap. God bless alliteration and free signs and my camper come home.

2 from the missus

A lovely couch and a handmade leg. The same care clearly went into this red white and blue sign. A case of Kodak film goes out to the missus as our little way of saying "ta."

I took the ottoman and the sign

Calling Dr. Caligari

A coupla cabinets from friend of the blog, April T. A carton of German Expressionist films goes out to A.T. as our little way of saying "danke."

Elmo says check out that mattress!

Is that a Tickle-me Elmo hanging on the line?

Elmo says there's nothing lonelier than a used mattress.

A case of cookies goes out to Kimmie C. for sending in the Elmo pic and a carton of Newports for S.O'C. for the swell snap of the mattress and box spring. Newport. Alive with pleasure.