For the Love of the Listserv

My husband was the one who insisted on the charcoal grill. He was sure that a classic Weber old-school barbeque was far superior to grilling with propane. He convinced me that our food would cook and taste better. He also convinced me that he would use it often.

So, it was with a certain amount of chagrin that we recently gave that grill away. After years of watching it weather in our backyard, nary a chicken breast or vegetable in sight, it was time to admit that we are definitely gas grillers, opting for ease of use over authentic taste.

As I wheeled it to the curb, I waved over my shoulder at my husband and explained that someone would be by shortly to grab it. After all, that’s the power of the listserv.

For the past few years, I’ve received daily emails as a member of the Del Ray Parents Group on Yahoo. The emails, a summary of postings on the listserv, offer up everything from parenting advice to doctor recommendations to furniture for sale. The postings have been indispensible for sharing insight on hiring a nanny, finding summer camps or navigating the Alexandria preschool maze.

In our case, I offered up our barbeque for free. It was gone from our curb less than 24 hours later. What went unused in our own backyard just might prove valuable to a neighbor.

Last week, I spied two hanging lamps listed for free on the listserv. They reminded me of something that would have hung in my grandmother’s house and I found them irresistibly charming. I responded to the post and within a few hours, was picking them up off of a Del Ray porch.

I assured my skeptical husband that they could be cleaned up a bit, would cast a light that would be far superior to any other light in the house and that I would use them all of the time. Turnabout is fair play.

The Del Ray Parents Yahoo group caters to families so their site does point out that if you are after less “mommy talk” and more neighborhood information, the Del Ray Citizens Association Yahoo Group is a great starting point.

Are you a member of a local listserv? What great finds have you discovered? What have you given away or sold? Tell us in the comments.