Posts Tagged ‘recycling’

Recycling Ice

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

Yesterday, as I made my morning iced tea, the essence of the cubes tickled me : functional, unlimited, useful, cool to the touch, almost beautiful.

As I tripped over to the door to let the dog out (picture Belle in a large hoop skirt), I realized I was experiencing a moment of contentment and happiness. And it was nice.

Ten hours later on the Dr. Oz Show, there were two guests: a happiness teacher and a woman who is unhappy all the time. Tips and strategies were discussed, and a fake-it-until-you-make-it plan was agreed upon.

After much rumination and connecting of dots, I decided to be thankful that a) I don’t need a happiness teacher, b) my unhappy times are balanced by moments of bliss, c) that I can recognize and experience joy without a plan, and d) both my husband and I fill the ice trays when they are empty.

I guess it’s the simple things….

Recycling Lawn Ornaments

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

There is this large, hard-to-hide, concrete  N Star thing in my front yard, and apparently, it’s here to stay. To make peace with this hideous thing, I decided to plant around it. When the hostas do their job,  I will  not be able to see the sides of this free-art platform, and the top, I will deal with when I have more time.

I was at a yard sale last weekend and I spotted this mouse. It was in the  free pile, so I popped it into my car for my mother: she likes lawn ornaments.

Home again, I decided to take Bennett for a walk. It’s never a brisk walk, because Bennett loves to check for pee mail from his friends and I, as an avid e-mailer, am completely sympathetic  to his outreach enthusiasm. Around the corner on Noisy Hole Road (I kid you not) someone (and I’m assuming it was a tween or teenager) had drawn a long, thick, surprisingly realistic-looking penis.

Looking at the penis, I was thankful it wasn’t directly in front of my house. Is there such a thing as indelible chalk?  Would I now have to give directions like, “take a right at the big penis, then take an immediate …”?

So instead of giving the steroidal mouse to my mother, I decided to use it on my N Star pedestal. It’s an experiment. How long will the penis-drawing people (they might not be tweens/teens, but toddlers don’t have the dexterity and adults have usually worked through street art and progressed to the privacy of Internet porn)  allow such a delicious target to exist?

It’s been a solid week and he is still standing. Maybe there is a sort of code among street artists….

Recycling Taste Buds

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

I’ve been following Dr. Mark Hyman’s way of eating for about 2 months now, and I’m telling you, the stomach pains and  head aches are gone, I have more energy, and I’ve dropped a few pounds (without feeling deprived). So when I blow off the diet, my reason and the food had better be good.

Today’s reasons: a girls weekend away at a quintessential New England Inn – the beautiful and well tended Garden Gables -  and Parmesan truffle  fries at Firefly Restaurant, both in Lenox, MA.

It was like the perfect storm of happiness: enchanting surroundings, long, deep conversations, wonderful wines, and inspiring food.

Maybe you have to take a mini vacation from eating well to appreciate all how whole foods nourish the body. Sort of like taking a mini vacation from your family….

Recycling Paper Products

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010

True greenies  never forget to bring their own bags when shopping, don’t use dryer sheets, and don’t buy paper towels. I try to be as green as possible, but don’t you think paper towels one of life’s lovely little conveniences? I’ve used rags and towels, but there’s something about that on-the-roll convenience.

This weekend was the official start to my yard sale season. I went to random sales during the winter, but this Saturday I had a LIST (more than three!).  I map quested the unfamiliar locations and I was up and out by 7:30 am.

First sale – I was the first customer. Love that. With a garage full of unpacked stuff and one central table covered with unpriced mugs, dishes, and mundane glassware, my excitement started to wane. About to give up, I spotted a rack in the back full of cleaning products, lawn fertilizers and, my favorite, paper towels. “How much?” I asked, and pleased with the answer of $.25/roll, I bought four.

I decided not to feel guilty about my paper towels purchase, labeling my shopping precycling instead of consumerism. Happily, I raced (I mean drove) to my next sale.

The second one was an almost perfect sale.  I found a great bakers rack ($25.00), a hot air popcorn popper to help with my cleanse ($3.00), a J. Jill blouse ($2.00), an Anne Klein suit ($4.00), and a very cool bike ($25.00).

I was able to get the rack and other things into my car, but the bike was causing a problem. I didn’t want to make two trips, so how was I going to get it home?

Back to the garage. I asked the young man (14 years old and forced to help his mother – not happy) if he had any bungee cords for sale. He didn’t, but he did offer me a very long and dusty rope. So as I made a little gear and pedal nest to support and protect my new bike,  I thanked my new, pimply, monosyllabic pre-man acquaintance.

As I drove away with my pleasure endorphins firing, I thanked the yard sale gods for directing me to the right sales and in the right order. Yes, it’s going to be a great sale season full of interesting characters and fun finds.

See you Saturday!

Recycling Closet Space

Friday, March 5th, 2010

This is our Bennett closet and Bennett is our dog. (See the hem of his little Marlboro Man coat?)

I realize that most dogs don’t have their own closet, but Bennett is special (and spoiled). Unfortunately, Bennett likes to collect as much as I do, and he’s been stashing funny things in his closet all winter long. (I don’t know how he thought he was going to operate that Magic Chef cookie press with his little paws….) Bruce recently opened the closet door and when he turned around he had that look on his face. The look says, “I can’t stand your piles of shit and you have to do something about this closet NOW.”

Because we have passive aggressive personalities, we usually wait for a day or two (we HATE being told what to do) and then we start the cleaning. After all, we admit that we are can be a bit messy.

When we stopped being snotty and pissed off, we suggested that maybe the closet would be more useful if it had shelves, and (we couldn’t believe it) he agreed. So now Bennett and I are cleaning like crazy because we can’t wait to organize all of our treasures on our new shelves.

Wavyo Goes to College

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

This weekend, Saturday, January 9, 2010, the wavyo women will have a vendor table at Evergreen: Responsible and Sustainable Early Childhood Practices Conference at Cape Cod Community College. What a great way to start 2010.

Registration begins at 7:30, so you know we’ll be there bright and early to set up. I cannot wait to show everyone our new, recycled bags!

If you’d like to join us, please contact Kristen Lind at Child Care Network: 888-530-2430,  kristenl@cacci.cc, www.childcarenetwork.cc.

Recycling Time (Off)

Monday, January 4th, 2010

The tree has been defrocked and dismembered. Bulbs put away and pieces added to the garden – she has moved on to her next life.

Back to work. I think I like my vacation life more than my work life. Balanced? No yet.

Recycling Lids

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

And the seat goes on, the seat goes on…

Recycling Sadness

Thursday, August 27th, 2009

Today, Senator Edward Kennedy left his house in Hyannis Port for the last time. 

From his home in Hyannis to Boston’s North End, up the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, and down to the JFK Library in Dorchester, Kennedy-lovers lined the streets to pay their respects to the last of Rose Kennedy’s sons. 

The Kennedy’s were world-wide celebrities, but they loved, lived, and relaxed on Cape Cod, and as a result, the locals are mourning more than a political figure – they are mourning the passing of a family member. The grief here is palatable and real. His constituents knew his cancer was deadly, but knowing doesn’t properly prepare you for the hole death leaves in your heart.  

So while the Senator’s legacy is complicated, the Cape has lost a son, and that is very, very sad.

Recycling Snobbery

Thursday, August 20th, 2009

Do I really want to spend time on a sunset beach where

a) the first thing I hear is someone SCREAMING, “F*c* you. I told you not to…?”

b) I’m settled and inhaling at least a pack and a half, as a father/son, George Hamilton duo smoke their brains out while they trash their wife/mother?

c) I move 30 feet down the beach to avoid cigarette smoke and am subsequently enveloped in a sweeter, even smokier section?

d) I’m the thinnest and most attactive woman on the beach?

I think not.