Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Elections and Waste with a bit of Crochet thrown in

What do you do when the municipal election is coming up and you have problems with both candidates? Let's see: the current mayor, who is young, but seems a little too egotistical in my eyes. As homeowners, we also felt that a plan to sell town property adjacent to us was a done deal before citizens were asked for their comments. Especially when we offered to purchase part of it, and were totally ignored.
Then we have a former mayor back in the running. A little older, you'd think more mature, but I tell you, I really hate it when their campaign literature consists more of slamming their opponent than stating what they have planned for the town. And apparently, some of the points were a bit inaccurate.
I heard one neighbour girl who is 9 claiming that her uncle doesn't vote because it's a waste of time. I was quick to inform her that it is NEVER a waste of time. Even if your candidate doesn't win, if you vote, you have the right to complain about what happens after the election. Show me a person who did not vote, and then complains about the winner, and I'll slap their face. If you don't vote, if you don't get that tiny little say...you have NO right to complain.

Which leads me to waste. Yard waste. A fair amount of it. Our town recycles. With yard waste pick ups a couple times a month through the summer, then again in the fall. Paper and regular recycleables picked up every two weeks. Brush pick up now and then.
Why do I have 5 bags of yard waste? Because that pick up stops June 28th and doesn't start again till October 11th. Funny, the town neglected to tell my weeds to stop growing for those few months. So, my 5 bags have sat. And sat (3 of them only since September 8th, my last post!). I made sure to get up early this morning to put the bags out. Three went out, I came back for the 4th, and the bottom had rotted. The 5th bag...the bottom had rotted too. Everything was wet from heavy rain last night, so that yard waste will sit there for a bit to dry before I rebag.

Now, to further make no sense: we've been told our area is the worse for recycling. Yes, I see it: people who don't feel like saving corrugated cardboard for a week or so for the recycling pickup stick piles out with their garbage. Or clear plastic bags full of leaves. Neither one is picked up with the trash, btw (or it's not supposed to be!), so I laugh my butt off. But (but, but, but) the town does not make it easy to recycle yard waste especially. Not only is there the 3 months with no pick up, but when it's a paid day (which is most of the season), you have to pay $1.50 per sticker at the town hall. Where is the town hall? Outside of town. Not really walking distance, unless you really like to walk a lot!

I'm just hoping the stickers stay put on my bags. If the stickers fall off and blow away because they're not sticking in the rain, and my bags are not picked up, the town hall will hear from me.

Now, for the bit of crochet! I've recently finished designing a wallet, which I'm rather proud of, for a woman who wanted a crocheted wallet. Now, I have to make me one, I am so happy with the way it turned out! Also this month, a hanging towel, which is in use on my oven door, a Candy Stripe bathroom set, and a baby burp cloth.
What's next? Currently, 3 stockings, two snowman toilet paper covers, an Angels Watch Over afghan, more squares for my Smilieghan crochet along (only $4.95 for 16 squares total). And patterns for November....and I'm still trying to find time to squeeze in a free crochet along for a group I belong to!