Thursday's Redemption

The weather prediction was for occasional rain showers throughout the day and getting more frequent at night. When I got home, it still wasn't raining yet, so I just switched my shoes for my garden boots, grabbed the rake and my gloves and went out to the back. I started raking the entire rear garden, trying to get just the leaves and leave the mulch alone (not so easy, BTW). I worked at a nice steady pace, using the wheel barrow to transport the leaves to the compost heap when the pile got big enough. When I finished, I put everything away and came inside at 7:40 PM.

I checked the mail and found a letter from the Township Water Department, letting me know they will be replacing the water main and fire hydrants on my street, starting in a couple of weeks and expected to last three or four weeks more. They said that there may be times during that period when I am without water (gulp) and that after everything is finished, they will repair whatever damage they do to my lawn (sigh).

I had joined this group on the Internet called the "freecyclers." This particular one is based in Livonia, Westland and Canton, but they are everywhere. The premise is you post items you have and want to get rid of, or ask for items you need. It's not bartering, no money changes hands and you are not supposed to sell it on Ebay or something after you get it. Its just so stuff you don't want goes to people who do, rather than filling up a landfill somewhere.

However, there's a problem. It's always first come, first served. You can sign up for a daily recap of emails, but it seemed to me I'd be late seeing something, so I took the option to get emails as they were generated. I'm getting like 10-20 per hour at times, from people who have women's clothes size 16, or computer desks, or four sheets of paneling, etc.

I did see one tonight that looks promising, so I called the number they left. It was for 27 2-foot x 2-foot concrete patio blocks! I told her I'd get them Friday after work. She called me back about an hour later and said somebody just came and got them! I was bummed... So much for going green!

I watched the Top Chef show I had recorded, and then read until bedtime.