It's all about waste management

 As much as I get done in a day, it never seems to be enough! There's always someone sending me a message - when can I expect my project? Yikes! I was hoping to get a quilt quilted today, but there's too much paperwork to take care of, so I can only hope to get the quilt loaded and then quilt it tomorrow. 

Some parts of my day are better organized than others. I think I now have the gym (two spin classes a week) and the daily walking (3 hours) set as a priority. As busy as I was yesterday, I took the time to go for my afternoon walk. The morning walk goes without saying - the girls would never forgive me if I didn't take them for their walk. 

That walk is now a PRIORITY in the day. I've been doing those daily walks for almost two years, and well, I'd be sad to miss them despite the time they take. 

I really do enjoy the walks - it's time to contemplate life and create "to-do" lists in my head, but I mainly just observe! I've been taking pictures of the fungi in the forest all summer and I found some great ones yesterday. Yep -- they are still around. I'll devote one post to all the fantastic pictures one day. 

But here's one thing that I saw yesterday and I want one! 

In our neighborhood, we have a cart system for our garbage. The grey one for waste, the blue lid for recycling, and the green one for compost. Well, all of the carts are HUGE, although you can get smaller ones. I'd love to trade in our BIG garbage one for the smallest one. Then I would put it out every two weeks. Right now, I only put it out when it's full. And the darn thing takes up a lot of space in the garage. We could also benefit from a smaller recycling cart and put it out every two weeks, rather than once a month, but I don't think that one is made smaller. 

But look what I saw yesterday --- a SMALL compost cart. This is what we need!! Again, it's not a huge deal, but the storage space for those large containers - they take up a lot of space. I want one of these little guys!!! It doesn't have any writing on it, so not sure it's a sanctioned container, but it's the same design. I don't know about your house, but we have a small bag of compost once a week, and it seems like such a waste to have that HUGE container for a tiny bag of compost. If we were wise - we'd have a compost pile in our back yard and forget the city pickup altogether. 

A SMALL compost cart

I might look into making the change on the sizes. We just do not generate a lot of garbage at our house and could very easily live with the small garbage cart. If we have loads of waste, like when doing a cleanout, we could technically take it to the recycling depot or just wait until there is room in the small cart. Hey -- if it's been sitting here for years, it can't be smelly! 

Anyway -- that was my great observation of yesterday. Oh -- I should mention that that fence stuff beside the cart has been on that lawn for MONTHS. Do people not know that they can call or take it to the recycling depot themselves? GASP -- people do work to keep their community clean? How silly of me to suggest that! 

I did have two presentations yesterday, one in English and one in French. I always have to practice for the French one and keep a list of translated words handy. Some stores are helpful with terms I can't figure out, and others are not! But I'm getting much more comfortable with the process, so that's good. I have to say that the presentations that I'm doing now almost seem totally different from those we did last year because they are just more packed with information and samples!

I have to make a list of samples that I want to redo or make to get them even better!

This is how different our girls are. This is Lexi. She is quiet and happy to be outside, but likes to sleep on the deck or under the shed. 

Calm, cool, Lexi

Murphy is not. She has to be ON GUARD all the time. There is a squirrel superhighway along the top of the fence and some trees in the neighbor's yard, and she cannot let the squirrels speed along the fence. It's her "job" to police the area. 

Murphy on guard

But I love how she's sitting. This is a dog's version of slouching. Instead of sitting upright, she's sitting right back down on her butt! Of course, grind that fur into the sticks and leaves along the deck so she can bring it all into the house!

Look what else I found in the backyard! The last time our garden guy was here, I noticed that he had planted a Rose of Sharon in this empty spot. I didn't think it would survive, but look - it started to flower! 

A Rose of Sharon in the backyard

I noticed that the lilies behind the Rose of Sharon are crushed -- thanks to Murphy and probably Lexi wasn't far behind as they searched for rabbits. And somewhere along the line, we got a rogue tomato plant in the backyard. It bloomed, but no tomatoes. It was a late bloomer! I don't know how many blooms we'll get this year, but that's nice to have some fall flowers in the garden.

The backyard

The garden guy is coming today, I think if the weather is nice. As much as I'd like to keep the weeds down, I just don't have the time, and I don't have the energy if I do have the time! But he'll get it all tidied up for fall. It takes him a couple of hours, I pay him well, and everyone is happy. 

And when I say Murphy is busy -- I mean busy. I don't think the new bear will have a nose for too much longer. Yep  -- the nose and the eyes will go. This little guy has a bow tie - that probably won't last long either. 

Murphy and her new stuffie

And even in the house, she is busy. I cleaned up all the toys, and then I heard her rummaging through the toy boxes again. This time she found a ball. We haven't played ball in the backyard for a while. I suspect she has lost them all under the deck. I must make a note to go out and find them for her. 

Murphy was digging in the toy boxes again!

So despite all the craziness that was yesterday, I did get this giant quilt done for a customer. I'll get it trimmed later today and try to get the next one loaded. I don't have time to quilt it today. 

Customer quilt - DONE

Even though I only have one presentation today, it's in French, so it takes some time to prepare, and my MIL requires physio twice a week, and since we are both stupid busy, we're drawing straws, and well, today is my turn. I think we'll split it -- I do once a week, and DH can do once a week. It will just depend on whether I get Wednesday or Friday. But she's doing very well, staples came out yesterday, and the doctor was quite pleased with her progress. 

No -- I have some admin stuff that NEEDS to be done today, so that will be the focus of my day. I'm almost up to date, and then I get to start the entire monthly process again! I didn't even get a chance to listen to my audiobook yesterday as I didn't have dedicated hours at anything, and I doubt that I will until Friday. But that's OK. 

Well, I'm off to spin class this morning. I see the steam room is open, and I'd love to stop for a few minutes after class. It's very relaxing. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!