Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr -17 degree Garbage Day

The temperature outside is -17 celcius and dropping. To those in the Far North, this may seem mild, for me in Nova Scotia, it is starting to get mighty cold.

It is not a good morning to have to put the garbage out.

Garbage Day is an Event, that comes once every two weeks. Recycling is more than a civic duty, it is a moral imperative. What is more, if done incorrectly, the garbage is left behind with a bright red notice of offence, reminiscent of "The Scarlet Letter".

The bags must go out in the early morning rather than the night before, or it will be strewn thither and yon, by raccoons, crows, seagulls and dogs. In the summer, there are many other such critters. Dogs must be kept in until after the garbage truck has passed. Dogs are not give red letters, but the letters are worn by the owners.

My "ordinary" pick up day is Monday. This day is unchanging except for Christmas, New Years and Canada Day, if they should fall on a Monday. There are quite a few long weekends that involve Mondays - Thanksgiving, Victoria Day (the day we celebrate the long gone Queen Victoria's birthday) Labour Day and perhaps others.

With a Monday Garbage Day, that means a significant bit of Sunday is spent in preparation - cardboard tied with string, recylibles that are not returnables in one clear bag, quality paper in another, organic material in a large green bin that must be wheeled to the end of the lane and then the green  bag for garbage that does not contain batteries, paint etc. We won't go into the Big Garbage Event that happens each spring and fall. Suffice it to say, these days are the topic of many conversations and sometimes many days of preparation.

So you can imagine my delight, as I was emerging from my warm bed, dreading the trek down the lane with the bags, when I heard a tap on the side door. My neighbour and friend from up the hill decided to drive her contribution to the road and wondered if she could take mine. Of course the answer was yes.

I think I caught a wee gleam of a halo over her head as she lugged my garbage to her car.