I’m wrestling with the Recycling this week, and I mean that quite literally – the struggle with the Vale Council’s regime is real.
Two slugs on my cardboard carrier just waiting for my hand to squash on them, two bin bags full of sharp objects ready to stab me, a bag of once green Garden Waste I have been forgetting to put out since about August, that smelly food waste container.
And a blue bag overflowing with rotten rubbish which they forgot to pick up last week – only mine mind, do you think they are trying to tell me something?
I haven’t been so stressed since the lovely local authority switched my night from a slow Tuesday to a hectic Thursday. Drat, everyone knows it’s the new Friday so that’s me wrestling weekly with the fabulous five containers in the pitch black.
Now, let’s be clear eco warriors, I’m not knocking the drive to recycle, and I am chuffed to bits we’ve got some of the best targets in the world.
Also, speaking as someone who once said she didn’t have time for all that rubbish (pun totally intended), I could now win an Award for ‘Once Reluctant Recycler of the Year’ with my own fully operationally waste and refuse facility to rival the Sully Skip.
God knows how people in flats, smaller gardened houses, or with a large family manage – where do you put it all?
I’ve got two dustbins, two grey boxes, two garden waste sacks, a white, orange, and blue bag, plus that food caddy – with its smaller friend sat smirking at me from under my sink.
Well, I have at that moment, where they end up after tomorrow’s collection is anyone‘s guess.
That’s another regular ritual I’ll have to do on Friday now – creep around the Cul-De-Sac until I spot all the stuff with my sticky Home Bargain house numbers slapped on.
And just when I’d finally got that into a fine art, it’ll probably change again with even more stuff to sift with more bags and boxes to use.
So now that, at last, our happy home’s trash is all out there, tucked tightly against the front fence, Bin Night is now officially over for another week.
I think I’m going to have a very large glass of Red to celebrate.
Just the one mind.
I can’t be bothered to go put a bottle out.
What do you think.
Mrs SVJ
The Voice of Our Community
Sue Vincent-Jones, blogging as Mrs SVJ, is a Barry born journalist, editor, and activist. She writes about Barry – and her life in the wider world, through the eyes of a, quirky and queer, local girl done good.
Written exclusively for the Vale’s newest newspaper, and digital platform, The Glamorgan Star, her latest ‘Passing Comment’ column, an addition to the infamous Sue’s Views collection, can be found here.
Mrs SVJ, Barry’s Boldest Blogger, can be contacted here.