Birthday Musings: Part 2. The Declutter

Stop...Stop!Please don't phone the police!It's not burglars!Honestly...it's not!It's simply the work of a three year old boy and his 39 year old accomplice, who really should know better!You'd think I'd learn by now wouldn't you...Never to do...the annual pre-birthday declutter...........on my own!...especially when the King of Decuttler and strategist extraordinaire is out-of-reach and far far away on a three day residential course in Buckinghamshire.Let's face it...he is the expert in messy bedrooms. I, on the other hand, am crap!I really don't have the head for it!Never have!But I was a desperate...

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Birthday Musings: Part 1 Neurosis sets in

It's that time of year again, when it should be an occasion to relax, wear a big smile and celebrate.One year older, with another 52 weeks of memories to look back on...reminiscing about the wonderful times and they have been great.So why am I feeling tense?It's not as though it's my birthday.No, mine's not due for another couple of weeks and this year it will be the big 4.0. Yes you read that correctly...FORTY YEARS OLD!But strangely I'm feeling more neurotic about the birthday of the Junior Saboteur, who will be turning just a tenth of my age on Wednesday.Yes, little T will be celebrating with...

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Something for the weekend

If you need more convincing about the benefits of Zero Waste and why it's worth slimming your bin, then pull up a chair, grab a coffee and delight yourselves with...One Empty Bin, 23 Brushes...and a Very Bendy Man!Just think... slim that bin and there could be a whole new career ahead of you...and don't forget the financial gains. Just one gig a week and you'll have enough money to beat the credit crunch!I know my bin is empty but I certainly won't be trying this at home. For one thing... I haven't got enough brushes.Have a good weekend and Enjoy...

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A Bury Happy Place to Live

Welcome to Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, which is the home of my Almost Average Household. It's a gentrified town, full of history and vibrancy, where visitors from the North, South and East are welcomed by the beautiful sight of the cathedral tower, which was only added at the turn of this century.The three buildings shown below are all located on the historic Angel Hill and include The Athenaeum, (which was designed by the famous architect Robert Adam), the Abbey Gate, (which was burnt down in 1327 and then rebuilt by the townspeople) and The Angel Hotel, (which was regularly frequented by Charles...

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No Sex Please, We're British

I know I'm turning into a girl with a one track mind, (not to be confused with THE girl of course), so for a change, I thought I'd break away from the subject of rubbish and focus on worms.Last week I emptied out the "liquid gold" from the wormery and noticed that yet again, there were quite a number of the wiggly things in there, all dead.Since I got the wormery in February, I must have emptied out almost as many as came with the can'o'worms.Forever feeling remorseful for the number of dead worms that get scattered in my garden, I thought I should order some new ones to keep the spirit of the...

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The Bin Monitor`

Have I ever properly introduced you to my eldest son?hmmm.Perhaps it's now time. After all, he deserves a proper introduction.He's six years old and in three months time he'll be seven.Thanks to his teacher as well as life in the Almost Average Household, he knows a thing or two about recycling.And he certainly likes to do things properly......which is why he's become our self-appointed bin monitor, indeed our very own Jedi Knight of the waste stream.The problem is he sees things as black or white and doesn't yet understand the grey bits in the middle.And because of this he delights in nothing...

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It's Carnival Time

(Photo of Steel Band by Flickr's Virtual Farm Boy)Can you hear the steel band playing the rousing upbeat music?Yey...I want to see you with your hands in the air and swinging those hips in time with the beat, because....the summer's here and as promised it's......Carnival Time.It was such fun at last week's Garbloggers Party talking about rubbish, garbage and trash that I thought it would be exciting to get us all together on a regular basis at a monthly carnival.But not any carnival...Oh No..This is one where we can get down-right filthy, party on at the landfill, celebrate recyclates and have...

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You say Tomayto I say Tomahto: but none of us would throw one away.

(Photo by Flickr's Alincolt)Since emerging from my bin this week, I decided to make the most of my new-found freedom.Yes I know... give the girl an inch and she'll take a mile and all that.And indeed I have. I am oh so guilty m'lud, but I am not sorry! I have been having way too much fun.Over the last few days, I've taken a virtual tour of New Zealand, Canada and the U.S. to catch up with some fellow trash-talkers and get us all together to ruminate about our rubbish, garbage and trash.So pull up your chairs ladies and gentlemen. Grab a drink and come and join us for the first international...

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My Top 10 Myth-Busters!

Oh the intrigue!"How the heck did you throw away just one plaster?" my friends often ask.Which is followed by..."Go on...was it really just a plaster?"Well yes it's all true, it was just one plaster, but it's not the plaster that's significant here, it's more to do with the fact that our weekly rubbish now amounts to just a quarter of a carrier bag.That in itself appears to be just as amazing to all those who listen.You can see the eyebrows raised, the lips pursed and almost hear the cogs going around in their minds.The questions flow and flow and flow, while friends ponder how they can possibly...

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There's a hippo in my cistern...and as for my bin...!

What a week! And it's only Wednesday.But boy, have I been having fun.Yes, I've been poking my nose into people's rubbish again. I know, it's becoming a bit of a hobby.And the latest victim?The very funny Pete May, author of "There's a hippo in my cistern: one man's misadventures on the eco frontline". With hilarious tales of guerilla gardening on golf courses, crouching over compost loos and temporary cave dwelling in foreign lands, this book had me laughing right to the very end.The only trouble is I am now left with the image of this immensely happy looking man defending his chickens at 7am...

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Spot the difference!

Have you noticed anything different?Yes?er...No?Go on...Have another peek.It's pretty subtle, so you might have to look more closely.Down a bit more...that's it...keep going.You're nearly there.Yes nearly!BOO! Hooray! You've found me, hanging about in the sidebar. (If it's after 15th June, you might have to scroll up again...or if you're reading an rss feed, come over and visit).So...Hello!Or should I say "Hello, hello, hello"?Perhaps it should be "Hi", "Bonjour, "Hola", Buon giorno", "Guten Tag" or "Hallo".I hope I didn't scare you and sorry if I did.As you can see, over the weekend I took...

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Rubbish Art?

At risk of my reputation going downhill, both artistically and culturally, I just couldn't resist sharing with you my latest and only contribution to Suffolk "art". Yes I know it looks like the work of a 10 year old but sadly that is where my sketching talents were laid to rest!Anyway, I've "donated" it to the most wonderful and probably now bemused Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery as part of its "Make your mark" activity, where they encourage members of the public to unleash their artistic spirit in support of their annual Suffolk Showcase exhibition.This year they are using the mini creations as...

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