CrabAppleLane Tomato Garden after cardboard fire - July 23, 2009
So I needed some boxes for a project we are undertaking at CrabAppleLane and decided to get some down from the attic that we could use and then I'd burn the rest of the ones that were up there. I knew I had quite a few but I had no idea how many because I don't go up there much and I never kept track. I was totally clueless (Not a new experience for me). A task I thought might take a few minutes took well over an hour. One of the things I've always thought made good sense, for fairly obvious reasons, was to avoid putting boxes from new appliances or new electronics to the curb for trash pickup. Over the years we've been here, we accumulated a fair collection of them in the attic. Of course, it wasn't as good as I would have liked. I like new appliances and new electronics a lot but our budget keeps me from acquiring them at a pace of my preference. I don't know why I needed to save the box from a $19 desk lamp or a $9 music CD, though. We know Pack Rat Syndrome runs in the wife's family but I didn't think it was contagious. I certainly had some of the symptoms, though.
There are more than a few problems with this practice. For starters, once the boxes are out of sight, they're out of mind and they just keep accumulating. I think they may even be reproducing. Another problem is that someone will think you have something new no matter when you put them out ... even if they're 10 year-old boxes. I guess its best to keep the packaging in sight until you get past the prospect of having to pack it up and bring it back to the store for warranty or something and then just burn it or bring it somewhere else to throw it away if you can. Or rent a large storage building ...
Today's QOTD comes from the concierge who was named Best Concierge in the World. He arranged for a private, unattended viewing of a priceless masterpiece at Buckingham Palace. I disagree with him. I'd be very surprised if "any concierge worth his salt has the contacts to pull something like that off". I wouldn't necessarily say that he was the only one who could but I'd have to think that number of concierges who could is in the single digits.
49 days until football season ...
Quote of the Day
It took a few weeks to arrange. But any concierge worth his salt has the contacts to pull something like that off.
Frank Laino, Concierge at London's Stafford Hotel
Blog of the day here.
Quote from said blog: "We played in front of a crowd of 60 people (more like 25) that consisted of old deaf grannies who loved our singing".
You came by the "packrat syndrome" honestly through the Ferrara side, specifically Daddy. Look at Grandma's various collections that we sifted through in 2001. Our attic collection was pretty much decimated during the airport soundproofing program -- he moved as much of it as he could to the backyard shed, but there was a huge collection placed on the street. Most of it was in the "I'm gonna" mode -- I'm gonna fix this when I get the time.
We'll be sifting through our packs all weekend. It is long overdue.
It seems that every year around the Labor Day we hear about a string of burglaries around the U of M area. I guess it's a common thing for burglars to watch for electronics boxes that have been placed in the alleys and curbs for recycling after new students move in and then they case the houses and strike. It sounds at least plausible to me and if I ever get that giant flat-screen TV, I think I'll figure out a better way to get rid of the carton.
"I was totally clueless (Not a new experience for me)" - lol!
Reading things like that gave me the idea to keep my new purchase boxes away from the curb, Dave. In fact, I think I read where trash collectors were part of a ring of burglars.
Well, it's true, Fi. :)