Big Pick Up Day

Living in my new city, in a house, with a regular garbage can and pick up schedule has been most interesting. I have learned that there truly is an art to the waste removal system, as well as many particular rules. Husband has always lived with a city waste removal, but growing up in the country, we burned cardboard or things that could be burned...I mean there were things that couldn't be burned, but we tried to burn them anyway. We tried the compost bin for awhile, but it was short lived considering that we had it pretty far from the house to keep the smell and flies away. My mother could only handle saving egg shells and cantaloupe seeds for so long.

Since we can't burn big things of cardboard in the city, and since there are those other big things that just won't fit in a city garbage can there is a special day each spring called "Big Pick Up" day for those big items that aren't typically allowed to be put out by the curb for the garbage dudes. We had our old screen door that we have been saving to put out for this special pick up day, so Husband was excited to make some more room in the garage. He hauled everything out around sunset, as the neighbors on our street were dragging piles of garbage to the side of the curb.

As he was getting things in order, Husband called for me to come and look at the spectacle on the street. He warned me about the "mound people" that would come and look through every one's garbage pile on this special night. Every year he would watch these people go through the pile that his family would put out on the street. He told me that one year there was an old pogo stick that they wanted to throw out. They watched a man sift through their things, and reaching the pogo stick, he jumped on to test it out before placing it with his other treasures in the back of a pick up truck. The spectacle on our block was the U-Haul trailer that someone was pulling behind a pick up and it was filled with items that had been found by the curbside.

I told him that these were the "mound people" from Dickens' Our Mutual Friend. In the novel, there are people that sift through the mounds of garbage in hopes of finding treasures that can be washed off and used or sold for a profit. It is their livelihood. We didn't have anything "good" to put out this year, just the old door and some huge boxes that wouldn't be taken on a regular garbage day.

On our way home from errands last night, we saw a pick up truck with the blinkers on, stalled by the side of the road. An individual was looking through the piles on the curb with a flashlight. Husband said that we wouldn't have to worry about our pile being smaller, since we only had boxes and the useless door. When pulled up to our house, I told him that our pile was smaller. He didn't believe me, but I told him that the door was gone. He made me stop the car short of the garage so that he could get out to check our pile. He was in disbelief when he searched in the dark for the screen door. Disbelief turned into shock, as Husband paced around the garage and the sidewalk, looking up and down the street for someone who could have been foolish enough to take our old door. We decided that the city doesn't even need to send out the garbage guys to pick things up, but just post that it is a city wide put what you don't want on the curb and people will remove it for you.

Husband became happy about the situation as the evening wore on. He realized that someone found value in his junky door, and it was helpful for them as well as for us to move things on to someone who could use the door at no charge.

Cultural Experience

It is day 37 since our beautiful Prince has entered the world and we are still waiting to see...will he have an innie or an outie? This is pretty sick that we are on day 37, but with the conflicting information that the medical community gives when one has a baby, the cord still remains. It is still hanging on by a thread, but I am seeing the end in sight. He is changing more each day, and I agree with Grandpa G. there are tones of red in his hair. He was quite stylish today in a frog romper, and he made quite a good impression on Bridgette and Colleen for our lunch today.

We were two new Mothers with the babies, but we are not new enough to know that the babies eat first. We opened the boobie bar first and let them eat. With all of the new adventures in breastfeeding, we saw the different techniques and compared notes. Since we are three weeks ahead, we have moved to shorter feedings with bigger gaps in between "meals." This offered hope to Colleen who is in the two week doldrums.

This past weekend, we made our first road trip to Iowa City and then on to Chicago for the baby welcoming party. We saw lots of family, and had the important generational photo shoots. Sunday afternoon we were back in Iowa City for introducing the Prince to the Eastern Iowa grandparents and having another generational photo shoot, this time including husband's grandparents.

Tuesday evening we had the unfortunate responsibility of buying a new dishwasher. We spent $106 to have someone tell us that we needed a new one, but we were trying to be...responsible? Typically, we buy our appliances at SEARS even though it is in the scary part of town. Since I am an import to this fair city, I feel that the East side is more frightening than the West side. This trip proved to support my feelings.

In the deserted parking lot, we parked, and loaded the Prince into his chariot, snuggling him in for this trip of gathering a new dishwasher. We walked right into the appliances section of the store, and since we were the only customers at 7pm we had no problems finding a sales associate to help us. Catherine was about 6'2" with dyed blond hair, and peeling fingernail polish about the color of a papaya. She had a residue of cigarette smoke surrounding her, but asked our names and shook our hands to make us feel welcome. If puppies are the number one conversation starter, babies are a close second. She commented on our beautiful Prince, and told us that she had seven children. I was hoping that she started her family when she was 18 or so, and was not supporting a family of seven on her sales at this ghost town department store.

She told us about most of the features on each model, and we moved from Kenmore to Whirlpool then Maytag, opening and closing everything and checking out the inside baskets. Husband didn't like the silverware basket as a cluster in the middle, but she helped us realize that the baskets split up to ride along the sides. Catherine kept trying to divert our attention from shopping by commenting on my necklace, and then my postpartum figure. She talked about lasagna baked on a pan and how the SEARS Kenmore top model would blast the baked on noodles right off of the pan with no soaking or prewash. Husband was out of character, and ignored every comment she made. He listened to me, and read the labels, and made his decision. He was sold on the Maytag stainless steel inside and outside, digital front, and energy efficient model. I told Husband to work out the paperwork with Catherine while I was looking at stoves for our upgrade this summer. When I found what would be perfect, I looked to the corner of the appliances section to see that they were still walking through checkout. Husband's posture looked like he was very uncomfortable, but still being very patient.

Catherine was having difficulty ringing through the purchase. She couldn't get the sales tax removed, and when an appliance is installed there no sales tax applied. She called for help to a sales associate with sunken eyes and transparent skin. He didn't say a word, but came to the register and pushed some buttons. We were close to leaving. She printed out all of our receipts, and was pushing hard for the appliance insurance for one year but we would not budge. On our way out, I took Husband past the stove that I would love as our replacement, but as we were examining the features and price we heard our first names being called from the dishwasher section. Catherine was motioning to us with her arms flapping like a circus barker to come back to her section. We looked at each other, and then behind us to make sure she was summoning us back to her. She was. We should have made our way right to the car.

As we approached her, she said I found a way for you to save more money! There is a mail in rebate and a portrait for the baby! Now aren't you glad I want to save you money? Well yes, we like to save money, of course! She explained the mail in rebate to us, reading the directions. We said thank you and waited for her explanation of the free portrait of the baby as well. She put her hands on our backs leading accompanying us to the door as we expressed our thanks to her for helping us save $35 and a free portrait of the Prince. She said that SEARS will call us with a survey about her performance, and it would be great if we said that she really helped us save money. I assured her, Catherine I will tell them that you were great and you need a promotion. She started to laugh, and then gave me a hug. I froze and reached for the stroller so I couldn't put my arms around her in reciprocation. She was still laughing and said again, You look great, and no one would ever know that you just had a baby.

We left the store in silence, almost getting trapped with the stroller in the two sets of doors and a family of Hispanics barreling down our backs. Whenever we went to an odd place or had to be around people who were very different, most of the time with odd food or body odors, Momma always told us that we were in a "cultural experience." Translated, we were experiencing something not normal, but it would put hair on our chests.

Yes, a Monday

My little Prince has been fed, and is enjoying his time on his vibrating throne. I can hear some soft grunts from him, as I know he is working on a nice juicy pile. Brutus is tucked away under the master sheets. This is the time of day that he is allowed to sleep in bed, since Momma doesn't need another hot body in bed.

We are getting a nice routine/schedule here a la maison de Joseph. I continue to cringe at the word, and I am aggravated that my life is not my own to stay up and knit or read until 2am. Dogs and babies like structure. My husband likes structure. So with my men, I must have structure with eating, cleaning, relaxing and sleeping in order to get the four main essential tasks categories done each day.

Friday night we all went to Pancheros for burritos. Very tasty! On the way over, the Prince was shrieking in the car seat, and we had to pull over to try and read his baby brain and cries. Insert the pacifier. We had a lovely meal, with the Prince in his chariot and very content. We made our way to Valley West Mall, to introduce the Prince to some of the staff at Josephs, and then to exchange an outfit at Younkers, and shop at the Baby Gap. I had a gift card that was about 2 years old, just burning a hole in my wallet. I some how spent $45 on one baby outfit, and took the $5 balance in cash. Maybe the reason the Baby Gap is so depressing is because it is the same price for an adult outfit as it is a baby's outfit and we know that the materials are much smaller. We had to evacute quite quickly after that, since our little man started to fuss again. The car seat was not an option with the shrieking starting again. The only trick was the nipple for him to gnaw on while we went to McDonalds for a shamrock shake. He was appeased and back in his car seat, and the plan was for me to run into Barnes and Noble to get my book club book, but the screaming started again. As if he knew that this was not a typical evening, and everything was crazy compared to his regular life, post-birth. He would only let Momma carry him while we hunted down the book.

Saturday was a stay in day, considering the previous night. I hit the laundry and the goal was to stay on top of it. Marmee created a fabulous laundry folding station in our poorly lit basement, and I don't know how she had the courage to move things around those scary new places, mostly filled with cobwebs. I explored the basement for the first time with detail, and found that she does have a way with things. (We all know that.) When Husband came home, I whipped up some beef with broccoli and we watched Mel Brooks' movies. Slightly entertaining, but over all not my bag, baby.

We saved the food shopping for Sunday with Husband so there were extra hands to help in case of crisis. We have learned to be very fast on our outings of errands in order to get the Prince in an out without too much of a scene. With fabulous weather, Husband and I surveyed the back yard and all of the mud from the fence installation. The plans for lawn therapy have been discussed, and hopefully there is a chance for us to have a beautiful lawn, void of vile mushrooms. We went to the in-laws for pizza and a visit. The pizza was gluten free...so the crust was just cheese, and cheese on top of the cheese. Mother in-law planted pepperoni and green olives on the pizzas, but I don't think that we will try them again since they were quite greasy.

I have been watching A Good Year with Russel Crowe and Albert Finney, directed by Ridley Scott and it is a fabulous film! I have been watching it over and over, so you don't have to! Actually, I plan to keep it for the next week so I can take it back to Iowa City and have a good movie watch with Marmee. Hopefully we can squeeze it in.

My juicy pile is ready.