Misadventures of Babysitting

I'm babysitting this summer...an actual baby! Plus a second grader (with an amazing vocabulary - right up my writing alley). In trying to help the family, I've been trying to wash dishes, laundry, and just help out with odd chores around the house. My thinking...if I do a little more work, they will have more time with their kids when they get home from work.

Well, sometimes my help isn't help. On Monday morning, I saw that their neighbors had their trash out and the parents weren't telling me when trash went out (so I wouldn't do more work than necessary). I heard the garbage truck coming (the baby was asleep) and I raced to drag their trash can and bags down in time.

The truck slowed and the guy had to ask the driver if they picked up their trash. I guess living in the "city" has dulled my senses of multiple garbage companies. Um, yeah...there are two companies that pick up trash if you're out of the "city" limits. Their trash company comes Wednesday morning. Sheepishly, I pulled the garbage can and bags back up...lesson learned.

Another perk of living in the "city" is free recycling. I just throw it into a bin and they pick it up. Woo hoo...it's almost too easy to be green. Unfortunately, if you're out of the "city" limits, you have to do your own recycling. Uh, I'm waiting for the day that the parents ask why I am sneaking cardboard, plastic water bottles, and baby food jars out of their house in my lunch box and bags. (Even the kids at school bring me cardboard from their classrooms because they know I recycle it.)