I LOVE MY NEIGHBORHOOD!

 

I love my neighborhood!  That's why I'm working so hard to keep it clean.  There's new trash every day, but it doesn't take long to pick it up.

I picked up 2,477 pieces of trash tonight off Arlington, and because it's getting dark earlier, I raced home to take the dogs to the school to run.  On Glenmount, I saw this house all decorated for Halloween already.  What a wonderful job they have done, and early enough that all the kids can enjoy it for weeks.

I'm at 764,834 pieces, and I hoped to be at 800,000 by the end of the month.  I don't think I'm going to make it.  I'm trying, but I have so much work to do with my job this time of year.

While I was at the school with the dogs, my friend, Tom, called me and suggested that we get together and brainstorm ways to get more people involved picking up trash.  I was so happy to hear that!  Yay!  I know Tom cares as much as I do.

Tonight, I saw this little bit of a handle sticking out of the grass.  I knew immediately what it was . . . a screwdriver.

Sure enough, it was a Phillips screwdriver, and most likely had been used to smash car windows.  I see cars everywhere with plastic where a glass window used to be.  

I was at a movie theater years ago, and when I got in my car, there were little bits of glass all over the seat.  I looked over, and sure enough, my passenger window was smashed out, and my purse was stolen.  (Lesson #1?  Never leave a purse in your car!)

Is there anything worse than trying to replace all your credit cards, your driver's license and your makeup when a purse is stolen?  And all the other things you forgot you had?  Not to mention cash?  And replacing a side window, and pick glass out of your car for years?

I asked the movie theater if they had a camera on the parking lot when the police showed up.  They said they did in front, but not at the side.  (Lesson #2?  Never park at the side of a movie theater.)

I cleaned all the litter on Arlington, and headed up this street, and my trash bag was full.  I stepped around this tree, and what a mess!  Goodness!  I couldn't fit all this in my trash bag.  I had to walk all the way back to the dumpster and empty my bag, and go back. 

And later, I was cleaning this sidewalk on the other side of the street, and a woman came out of her house and said, "Can I borrow your grabber so I can clean around these bushes?"  

Oh no!  Bushes?  

I looked where she was pointing, and I knew there were hundreds of pieces of trash there.  I told her I would get it.  First, if you're not used to using a trash grabber, it's not easy.  Second, there was so much more than she thought.  I found liquor bottles, fast food wrappers, cans, styrofoam cups . . . and I was going to clean it anyway.  I just hadn't gotten there yet.

I pick these plastic things up every day.  Do you know what they are?

It kinda looks like the squeaker thing in a dog toy, but I'm pretty sure that's not what it is, because I don't pick up many dog toys.

My guess is it has something to do with drugs.  Since I know nothing about drugs, that would explain why I don't know what it is.  If you know, please tell me.

Today was another great day!

Sometimes I get discouraged when it seems like what I'm doing isn't making any difference, but every day is still a great day.