Reduce, Reuse, Recycle- REFUSE

I live in a community where recycling is mandatory. I also live in a community where if you didn’t recycle (rules or no), you’d be horesewhipped out of town. I mean, there’s peace, love and tolerance, but not for filling the dump with recycables.

And I am all for it.

When I go somewhere that doesn’t mandate it or, worse, even have recycling, I am shocked. Not to the point of horsewhipping, but yes, shocked.

I am also thrifty. So I like the reuse part because it just makes sense. Or if I was trying to be cute, cents. I save jars for things and coffee cans and just like to find purposes for junk others might throw away. I’m also saving wine corks and should be able to build a yacht in my retirement.

But this has been known to backfire on me so badly, I question the whole validity of my efforts.

One time, I tried to refurbish a thrift store mirror. The mirror was 10.00. Then the paint I needed was about 15.00 and then I spilled some on the shirt I was wearing and the rug. So by the time I finished the mirror (which looked amazing until it fell off the wall and broke), I did not save one single thing and wasted so much more.

I drug an old stove home and was so excited to save it from the dump. Except that is where it went because I neglected to measure the house and it would not fit through the door. DH drew the line at removing the walls to accommodate the stove.

I even got a “used” pet- a 10 year old dog. What a good thing. Well, turns out he has a major health problem and what I did was sign us up for some early heartbreak. Don’t get me wrong, he’s wonderful, but even the vet shook his head. “Next time, get a puppy.”

So I am trying again with a swimsuit. I wanted something vintage-looking. But “vintage inspired” was over a 100.00! So I found a real vintage one on ebay. I am excited because with free shipping I feel very “green” and so thrifty.

But given my history…this could go very wrong.

 

UPDATE: The suit arrived and I love it! Whew!