A cheap Saturday night

We went to a so-called “soiree” at a friend’s house on Saturday night. There were more than a dozen adults and a few children. The idea was that everyone would perform a small item, whether music, recitation, or what-have-you.

It turned out that we had some accomplished singers and musicians, and some whose enthusiasm compensated for their technical deficiency.

I am ashamed to say I was surprised how enjoyable this low-tech and humane gathering was. It was, in fact, entertaining.

But best of all as far as this blog is concerned, it was FREE.

Giveaways!

I’m going to apologise for my hiatus by giving away some vital supplies. By way of excuse all I can say is, “I’ve been freakin’ busy”.

But! What we have is three separate (and empty) olive barrels, pictured.

We are steady eaters of marinated olives, the recipe for which is here on Object Dart, and we think everyone should enjoy them.

If you want one of these three two one barrels, then please contact either Stephen or I, and we’ll see about getting one or more to you. Wellingtonians get preference!

Plastic bag reuse

Old shopping bags become bin liners. We do not ever buy bin liners.

Smaller plastic bags from the supermarket or greengrocer wrap vegetables in the refrigerator, but also serve in place of gladwrap to cover food before serving.

More sturdy bags are used to gather the recycling. They are also handy for packing clothes on a car trip. Suitcases are hard to stuff in the boot, while plastic bags squish happily. Small carry bags make ideal rubbish receptacles, and I try to have a few small plastic bags in the car for emergency use.

On longer trips with a suitcase, plastic bags segregate dirty clothes from clean.

Ziplock bags from the bulk food section of the supermarket are washed. Then we reuse them in lunchboxes, to seal small opened packets, or (my newest discovery) to marinade or brine meat in (you use a lot less marinade that way).

Of course where we can we use a tough bag of our own, eg at the market, or at Pak’N'Save. So we don’t get as many plastic grocery bags as we might, but enough pile up through incidental purchase that we still have quite a collection (stored in another plastic bag, naturally).

I cannot recall paying actual money for a bag for quite some time.

How do you reuse plastic bags?

Freecycle

It is clearly a sign. Yesterday artandmylife mentioned Freecycle, and today, someone on a mailing list I subscribe to suggested it.

I had vaguely heard about Freecycle, but more or less forgot again, assuming it was one of those North American interwob things that would never get traction here. Wrong! There is a Wellington Freecyle group, and it seems to be quite active. I have just joined, because I have a bunch of things cluttering up the place that need good homes. And who doesn’t like freebies?

The Wellington Freecycle(TM) Network is open to all who want to “recycle” that special something rather than throw it away. Whether it’s a chair, a fax machine, piano or an old door, feel free to post it. Or maybe you’re looking to acquire something yourself! Nonprofit groups are also welcome to participate too!

One constraint: everything posted must be free.

Wellington Freecycle Group