Gotta Love the Garbage Man

Twas the morning after Christmas
And all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring,
Not even a mouse….

When out on the street
There arose such a clatter
We sprang from our beds.
We KNEW what was the matter….

Garbage day was the day after Christmas this year.  We'd had a late night and were spending a little extra time in bed the next morning, when I heard that familiar rumbling. The garbage truck was coming up the street.   "Oh no!!  Honey, (I said to Jerry) is the garbage can out?"  He didn't say a word but tore out of bed, threw on some clothes and bolted out the door.  He was just in time to put our can, very full from Christmas, out in the street.  Of all days of the year, this was one day we didn't want to miss getting our garbage can emptied. 
 
I have a little bit of paranoia when it comes to garbage day.  With two children in diapers, and nine people living under our roof right now, we fill our can to capacity every week.  I frequently wake up in a panic about 2 am the night before the garbage truck comes and say, "Jerry!  Are you awake?  Did we get the garbage can out?"  Sometimes I will hear the truck coming while I'm still in bed.  I will jump out of bed so fast and look out the window to see if our can is out.  Jerry is awesome at making sure the can gets put out.  He often does it the night before.  I really shouldn't worry about it.  He's given me no reason to…BUT I DO. 

I think I've transferred garbage day paranoia to some of my kids as well.  I've noticed that on the rare occasions that Jerry is out of town, my big boys will hear that truck coming and jump out of bed or up from whatever they are doing, to check if the can has been put out.  Actually, I don't think they are paranoid.  They are just looking out for their paranoid mother.  Thank you boys!!! 

Since we are on the subject of garbage today, here's a cute poem that we've memorized as a family:

GARBAGE CAN HEAD (I don't know the author)

With garbage and junk
Our can is well fed,
And what we don't use
We throw out instead.
But what of the things that we've seen, heard, or said?
Oh, What can we do with a garbage can head?