Bottled up

1/28/10 Trunk-full of returnable bottles ($3.80 worth), donated to Casco Public Library

Once again, the Casco Public Library saved the day.

Double problem: colicky child trying to test our patience and no clue what to downsize. One-size-fits-all solution: a quick outing to my favorite local cultural establishment, the library.

Carolyn, super librarian that she is, instantly calmed fussy Chase long enough for Wes and I to discuss the buxom ladies in R. Crumb's illustrated Book of Genesis (yes, that book of Genesis). Chase, for the record, was highly impressed by both the library's impressive collection and the knowledgeable and friendly staff.

The point of our trip was to get some air and show off the kid, but on the way I had a downsize brainstorm. When Joanna's family spent Christmas up here in a rented house, I scavenged all of the empty bottles to redeem for cold, hard cash. All part of my get-rich-quick scheme.

Actually, I'm totally devoted to bottle redemption, I just don't like to actually do it. Our basement tends to accumulate great piles of garbage bags filled with bottles and cans, building up until they threaten to require multiple trips in the car to get them to the redemption center. Nonetheless, I guard my bottles with my life, even collecting the redemption proceeds in a special jar in the basement.

Those Christmas bottles had remained in Joanna's trunk since the morning we bid her family farewell, basically forgotten.

In the never-ending swim against the tide, the library fights for funds any way it can get them, including encouraging people to drop off their bottles to support the library.

Don't look at me that way -- it totally counts as a downsize. Plus, with the child hanging around all the time, it was looking like it might be another dozen years before I found the time to get rid of those bottles in any other way.

As a side note: while in the library we picked up the DVD of Julie & Julia, which we watch as I type this. While I knew nothing of Julie Powell when I began the Downsize Challenge, she is yet another example of this fantastic year-long challenge phenomenon! (As I wrote in my very first blog post, it's the surest way to write a best-seller.)

We are headed for a best-seller, right? Anyone?

Well, at least the chirping crickets won't wake the baby...