You know she's out of ideas when she's talking about garbage

It's garbage day today.

I don't mind taking the garbage out, but I'm not a fan of bringing the empty garbage can - and recycle bin, and green bin, and yard waste garbage can - back in.

For those of you who don't live in Ottawa, the green bin is for compostable items - food, food wrappers, wax drink cups, etc. The bins are heavy and have latches to make them wildlife proof.

Sadly, no one told the wildlife. Lately, it's not unusual to go outside and see the green bin tipped over and open.

We have two types of recycle bins - the blue box for cans, glass, and plastic, and the black box for paper. Pick up of recycling alternates - one week it's the blue box, the next week it's the black box.

Yard waste is just that - leaves, grass, branches, etc. You can buy big paper bags for yard waste, but I have a big garbage can that I usually use instead - it's more solid, has wheels, and doesn't require me to go to the store. If it's full (i.e. if my mom is in town), I occasionally use bags, but usually it's just the garbage can.

Most of the time, everything goes like clockwork - the garbage is picked up on schedule, and ends up in the trucks.

The last few weeks have been ... less good. Less garbage seems to be making it into the truck, and tonight the yard waste didn't get picked up until 6:30.

I heard the truck go by and knew I had to go get the garbage can in. I procrastinated a bit, but eventually I pulled on my gardening gloves, grabbed a grocery bag, and went out to pick up the garbage that had accumulated along the road. Once I had it bagged, I grabbed the yard waste can and dumped the garbage in the garbage can.

Let's hope it actually gets picked up next week.