By Elaine Carlson

I think it was in March or April of last year when my husband and I went to the dump (I like to call it that instead of using the more respectful term of landfill). We wanted to get rid of his old printer, some other electronic parts that at one time had been good, and all of the cardboard he had flattened out that the products he bought online had come in. We also took our household trash.

When we got there we could see a sign saying it was closed. I was mad. We wanted to get rid of what we brought. A lot of places were closed because of the pandemic but I did not see why access to the dump had to be cut off. Certainly it was big enough inside for people making a dump run to be able to social distance.

We drove in close to see the sign. It said they were closed that day because of high winds. I withdrew my anger towards city authorities (dump authorities? landfill authorities?). I had never thought of it before but I guess high winds could make a trip to the dump unpleasant.

I wondered how the people who live in places that regularly have high winds manage to get rid of things. Just think of Holland – they don't have all those windmills just so they can take photographs to attract tourists. I am sure the Dutch don't hold on to all their used milk cartons, eggs shells, paper bags and boxes as well as the flowery ends of celery. The egg shells and vegetable scrapings can be put into composts but what about the other stuff? Could it be that they have specially designed dumps (landfills) for high windy days? I am not sure how I could research that question.

Last week I thought my husband and I might have to take another trip to the dump. I spent a day clearing and cleaning. I started out by going through my clothes. I kept saying to myself I should get rid of this. I put those clothes (maybe rags is a better term) and the cooking and dining items I pulled out of the kitchen drawers and cupboards into six bags. It seemed like a lot of stuff to me but we were able to put the six bags into our two barrels for city pickup. The next day I was glad I didn't have to check weather reports (or go outside to look and feel) to find out if it was a "high winds" day.

After all that clearing I threw myself into cleaning. It was mostly the kitchen that got my efforts. I was proud when I finished. No one would have wanted to eat off the floor but I am pretty sure I could have laid out a table cloth and two people could have joined me on the floor for a good picnic.

The house is clean but alas my place hasn't become a paradise. I have had flies for a little less than a month. I thought the warm weather was attracting the pests. I also thought that after I cleaned up they would stop coming. I guess I should attempt to get rid of my wishful thinking. Well actually I think fewer flies are here now but still enough of them made it inside to make me unhappy (and to drive me crazy).

I used to live in California. In the 1990s if you knew the right people you could buy DDT. I guess it was for sale before and after then but I only heard about that Black Market in the middle of that decade. Even though I know how bad DDT is, right now I wish there was now something as effective.

Still I won't hold back. I am not going to get anything from the Black Market but also I am not going to pick up anything in the regular stores. The current pesticides are not as hazardous as DDT but still they are poisons. And I don't want any poison in my house. I have a cat (and myself) to look out for.