The Dumpster, My Friend

I must say, I have heaps to report!

I am now within a week of completing my final classes of college. The feeling is quite surreal and a bit sad. I am trying to savor these last moments more than I did at the end of high school when I ran out of that place without looking back. Realistically, I don't think this is the last time I will step into a classroom as a student. But since I don't see grad school or anything of the like on the horizon right now, it may be awhile.

For the most part, the endless days of warm, sunny weather that graced my first few months here have given way to balmy, rainy days. I've had to embrace climbing in the gym quite a bit, as the weather hasn't been conducive to climbing outside. Though unlike winter in New England, there are still often days when I can walk around in my sandals and a t-shirt. And I savor these days.

And on a positive note, the colder weather has made for prime dumpster-diving conditions. There's nothing like a power-free refrigerator to keep all your garbage (and potential treasures) cold! I've been frequenting the dumpsters of nearby grocery stores on a pretty regular basis and usually am able to find some nice produce, bread, and assorted goodies.

One night this past week, my friend Jessi and I hit the dumpster jackpot. We had a few items in mind that we would have loved to find: a hat and some bread. We were happily surprised with much more than that. We managed not only to find a new hat for Jessi, but a box of assorted chocolates, a bag full of unused journals, christmas decorations, a 10 kg bag of rice, a sac of goon, yogurt, milk, sausages, pasta, tons of brownies and caramel slices, produce galore, roses, tea, meat pies, and possibly best of all bacon!

And you may ask, "But Kate, aren't you vegetarian??" Ah yes, this is normally the case. However, how could I leave perfectly good meat to go to waste?!? My vegan friend Ingrid and I had been joking about "dumpster bacon" the past few weeks and how we didn't think we'd ever find any. Needless to say, Ingrid couldn't believe when I told her that dumpster bacon does indeed exist!

And to come...the night we eat the bacon...