My First "Real" Recycling Haul

My husband is a self employed real estate appraiser.  He travels around the DC Metro frequently for work.  We are down to one car (trying to hold out till Feb. to purchase a second vehicle) so when he uses the car for work - I am stuck.  Yesterday he had an appointment in Winchester, VA.  We decided to hop in the car as a family and tag along on his appointment and hopefully catch some pretty Fall Foliage  along the way.  The weather was picture perfect.  I took this photo of historic downtown Winchester.

 

I also had another motive to tagging along- recycle centers.  I am having a hard time locating a recycle center that allows me to search through items that is literally not a stink bug infested ashtray. My local recycling center in Fairfax County will not allow me to rummage through the recycle bins.  They have a guard and it is closely monitored.  The guard mentioned they had a problem with people tearing through the trash and leaving the place a mess.  Local Food Lion grocery stores have small store recycle bins but people use it as an ashtray and trashcan.  It really is a smelly stink can.  Prince William County recycling centers bins are next to impossible to rummage through.  The opening swings in towards the center of the bin making it impossible to see anything inside let alone try to rummage through.  I do stop at my local Wa-Wa several times a week for cheap gas & to rummage their their recycle bins for Coke caps.  I only get about 12 caps a week.   

 

Now back to yesterday.  My hubby ran late to his appointment & for taking all his comparable  photos which put our time schedule behind by 3 hours.

Thanks to a non-user friendly website - or I maybe extremely useful if you are a Frederick County VA resident and know what and where Star Tannery is located - we ditched the idea to find a recycle center in Frederick County VA.  Hubby said he would take me the Walmart Leeburg location as he knew exactly where it was located.  As soon as we crossed into Loudoun County a sea of brake lights.  Cars were not moving.  We were very close to losing all daylight and I was crushed to not be able to get what I wanted to do on this day - go to a recycle center.  Hubby pulled over and got out his GPS to get us out of the non-moving traffic snarl.  He quickly recognizes the Snickersville Turnpike -not only from history but as an alternate route to get us home.  I had given up all hope of visiting a recycle center as it was clearly past dusk at this point.  I was gazing out the window at the beautiful scenery when I saw "Recycling Center" sign and arrow to the left.  Hubby and I locked wide eyes on each other as he saw the sign too so he turned the car left.  We were at the end of the recycling center rainbow -  there was our pot of gold - the Philomont Fire House.  

Philomont Fire House was quiet.  However, my 4 year old was not as he squealed with delight at the playground right next door.  Hubby took the boy off to play while I went rummaging.  All bins were maxed out and jammed tight.  It was really hard to dig through the recyclables because it was so full. It was also dark. I also noticed the bins were neat and tidy.  What a refreshing change!  I only had about 20 minutes before it became pitch black.  In that time I nabbed

2 coke codes (12 pack and case)

7 Kelloggs Codes
2 Campbells Labels for Education- BTFE were clearly gone from items
11 full inserts - which 3 were from this weekend's newspaper.

I was angry that I did not have more time but thankful for my quick haul.  I might have to make this a once a month deal - head to Loudoun while the Boy is in school and make a day of it :-)