Bocce Beer and Unemployment Wine

Wednesday is recycling day in my town. Today it is glass and bottles. As I walk through my neighborhood, I can't help but peer into the cans and see if I can match up their recycling to their house. Big house, well-manicured lawn - usually Tide, a good Olive Oil, an assortment of wine bottles, an occasional bottle of Absolut or Grey Goose and usually a few beer bottles - for some reason - usually light beer. Smaller house - usually the same assortment - perhaps not Tide but Dynamo - same stuff, perhaps a few pennies cheaper. Some houses have no recycling out - what's with that? Did they forget to bring it to the curb or do they just not bother? I am always impressed when I come across a can with no alcohol in it - just soda and water bottles and the usual assortment of household glass and cans. Why am I impressed? I have to admit, it seems out of the norm for me. I grew up with alcohol in my house (sometimes too much at times) and I have alcohol in my house now. We built a bocce court in our backyard a few years ago (the only bocce court that flies an Irish flag (along with an American, Italian and Scottish to reflect the neighbors on my street) so every Sunday when the weather is nice, we have a standing 3:30 pm game. Beer is brought in and assorted vegetables from our neighborhood garden are grilled and shared. The games can go on for awhile and much beer is consumed. When I drag the garbage can to the curb on Wednesday's, I always wonder what the DPW thinks of us. The other garbage can holds the unemployment wine. These bottles are the castoffs of two unemployed women who like to share a glass - or two - in the evening - as we discuss our days and try to be optimistic about our future. I once read about a book that was just a compilation of grocery lists - the author/editor published grocery lists he had found and tried to draw conclusions about the people who wrote them. Of course, it was all supposition, just like my conclusions on recycling day. Does my refuse reflect my house? At this point in time, yes.