This Saturday was an unusually busy day for me. First of all, it was Spring Clear-Out Day on the housing estate where I live - which is the one (1) day per year that we can just put out things we want to get rid of, and have them picked up and transported away for free.
Until last year we needed to bring the stuff ourselves to where the collection trucks were parked, about 10 min walk away for me. But now they've made it easier, and we just need to put the items by the bins at the corner of our own apartment building.
So I spent Saturday morning rummaging through my basement storage rooms (I have two of them) and get that sorted. I have been rather good at making use of the previous annual clear outs, though, and this year I didn't really have all that much to get rid of - and nothing really heavy. - Well, that is... I do actually have quite a bit more that I want to get rid of; but those are things I'm thinking should go to a charity shop rather than just be thrown away. But since there is no such place just nearby, and I don't have a car, I need to organise help with that some other way... some time... (hrm)...
Anyway, as I did not have to put too much physical energy into the clear-out today, I also had some energy left over for a walk into town a bit later, to have a peek at the annual Spring Market. Our annual spring and autumn markets (each lasting two days) are a tradition that in the past used to fill most of the streets in the city centre; then dwindled to only a handful of stalls during the pandemic; but now seems to have grown back to something "in between"... (Still not quite back to what it was in previous decades, I think.)
Here are some market "street photos". It was a tricky day for photography, though, because there were such sharp constrasts between light and shadow. (I had to do quite a bit of editing to bring some people out of the shadows!)
As usual at the market I bought some new socks. (Ankle socks for summer, this time.)
And as usual I could not resist looking for the Impossible Magic Handbag. (I.e. tiny on the outside, weighing nothing, but with room for a library and a fully equipped three-person tent - like Hermione's bag in the last book in the Harry Potter series...) I know I'll never find it, but I'm thinking this one might do for short walks close to home (just to hold my phone and keys, and some tissues, and my asthma inhalor, and some cough drops, and...)
Linking to Weekend Street/Reflections
12 comments:
You did great on editing those hard shadows with sunlight! And I didn't know until now that I need anklet socks for summer too! I just got a new "bag" so I could trek my new iPad along on my recent trip to see family. I like it has lots of zipper compartments and good strapping so the weight isn't that bad as a cross-body bag. Yes to things for sniffles, cough drops, inhaler, keys, phone, wallet, a granola bar, sun glasses, and even a face mask in case of need! (I wore it in one plane with a loud coughing guy.)
The market looks like such fun!!!! We used to have a couple days a year when we could put anything out front, but they stopped doing it.
Every few months or so we go through things we don't want. I have a theory that if I haven't worn something in over a year then I don't need it, so we regularly donate items to the op shop.
The colours make it all so cheerful, along with the sunshine. I love it how the colourful handbags dotted along the stall echo the ones at the balloon stand!
We've come back from our holiday yesterday, and after a week with no WiFi in our room, I have a lot of catching up (and writing up) to do in blogland.
The photos with all the heavy shadows prove what a gorgeous sunshine filled day you had, perfect for wandering through all those tents. I would love to have wander them myself. If I had no car, I would have to carry a bag and your new one looks perfect. I keep all things you mentioned in my car since I never go anywhere without the car. glad you cleared a little more. We have a couple of thrift stores that will come pick up the donations, maybe a call to them to see if they could. Another thing I never thought of that using public transportation walking is getting rid of things we don't need.
How bright and cheerful the sinshine and stalls make everywhere look - it's positively Mediterranean!
Seeing your photos of ankle socks reminds me to buy some new ones this year. I love your bag and see some colourful backpacks on one stall. I wear a backpack when I take the dog walking in town or along the seafront. It's needed to carry the obligatory bottle of water (for washing down little "accidents" in public places) Paca's "stuffy" toy she plays with and keeps her quiet while I drink my coffee and chat with friends, plus her combined water bottle/drinking bowl. A friend joked recently that it's almost as bad as all the gear needed to take a baby out!
Barbara, the little one I bought now won't even take both my wallet and my phone at the same time... So when I go into town etc I need a bigger one. :)
Ginny, here I don't think there are any such collecting days for people living in houses of their own. But a lot of us living in apartment building areas don't have our own cars and it's probably better for landlords as well to arrange this service at least once a year (or more people might just end up dumping things where they don't belong anyway).
Amy, "every few months" sounds like quite an ambitious clear-out scheme! (On second thought I guess it's an ongoing thing with me as well, though - I just usually have to wait for a possibility to finally dispose of them...)
Thanks Meike - and welcome back! :)
Sandra, I know some of the larger charity organisations here do have their own trucks to collect stuff. I think that's probably mostly for furniture and bigger donations though. I think for me a bit of help from a friend with an ordinary size car would be enough, though. (I just haven't got round to asking as I haven't felt organized enough myself yet.)
Carol, yes, these street markets do have something of a Mediterranean feel to them - at least in sunny weather, like we were blessed with this time. I use backpacks as well (and have some of those in different sizes too) - when going shopping, or in the heat of summer, when I too need to carry a bottle of water. I usually prefer to keep smaller items "at hand" in a smaller handbag, though.
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