I often think that is what the neighbors and the recyclers must think when they look at our orange recycling tub that we put out once a week.  Actually, I have no problem with recycling and I know plenty of people that find it onerous.  In the past I actually used to save the bottles and give them to people that were making their own wine, either the old-fashioned way, or the new way with concentrate-juice.  Those sources have disappeared, so periodically I have to discard the bottles.  In the old days, pre 2020, unless we had a party here, there were not that many bottles.  This year with the lockdown mandate that extended forever, was found illegal and unconstitutional, and it has been reimposed now by a department of the state, I have actually had to drink wine at home, along with the rest of the population that now drinks at home.  I very seldom drank at home, unless we had company, I preferred dining out and having wine at restaurants; that all went South, as many restaurants have closed or may still not make it, with the second round of lockdowns. 

What it is forcing me to do, besides discovering what we have in wines and giving me a steady stream of articles, otherwise, this blog would have dried up, like the crocodile tears of many of our governors.  I actually remove the labels from the bottles and save them for my wine scrap book, usually to the chagrin of my Bride.  Most of the current wine bottles use an “Avery” type of printed label that removes quite easily.  Rinse out the bottles, preheat an oven to 255º and bake the bottles for fifteen minutes, then carefully lift up an edge with a razor blade, while holding the bottle with an oven mitt.  Once, the label has been worked off of the bottle, place the glue side down on wax paper, as I have found that the glue residue doesn’t adhere to it, but it will on aluminum foil or blotting paper.  I then use square coasters as weights to keep the labels from curling up, and the next day, they are ready to be stored. 

I liken dining and drinking at home to camping out, because I really like to go out for dinner.  My Bride is an excellent cook, but she works and I like for her to be pampered as well.  This year, we have been camping out quite a bit, you can say, and it is hard to keep all the empty bottles neat in the garage, until it is time to make another orange tub statement.  I find around two dozen bottles is enough for a load, after all, I have to carry the tub to the curb.  Thankfully the President lit the fire under some companies and it looks like we have two sets of successful vaccines created and then it will be just like getting an annual flu shot, and I still have to go and get my second pneumonia shot and I have to make my appointment for my shingles shot.  Oh, the joys of attaining the ranks of being a Senior Citizen, after all, I think it was only yesterday that I was immortal.