100 Word Challenge: Save

Growing up, my mother was what people called, “frugal.” Now, she is considered a consummate recycler.

She saves things. Not a hoarder sort of saving, she reuses everything she keeps – rinsed and cleaned plastic bags and foil, margarine and whipped topping tubs, bread bags, and twist ties. She’s even kept once-used dryer sheets to make sachet flowers because they still smelled nice.

If you’re of a certain age you’ll know what I mean when I say I never knew what I’d find when opening a repurposed plastic tub… it wasn’t always Parkay or Cool Whip. I could just as easily find leftover mashed potatoes or green beans. A definite letdown if you were expecting truth in advertising.

This reuse, repurpose, recycle was a practice I followed well after I was married. It took years to break the habit. Even today I feel a pang of guilt when I don’t keep perfectly good pseudo Tupperware. If not for the fact my city offers curb side recycling pickup, I’d have a fridge full of difficult-to-identify leftovers.

I am a dedicated recycler, I don’t simply throw away these plastic containers,  but I want my Cool Whip to be Cool Whip, not mashed potatoes.

(I do confess to having an affinity for colored, glass bottles and save far too many to justify… but that’s a story for another time.)

“You have to keep recycling yourself.” Chuck Palahniuk

This week’s word is:

Save

What to do:

Using “save” for inspiration, write 100 Words – 100 exactly – no more, no less. You can either use the word – or any form of the word – as one of your 100, or it can be implied. Include a link in your post back here, and add your story to the Mister Linky list. If you don’t have a blog, you can leave your submission in the comment section, or as a Facebook status post. Remember to keep spreading the love with supportive comments for your fellow Wordsters.