Grocery bags: The Olympics of Humblebrag

It all began with this post with the header "What kind of reusable bags do you like?"

What kind of reusable bags do you like the most? What makes them good for you? Are your bags all the same or are they a mishmash of types? Do you have any tricks to remind yourself to use them?

Ikea has reusable fabric bags which fold into themselves and tuck into a pocket which is sewn into the bag, making a soft packet about 3.5" squaremand 1.5" thick. I usually have one of them tucked into my purse and made a small cube which holds 5 of these packets... Each of these bags is only 99 cents, and well worth it, IMO as they are sturdy, easily washable, and very
easy to carry with me.

I also have three insulated bags which zip closed that I use...unfortunately, these do not fold down so nicely and can be a pain to remember.

I used to have heavy duty canvas bags which I got at Ocean State Job Lot but they were heavy, difficult to wash and clumsy to carry in the quantity needed for a good trip to the grocery. I still have a few, which I use for really heavy, non food items (one of them currently holds my go-to tools needed to hang pictures, put up curtain rods, etc.)

She clearly has it all thought out but wanted to start the games and the list did not disappoint!

This poster ups the ante with mention of not only an outside pocket for shopping lists, but gets in a Red Sox reference too.

I don't have a specific brand, but I like canvas bags that have handles that go all around the bag (under the bottom) so they can't pull off. Outside pockets are nice too - I put my shopping list there.  And, I have 1pricey Red Sox bag that also has an inside zippered pocket in case I wantto stash change or a credit card there.

A pricey Red Sox bag no less!  

This poster probably wins because she mentions: 
Taking the T
Farmers markets
Zipcars
Whole foods
CSA

My favorite type depends on the situation.  They break down into 3
categories:

1. Picking up a few items on my daily commute (Whole Foods, Shaws, Dave's Fresh Pasta, Farmer's Market).  I commute by T so I keep a small Chico "Original" bag in my purse.  I like Chico Original (http://www.chicobag.com/category/shopping ) because they are very very
durable, machine washable, and pack very small.  I've tried other brands and they will sometimes tear or run.  I haven't yet had that problem with Chico bags.  My oldest is about 10 years old now. They hold a surprising amount of stuff.

2. Heading out on the T on Saturday to do a medium sized shop (usually Whole Foods).  I like to use canvas bags with straps long enough to go over my shoulder.  I can carry two decent sized bags of groceries this way - oneover my shoulder and the other in the opposite hand.

3. Getting a Zipcar and doing a big shop (Costco, Trader Joe's, Wegmans) -the thinner fabric grocery bags that stand up on their own.  These are great for transport via car because they generally won't tip over, you can stuff a lot in them, especially bulky things, and when they become grungy they can transition to other duties (like going to pick up the CSA) or be discarded.

Here we have a Town Day reference. Solid man.

Most of my reusable bags were free, got them at Town Day.  Some are flimsy, others have cardboard or plastic bottoms.

There are not enough words for this one. We've got the 70's, descriptions of specific bags AND for the first time in the thread WHERE TO STORE THEM! BLAMMO!

Loving this thread!  I've been collecting bags since I joined the Boston Food Coop in the 70's.   Let's just say I have quite a few!  Most of themare for grocery shopping and I have a few "good" ones I use for clothesshopping and other non-food shopping.  Like NAME REDACTED I like canvas
bags with a long strap to go over my shoulder.  Then my hands are free to get out my keys, etc.  But I also like the ones that Whole Foods sells. When NAME REDACTED and I were in Austin a few years ago, I got one at the Austin Whole Foods.  The bag is huge, made from recycled materials and has a nice flat bottom.  I have others that I have picked up during various seasons--a
big orange one with pumpkins on it, a green and pinkish one with watermelon on it.  I even have one I got at Thanksgiving with a huge turkey on it.

To ensure that I always have a bag with me I have a set of hooks by my garage door where most of the bags are stored.  That way I see them easily on my way out.   But I always have a stash in my trunk (4 or 5 to be on the safe side).   Since I have a station wagon, I see the bags when I get outof my car; this ensures that I won't forget them.

We also have a whole bunch of bags that NAME REDACTED gets when he goes to a professional conference--OSCON, YAPC, etc.  Quite a collection of those. They are canvas and smaller but handy for a small shopping run.  And when we see bags we like, we pick up a few more.

Generally I use the WF "plastic" bags for food as they get messy from food, etc.  My question for you canvas bag folks, is how do you clean them?  They do tend to get grungy.

I expect that this thread will continue for days, though my ability to withstand the boredom may not.

Oh Arlington, bless your sweet heart...

This food has only been sitting in my fridge for five days. I'm sure it's fine!

My husband and daughter have left for China, and I've got some of their
food here that I can't eat (I have allergies).  I have one untouched
catering tray of vegetarian pad thai, and half a tray of Chinese pork
buns.  Both were cooked 2-12 and still seem fine. Arlington Heights
pickup.  Please e-mail off list if interested.

NAME REDACTED

URGENT CLIMATE CHANGE WARNING!

I hate climate change as much as the next guy, but probably not as much as this guy who is the reason people let their cars idle while killing panda bears over a coal fire.

I have observed many motorists in violation of a state law promoted by our
former state Rep. William Brownsberger, especially while shoveling snow:
Violations can be reported to police, the state Department of Environmental
Protection, and the EPA.

Motor vehicles MUST NOT IDLE MORE THAN 5 MINUTES. Violators can be fined
for up to $100 for the first offense, and $500 for subsequent offenses.

https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXIV/Chapter90/Section16a


Additionally, anyone claiming concern over climate change and still heating
their home or office with non-renewable energy like oil, natural gas, or
electricity from the grid, should consider turning their heat OFF, or at
least down to 50 degrees so water pipes won't freeze and waste water.

I personally, don't want to suffer more climate change like we have this
week!

NAME REDACTED

Charged with snow mayhem!

In some communities people shoot each other. In Arlington they use a blizzard as an excuse for some old lady on old lady assault with a snow blower. That's how it's done folks.

Via the Arlington Patch:

A 61-year-old Arlington woman allegedly assaulted her 60-year-old female neighbor during Tuesday’s blizzard with a handheld snow blower.

Police responded to 124 Park Ave. in Arlington Heights at about 4:30 p.m. for a report of an assault in progress. There, police found the neighbor suffering from lacerations on her foot. She was treated for “minor injuries,” police said.

The women have been involved in an ongoing feud, and the victim had previously filed for a harassment protection order against the alleged attacker, Barbara Davis, according to police.

Davis, of Park Avenue, was arrested at the scene and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, mayhem and violation of the harassment protection order, police said.

“Emotions may run high during a historic weather event like the blizzard we just endured, but that is no excuse for violence,” Arlington Police Chief Frederick Ryan said in a statement. “We are supposed to come together as a community during events like this, and I am very disappointed with these allegations.”

Davis was ordered held on $35,040 cash bail at the Arlington Police Department pending her arraignment in Cambridge District Court, police said.

Arlington guilt

"I screwed up so I publically need to assert my earnestness by holding a contest for $15." Arlington guilt. It's a serious thing.

Dear fellow Arlington List subscribers,
I have added a 20-hour/wk job (supporting families of children with
disabilities, which I love doing) to my already overflowing plate, and in
my zeal to pick up inexpensive things to decorate for the baby shower I'm
hosting in three weeks, I have responded to a few offers on the A-List and
have dropped the ball on picking up at least two (that I remember) on time.
I feel so bad for doing that, because really, isn't it annoying when
someone does that to us, repeatedly?
So, this morning, my most recent victim (after much patience and completely
appropriately) went on to the next person in line, and does not want me to
drop off the money I would have paid, which has been in an envelope in my
purse for several days, which I offered to do just to make myself feel
better. He declined, so now I have $10 which I am not going to keep. I also
thought I'd throw in the approximately $5 NYAJ gift card which they gave us
eons ago when they messed up our take-out order for the last time. I
thought the items have a certain thematic similarity.
It would make me feel not quite so awful about being unreliable, if I could
also make someone else feel better about having been stood up or
disappointed in some way. I wish I could give everyone something, but I
can't, so let's have a contest. If you have a funny short story about your
travails with someone like me (sorry in advance!), please post.
I'll start. Eons ago when I was young, athletic and wore make-up, a single
guy I volunteered with kept telling me how lonely he was and how he wished
he could find someone like me (except not married like me). At the time, my
sister lived in Philadelphia, and I described her to him and him to her in
such glowing terms that they set up a date involving him taking the train
to Philly for a day with her. The train arrived, and they looked for each
other until they were the only people left on the platform, finally spoke
to each other face to face (they had spoken on the phone at length several
times, but apparently not enough, or too much, depending on your point of
view), and got as far as driving around the block in my sister's car before
they mutually agreed that him staying longer would be a painful waste of
time. My sister dropped him off and he got the train back, and I have never
heard the end of it. "You said she looks like you!" (Well, I did hear the
end of that, because the guy stopped speaking to me). "I can't believe you
thought I would go out with such a misogynistic pig!" How could I have not
noticed that? My sister has always been way ahead of me. They were both
very disappointed, not to mention quite annoyed.
So there it is. If you can top that story, I will happily set aside the $10
and the gift card for you. Just don't expect me to deliver it anywhere.
And if I have neglected to do something for you that I promised to do,
please reply offlist. Seriously.

NAME REDACTED

Staple emergency

Just buy a new stapler. It'll be okay, and far less boring for the rest of us.

My husband and I love our vintage mini-staplers: the Swingline Tot 50.  They 
have a red plastic tops and were made to fit in a pocket.  Apparently, the 
staples themselves (I'm not looking for the stapler) are very hard to find 
since Swingline has discontinued the model.  Amazon has them, but the price 
plus shipping is steep.  Anybody know of another source?  Staples said they 
had them, but when I looked up the style number the salesperson told me I 
needed, it was clearly not for a Tot 50.  I just spoke to Office Max, and 
they don't have them.  Balich's does not have them.

NAME REDACTED

Compost the leaves!

I know you've already hauled them to the curb in some sort of desperate hope that some idiot will take them, but this lady, in true arlington fashion suggests you compost them.

Always with the helpful suggestions.

Leaves can be composted. You don't need anything fancy, just pile them
up somewhere. Put a little fence around them if you want to keep them
neat. Throw your used coffee grounds or veggie scraps in with them for
nitrogen. Watch them melt. For extra special results, run the lawn
mower over them.

Before I had to stop doing this myself,  I used to just use the lawn
mower instead of raking. Get a  "mulching" lawn mower, then you never
have to rake and bag leaves again.

NAME REDACTED

Free leaves will kill you!

Hahaha! God I love this list.

This is a potentially very dangerous idea. Since they're so light, the leaves could easily fly up the flue before they have finished burning. Years ago, we almost set fire to our roof from burning holiday gift wrap in the fireplace.

NAME REDACTED

Free leaves.

I really can't add anything to this, except that no one wants your ten bags of leaves. You're going to have to wait until spring for them to get picked up like all the other slackers. I once left mine for so long that yellow jackets made a nest in the pile and then I had to set fire to it. True story.

Hello List,

I missed the town deadline on the leaves pickup and thought some of you with fireplaces could use them in addition to papers and logs.

The ten bags are in front of my house at ADDRESS REDACTED off Mass. Ave. in Arlington Heights).

Thanks.