This disposal of waste materials is getting to be expensive.

Went to the dump landfill today. For the first time in, I figure, about three months.

That's right, our garbage has been piling up in plastic bags outside the back door for over ninety days. Exactly thirty bags worth. Took two trips to the baler at the dump landfill to get rid of it all.

But it's not as gross as you think. It's a dry climate, especially this year. Most waste just dehydrates, and the wife manages to recycle a ton of stuff, as well as saving many organics to feed to the birds and squirrels in the back yard and driveway (which is still blocked by old Christmas trees, by the way).

Did manage to find a couple black widows hidden under the bottom bags, and tried not to think about how many might be inside. (The feral cat in the neighborhood has been a regular visitor, and opened most bags. And gave the heelers their evening entertainment every time they went out at night. Cat may starve, now. And heelers will certainly be disappointed.)

You see, the ol' pickup wouldn't start. Which, fortunately, turned out to be just a dead battery. But after several attempts, spread out over those three months (I been a little busy), finally concluded that the ten-year old battery was shot. And finally this week the wife picked up a new one.

So this afternoon I put it in. Never as simple as it should be, as battery sizes are different and, after ten years, most the nuts holding the battery in and the cables on are corroded.

But it started right up (after pumping the gas maybe a hundred times to get gasoline through the empty fuel line and dried carburetor).

The heelers were already loaded. Had been since I went out to work on the rig. And sat in the truck patiently as I worked.

You see, they like going to the dump landfill.

Might have something to do with the free doggie biscuits the gal at the gate hands out. Or the traditional stop at McD's on the way home.

But there's a new gal (new, as in she wasn't there three months ago) at the dump landfill gate, and she had no biscuits.

Heelers being the creatures of habit that they are, were quite put out by that. I suspect they expected me to get out and ransack her little guard shack to find the biscuits she was obviously hoarding for herself. And were quite disappointed that the Alpha male of their pack is such a wimp that he wouldn't demand what was rightly ours.

Even more disappointed when I drove past McD's on the way home for the second load. Without stopping for a treat.

I mean, if you don't get some food on this trip, what's the point?

But they seem to have figured it out when I loaded the truck a second time. And thought that maybe I would get things right at last.

Such a scornful look from the masked heeler (she rides in front... don't know what looks I was getting from the little maskless heeler or her Mom in the back seat) as I again let the guard lady keep our biscuits.

So we had to have a double treat from McD's on the way home.

Cup of soft ice cream and a double-cheeseburger (plain).

They've just about got the hang of taking ice cream off a spoon, although you have to smart enough to hold it almost upside down. Their tongues don't work the other way.

And you can tell they also get "brain freeze" when they eat too much, too fast.

But $3.12 just for a trip to the dump landfill.

Not including gas and the new battery.