New Vacuum

I've been effectively without a vacuum for two or three months. I'd been trying to acquire a second-hand one via purchase, friends or family, or freecycle. After several offers similar to $80 for machines with list prices of $39.95, no other leads, and increasing filth, I finally lost patience. I bit the bullet this past weekend, shelled out $49.84 plus tax, and bought a new vacuum. My last vacuum cost $39.95 and served me well for six years, so I don't mind the price.

Look what I collected in the dust cup my first run round the house!

In fairness to me in my albeit moderate house-cleanliness, I think most of this filth came from the carpet on my stairway and area rug in my bedroom. Plain old broomstick technology just hasn't been cutting it on the carpet.

Waste
I loaded my broken, old vacuum into a garbage bag. It just seems such a waste of plastic and, doubtless, energy, pollution, and slave wage labor. I'd wanted to avoid more such waste by buying second-hand. Alas.