There's a reason.......

......why Thirteen was thrilled, I mean THRILLED, that the folks at the local dump gave him a free recycling bin.   Oh the joy!  Apparently, the folks at the dump got a kick out of how thrilled he was.  Some kids long for more conventional things, not to say that Thirteen doesn't have a wish list of 'normal' things he would like to have, but this winter he has been seriously wishing for a recycling bin.  After El Professor hauled it home in the trunk of the Old Volvo, Thirteen scrubbed it out and gave it to his neighbor buddy as a birthday present.  

Why, you ask? 

Thirteen has a little film making thing going on here in the culdesac with two of the neighborhood boys.  His spare time (and his not so spare time as well)  is often absorbed in dreaming up story lines, drawing story boards, and making props.  Enter the Wonderful, Free Recycling Bin.  The boys have been wanting a dedicated prop bin as they have been using an In Use Recycling Bin all winter.  The movies center around the antics of three neighborhood buddies known as BaconhEd (aka Thirteen), Canadian Bacon, and Sausage.  The Canadian Bacon character (who happens to be the birthday gift recipient) hangs out in a recycling bin.  And, apparently, he loved the gift. (Thirteen also gave him a bag of Oreos.)    

In a culture laden with video games and cable, it has been thrilling to see this 'electronic pastime' become a creative passion for Thirteen.  Last week, he tore his room apart, moved all of his furniture into his closet and taped St. Patrick's Day tablecloths all over the walls to create a green screen.  He is now working with an instructor at the homeschool resource center on an 'after effects' program to use with his new green screen.

The film maker at work....

I think the 'Christmas Episode' Thirteen dreamed up is my favorite.