Taking things apart...naturally

I know this may not seem very "natural" in terms of soaking grains, cloth diapering or wrapping mattresses.  However, I want to make a case of the granola-ness of taking things apart.

Personal example: We have two vacuum cleaners.  One we recently bought with a hepa filter for all the lead dust we are likely putting into the air as we remodel our 1962 house.  The other we have had for 10 years (wedding gift from my parents).

The other week I was using the 10 year old vacuum when this horrible noise came out.  I admit, it startled me and I screamed.  When Pete came home I described the horrible noise to him.  He went to investigate, turning the vaccum back on.  I know I should have been prepared, but it scared me again (yes, I screamed again). Thought you might appreciate that :-)

Well, the vacuum seemed quite dead.... But then Pete took it apart. Though the vacuum is old after a bit of investigating, Pete was able to locate the broken part, ordered it, put it back together....all for under $20. See the cool chunk missing from the wheel of suction?  I don't know the technical term, but wheel of suction just sounded cool.

I love what can be learned from taking things apart.  Not everything can be fixed of course, but there's all kinds of options for repairing things that save us money, let us learn something and keep our landfills a little less "full."

And when things cannot be repaired (such as a broken cassette tape), we give them to Grace with a set of precision screwdrivers.  She is diligent to take every bit apart and not let any of it go to waste...for example, here's what Zade would look like as a brunette.

Love, Carra