Who would like to teach me to count???

Okay I am obviously missing something. I am starting to think I fell asleep back in preschool when they taught us to count to ten. 2 weeks ago I put out the following on garbage day for collection:

1. 1 clear bag of garbage

4 blue bags of bottles and cans and plastic

2 blue bags of paper and cardboard

and the green monster (also known as the compost bin)

I came home to find a tag on 3 bags of recycling saying I was over my 8 bag limit. Uhm...wait 4+1+2=7 and if I'm not mistaken isn't

7 less than 8???? My cousin lives in town and her limit is 5 bags total. I called Valley Waste Resource Management and for my area it is a total of 8 bags. This week I put out the following for collection:

1 clear bag of garbage

5 bags of glass/bottles, cans and plastic

1 bag of paper/cardboard

and the compost bin (aka the green monster)

AND.......everything was taken!!! I am so confused....how can 7 put me over my limit one week but be acceptable 2 weeks later???

I swear you need a degree in waste management to sort and take out our garbage in this county!