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Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Old Rocking Chair


Thank you to Barb at May December Home for featuring me as a “Lazy Sunday Link”.
I tune in to this site every Sunday to look over her selections as I drink my tea. This was so very nice of her!
Abbie of Whimsy of a Staggering Woman also gave me a mention on her wonderful blog-thanks! And if Mary of Little Red House did not give me such a gracious hand getting started I would not even be here! Thanks to all who left such lovely comments!


My Old Rocking Chair


This is the first piece of furniture I ever owned. I bought this with my waitressing money right after my husband and I were engaged. We were still in college and I had this extreme hankering for my own piece of furniture. It just seemed like such a grown-up desire. Hey, I own furniture!!

I went to a catalogue store (remember those??), ordered it and lugged it home in my beat up Toyota. All the pieces were askew in a box and I put it together. Well, maybe my father helped. He had a million screwdrivers and did not question my passion.

22 years later, it’s really a wreck and has been sitting in our basement. Kid wrecked-- but eventually someone’s going to hurt themselves on this thing! Finally, I decided it was time to go. It can’t be repaired, let’s throw it out! I pulled it up the stairs, across the lawn, onto the curb.

I had that chair in our first apartment, in fact on moving day it was the only thing there!…I rocked babies on it in our old house…I walked back across the lawn and pulled it back towards the house.

On the porch I asked myself-- what I was doing? Be sensible! It’s a BROKEN CHAIR! I dragged it back to the curb.

Now I’m a person who still has stationary from when I was ten and a beat up sewing basket from fourth grade girl scouts …I cannot part with stuff!

I dragged the chair back towards the house. I now wonder what my neighbors were thinking watching me drag this rocking chair back and forth across the lawn! Talking to myself!

I tried being reasonable with myself. It’s broken, you have lots of old things that didn’t break, lots of sentimental things…so just take a picture of it. You can’t keep everything!!

I dragged it back to the curb. Have you ever felt this crazy about a piece of furniture?

13 comments:

Rosie's Whimsy said...

Why not use it in your garden until it is completely deteriorated? A beautiful port of flowers and vines would look great in it!

All the Best to You........Rosie

Rosie's Whimsy said...

I meant "pot"

Janet said...

I wanted a Bentwood Rocker in the worst way 30 years ago and I never did get one. Not sorry now, but I think you should take Rosie's advice and just use it as a planter and enjoy it a bit longer. It will be easier to part with after Mother Nature has her way with it for a while:>)

Janet

Susie Q said...

What a sweet post and yes. I have that feeling about so many things! I had a rocker just like that one too. It is now living at with my brother and sis in law. : )
I think that Rosie's idea is wonderful. It would look great and be with you a while longer...

Hugs,
Sue

cindy santiago said...

Maybe someone like me will drive by and see and give it a new home. I've picked up many things from the curb.

If you want to keep it you could nail a piece of wood on top, paint it (I paint everything) and put a cushion on top. Although you would have to go pull it across your lawn yet another time! LOL

Stephanie ODea said...

I'd have no idea what to do with it--but I agree it has a beautiful shape.
--steph

Tara said...

I think it's coming back in--I could make a new seat with plywood or use as a planter--see, you've expanded my horizons! Thanks, everyone!

Anonymous said...

Hi Tara, Welcome to this wonderful world of blogging. I was so happy to have you visit my blog. I had two chairs like that too and both finally busted thru. I like Rosie's idea of painting it with some whimsy and using in the garden. ~ Smiles ~ Lynn
I hope you'll visit me often.

Anonymous said...

What a cute post. :)
Alexandra

Mary said...

Hi Tara,
Cute story! I understand how you feel -- we have five couches in this tiny house because I can't bring myself to part with one. And there is a chair in our garage that used to be upholstered -- it's in tatters now -- but I can't get rid of it. And my aunt's breakfront...well, you get the idea.

I love Rosies's idea!
xoxo,
Mary

Kathleen Grace said...

I have had a hard time getting rid of sentimental things on occasion. I try to remember that the memories are still there even if the item I need to get rid of isn't. It can still be hard to take that final trip tot the road though:>)

MeMeMe said...

i love this story!!!! thanks for sharing. I also love your header / banner, i love the room, it's so beautiful.

have a great week

Jeannie

Life on the Edge said...

I had a chair just like that too when I was 20! It was also my first official piece of furniture. My best friend and I put that chair together with her nail file since neither of us possessed a screwdriver. It survived a fall off of a truck when moving, and survived three babies. I'm not sure when I ended up throwing it out when it finally fell apart beyond repair, but I sure hated to see it go!