it’s a trolley
2012
Mum has the especially funny habit of looking at filthy hard rubbish with a doubtful eye and lamenting out loud “It might have been peed on!” I’m quite sure she does this for the laughs it always receives. ”That’s right!” Abby shrieks, “Because we pee on the things we don’t want anymore all the time!”
Mum, this here trolley was so dirty and revolting, I truly began to wonder – and washed my hands many times!
Blimey was it feral. I found it lying on its back, in amongst revolting rubbish, on the footpath outside a terribly neglected house. The kind of hard rubbish where you just know the neighbours are all waiting for the owners to move on quick, and the owners have certainly not rung the council to arrange their rubbish pick up (a very generous, twice a year scheme) but are just going to leave it there until the grass grows amongst it and slowly, bit by bit, it’s picked off by the curious until all that remains is the huge old television – you know those ones we had before we had flat screens.
But I do think somebody loved this trolley once upon a time and used it well. As for me, I’ve always wanted one but have never been keen to part with the money when I’ve seen modern ones in the shops – they are so flimsy and ridiculously plasticky. Ugh!
Now stripped off and scrubbed clean, it’s currently living on the family room table whilst I arrange pieces of fabric and small patchwork blocks on the blanketing that will form the foundation of it’s new cover. With a backing of buckram for added oomph.
A bit eccentric I know, but oh so colourful and jolly :-) A quilted trolley will be a cheerful and useful addition to the grocery shopping indeed! And now, with one exam down (Mental Health Clinical Practice this morning – yes!) and four days at home, I’m very hopeful (and motivated) that it might just get finished. Now that WOULD be a novelty!
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Congratulations on completing your exam! And thank you for your inspiring, pluckiness and courage to see beauty in the rubbish where I see blight. Perhaps when your exams are complete, you can start a blog on adolescent psychology and the teenager’s bedroom. I know I could definitely use the help!
Good morning Lily,
I have a trolley which is bright red. Alas, not as cute as yours but really useful. Might just have to tart mine up a bit now that I’ve seen yours. I can see the big fellow now just rolling his eyes. Enjoy your 4 days off.
Blessings Gail
Ah! Maybe it needs a lovely crocheted flower to adorn the front! And just roll your eyes at the big fella – that’s what I do ;-)
I’m so glad I read your post this morning. We currently have a council clean-up in our area & on my way home from Bunnings what did I see but an old shopping trolley quite similar to the one you found but with 4 wheels. I actually have one of the modern ones & it’s great but very hard to see into as there’s nothing holding out the walls. Anyway, I grabbed the trolley & brought it home. I cut off the old vinyl, it was manky as I’m sure someone had peed on it lol, I know that’s going to be a catch phrase in our house from now on, & will make a new cover. So thank you for sharing such a brilliant idea.
That’s going to be one-sassy-shopping trolley!! Laughed out loud reading your intro. and what your Mum would say … just the sort of thing my Mum would have said!!!
Hope so! Will have to get stuck into it tomorrow – today was a bit of a write off. Yes, I love thrifting with my mum – we laugh so hard we almost pee OUR pants!