Is showing its age. I have had this old army trunk since I was in college, many moons ago. It served as a tack trunk when I showed my old horse, Magnum, and then with the harness ponies, Deranged Richard and Major Moves.
When the family started showing cows when Liz was six, I painted the cow and our names on it. It has been hauled back and forth to many shows since then. Many, many shows. It has held shampoos and tie chains and buckets and health papers. Grain scoops. Show halters. Rope halters. Squashed lemonade cups. Dirty, wet, nasty socks. Crumpled last place ribbons. Crumpled first place ribbons.
More memories than you would ever think could possibly fit inside such a small container.
If I had a nickel for every time someone sat on it to peruse a show catalog or read a book while waiting for "phone calls" or just to catch up on farmer gossip, I'd be rich.
(Oh, wait a minute, I already am.)
Liz is 21 now and it is on its way to yet another show, the Fonda Fair. I am thinking maybe it is time for a little touch up on the paint job.
How about you?
I had to laugh about the contents, because that sounds almost exactly like what came out of Meg's show box on Sunday...and those stinky socks were a week old by then.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I don't think I'd touch up the paint. I love the way it looks. Well worn, well used, well loved. There's a lot of history there.
Noooo! Don't touch it. Remember Antiques Road Show? It'll lose half its value:0)
ReplyDeleteGosh - I kinda like the well-used look, but I guess if it's part of the display at the fair . . . well - I guess ya gotta do what ya gotta do.
I like the worn look. Why cover over all those memories? Get a new box if you must, but don't touch this one! :)
ReplyDeleteStacy, it never ceases to amaze me what comes home in the show box and how bad it all smells by the time they clean it out...if indeed they ever clean it out. lol
ReplyDeleteCathy, actually I will probably never get around to paining it. The only time I think of it is just before a show when we are way too busy.
AMWD, actually we have another one, plain green and white, but that one is just about as battered.
I heartily agree. No, no, no. You mess with the box, you mess with your memories.
ReplyDeleteWayne, thanks for visiting...I probably won't ever get around to painting it...but people who visit Northview stopped to see it at the fair.
ReplyDelete