Back in “the day’, my dad used to work for Coca-Cola. It’s where he met some of his closest friends, and while it didn’t end up becoming his career, it’s obvious that he has a fondness for those days.
It’s shown in his eye for collectibles.
Not surprisingly, I have inherited this keen eye. Really, we’re both got a titch of “the hoard”.
I stroll through an antique store, and I see a flash of the familiar red and white of a Coke antique. Immediately, I head over. “Dad would LOVE that!”
It doesn’t matter that the walls of his shop – his man cave – are already plastered with vintage ads. It doesn’t matter that he already has that awesome Fanta radio (shaped like a pop can! I tried to ‘borrow’ it when I was 13, but he found it in my room and claimed it back). It doesn’t matter that he already has crates of old-school pop bottles.
In fact ,when the pop bottles shown above were unearthed at Mr. Suburble’s job site, he brought them home for me. Because if I didn’t want them, my dad would.
I don’t know why he and I are both collectors – *ahem!* or junk-addicts – at heart. Maybe it’s the thrill of the chase. Maybe it’s the feeling of getting something that is of value to us, but for a “steal”.
But it’s obviously genetic.
And when I walk down the aisles of the local thrift store with my two mini-thrifters in tow, I know that I’m perpetuating this legacy.
We’re upcyclers. We’re collectors. We’re junkers.
We’re family.
Happy Birthday, Dad! Thanks for giving me the gift of the ‘hoard’. It’s been a pretty useful trait. When I take stock of my inventory right now, I have collected two twin beds waiting for a lick of paint, three boxes full of things waiting for a stroke of Upcycling Genius, and a fairly extensive gallery of cans of spray paint.
But I still want that radio.
Do you collect something? Or do you hoard something? Be honest.
Tell me (and my dad) that we’re not alone!
16 comments
Kelly @ A Swell Place to Dwell
So sweet. I bet there aren’t many girls out there who can say that they can junk with their Dad 🙂
Tara
Nope. Or that their dad can OUT-junk them! 😉
Amanda McCellon
I ‘collect’ teacups, Native American art, weird photography prints from obscure ‘photographers’ , anything Alice in Wonderland, purses, Shawnee Pottery (but only if it’s shaped like a deer) – the list goes on and on. So, now you can look at yourself in the mirror and say, “at least I’m not like that Amanda at Wonderland and Company.”
Tara
Oh, my mom collects tea-cups! But only the demi-tasse ones! I would love to see your collections – it sounds like you have some awesome and highly-specialized ones! And honestly, you would laugh at my “collections”. Some of it is just junk. But I can’t help but see potential in nearly everything!
Krista
LOL! Yup, I think I’m a bit of a hoarder. My dad too. And now my oldest son likes to hoard all the little random bits of paper and anything he finds in nature… Like rocks and chunks of wood. They all come home in his pockets. I have a special bucket for him in his room and we have to go through it and purge every once in a while. I think it is a genetic trait! My garage shows the results of it right now…
Tara
Isn’t that funny! I used to “collect” rocks. I would come home with my coat pockets FULL of them. And when I was in grade 3, my parents bought me a rock polisher. It was awesome. I highly recommend that you consider that for your son. It was a great way for me to “weed” through all of the not-so-special rocks.
And yes, it has to be genetic. I see it in my 3 year old, who also has pockets full of stones! 🙂
Danni@SiloHillFarm
Glad to know you come by it honestly!! LOL! I don’t have a good excuse!
Tara
Hah! Yes, I do rely on that genetic link as an excuse for the boxes of stuff heaped in my spare room. You’re just organically inclined to ‘collect’. And living on the expanse that you’ve lived on has probably meant that you don’t run out of room.
I’ve already run out of room. Mr. Suburble is threatening the “one in, one out” rule. I’m resisting full-force!
Márcia Carvalho de Souza
Eu adoro colecionar! Coleciono bonecas, revistas, receitas culinárias, enfeites pequeninos, corujas e sempre acho algo interessante para guardar!
Tara
Through the powers of Google Translate, I read this: I love collecting! I collect dolls, magazines, recipes, little ornaments, owls and always find something interesting to keep
My response: I LOVE owls! What ornaments do you collect, Marcia? I would love to start collecting vintage Christmas ornaments, but they’re mostly glass, and I’m so worried that the kids will break them.
One day….
Bronwyn MayB
That’s adorable. I love that you are a Coke family too. My uncle worked for Coke for 25 yrs. As for collecting, I am torn between my need to keep pretty things and my need to be streamlined and simplify. It is typical for my Gemini self — always at war with me! I’m so glad your husband encourages your love of junk!
Tara
Oh, you’re a Gemini! Yes… I know your type well.
It’s so funny. I love love LOVE the idea of minimalist living. But I don’t – and haven’t ever been able to – live that way. I need my crap. I love it.
My hubby is pretty decent about the junk. He knows that it will keep me busy – I’ll be farting away with spray paint or moving stuff around. And because everything is from junk sales or thrift shops, it’s a pretty inexpensive addiction! So far…..
Amy of while wearing heels
What a sweet post. Your dad sounds like someone I would want to collect with :). Now whenever I spot anything Coke related, I’ll be thinking of you and your dad!
Tara
Oh, Amy, I think that you and he would have a lot of fun. You get some deals that I cannot rival. He’d love to tag along with you – he might even learn something!
You’ll have to let me know if you come across a gem of a Coke antique. Knowing your luck, you will! 🙂
Marilyn
Happy Birthday to your dad! It’s amazing how much we are like our parents, isn’t it? 🙂
Mel
Oh how sweet, happy birthday to your Dad. I used to collect teapots but my collection disappeared during one house move and I was so heart broken I couldn’t start again.