Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Everything Old Is New Again
The Thrifty Yankee ^ | 09-06-10 | Roby Eliza

Posted on 09/07/2010 6:04:07 AM PDT by Stoutcat

There’s an old poem that celebrates Yankee thrift which goes something like this:

Use it up, wear it out,
Make it do, or do without.

These days, we might add another verse to that:

Once worn out, don’t turn it loose,
Put it to another use. (Burma Shave)

I will now give you a perfect example of re-purposing a large object to a completely different use. Late last summer, our old grill was pretty much on its last legs; we had replaced the innards several times, but it was clearly time for a new grill. Once the new grill was up and running, however, what do you do with the old one?

(Excerpt) Read more at thriftyyankee.net ...


TOPICS: Gardening; Hobbies; Humor; Outdoors
KEYWORDS: grilling; planters; recycling; thrift
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021 next last

1 posted on 09/07/2010 6:04:09 AM PDT by Stoutcat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Stoutcat

I was curious enough to look at what she did, but that is sadly just yard junk with flowers in it. IMHO


2 posted on 09/07/2010 6:09:05 AM PDT by Blueflag (Res ipsa loquitur)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Stoutcat
All of this is because people are financially hurting. Now we can get a glimpse of the creativity of a third world country.

Obama will fund anything GOVERNMENT or UNION related. He will put out teasers on PRIVATE sector stimulation but when you read the fine print and other things that get stuffed into the bill, you are SCREWED again.

Obama HATES capitalism. He wants a government planned economy where he is KING. The serfs will just have to make do with the crumbs he throws them. Don't be fooled! Don't acquiesce to this kind of "thrift" being acceptable and the new NORM.

3 posted on 09/07/2010 6:09:10 AM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Blueflag

Your opinion is RIGHT!

It’s just a way to dress up being POOR and maing do with LESS.


4 posted on 09/07/2010 6:09:58 AM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Stoutcat

Sorry—that’s a long way to go to plant a few flowers. Sorta like putting a hat on a garbage can.


5 posted on 09/07/2010 6:13:23 AM PDT by basil (It's time to rid the country of "Gun Free Zones" aka "Killing Fields")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Stoutcat

Her fallacy is in thinking that the grill needed to be replaced in the first place. Those cast metal parts will probably last for a century, it is *only* the burner and gas valve that fail, and she will be replacing them in her nice shiny new grill in a couple of years too, and wondering why.

Re-purposing is great, but so is understanding how things work.

PS: This is still going to look like an abandoned piece of crap after the flowers die.


6 posted on 09/07/2010 6:14:03 AM PDT by bigbob
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: nmh

You are correct — in that this makes me better prepared to appreciate the “new normal” ...


7 posted on 09/07/2010 6:16:34 AM PDT by Blueflag (Res ipsa loquitur)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Stoutcat

Obviously not a Weber or they would not have had to replace anything. I’ve had mine for almost 15 years now with all the original internals. No rust.

Buy it right the first time.


8 posted on 09/07/2010 6:19:25 AM PDT by Peter from Rutland
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Blueflag
It will be the next “trend”.

It will be “cool” to “recycle” things because you can't afford to buy NEW THINGS. Soon we'll be looking to places like Haiti to see what they do. Their impoverished. Maybe we could use old soup cans for flower pots. If you happen to have some spray paint lying around from better days, you could spray your recycled soup can with a snazzy color!

Just imagine how happy moms will be! They have a “craft” for thei previously spoiled kids to make and it costs them NOTHING. It's something they would have thrown in the trash. Of course they are also SAVING THE EARTH with third world thriftiness. How nice is that?

9 posted on 09/07/2010 6:20:40 AM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Blueflag

It’s already started. You can spend ooldes on jeans that have HOLES in them, THREAD BARE and ready for the trash can. It’s “cool” to look like you’re impoerished. You can easily spend a couple hundred of dollarls to MOCK those that are impoversihed and have to walk around like that. Of course it MUST have the right designed name somewhere on the OUTSIDE of the jeans for all to see.

As for the low crotch baggy pants - well many stupid kids like that too. How that came about is males in prison aren’t allowed to have belts, so ill fitting pants look like that on inmates. So now we have kids thinking it’s “cool” to like like an inmate in prison. They look like unmiad beds with oants that don’t fit them. If their underwear shows and they have HOLES and TEARS in the low crotch pants - then you’re even more “cool”.

So you can mock the improverished or dress like an inmate in the penetentiary. Go to a mall and you’ll see all I state.


10 posted on 09/07/2010 6:25:25 AM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Blueflag

It’s already started. You can spend ooldes on jeans that have HOLES in them, THREAD BARE and ready for the trash can. It’s “cool” to look like you’re impoerished. You can easily spend a couple hundred of dollarls to MOCK those that are impoversihed and have to walk around like that. Of course it MUST have the right designed name somewhere on the OUTSIDE of the jeans for all to see.

As for the low crotch baggy pants - well many stupid kids like that too. How that came about is males in prison aren’t allowed to have belts, so ill fitting pants look like that on inmates. So now we have kids thinking it’s “cool” to like like an inmate in prison. They look like unmiad beds with oants that don’t fit them. If their underwear shows and they have HOLES and TARES in the low crotch pants - then you’re even more “cool”.

So you can mock the improverished or dress like an inmate in the penetentiary. Go to a mall and you’ll see all I state.


11 posted on 09/07/2010 6:25:40 AM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Blueflag
It's already started. You can spend oodles on jeans that have HOLES in them, THREAD BARE and ready for the trash can. It's “cool” to look like you're impoverished. You can easily spend a couple hundred of dollars to MOCK those that are impoverished and have to walk around like that. Of course it MUST have the right designed name somewhere on the OUTSIDE of the jeans for all to see.

As for the low crotch baggy pants - well many stupid kids like that too. How that came about is males in prison aren't allowed to have belts, so ill fitting pants look like that on inmates. So now we have kids thinking it's “cool” to like like an inmate in prison. They look like unmade beds with pants that don't fit them. If their underwear shows and they have HOLES and TARES in the low crotch pants - then you're even more “cool”.

So you can mock the impoverished or dress like an inmate in the penitentiary. Go to a mall and you'll see all I state.

12 posted on 09/07/2010 6:26:22 AM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Stoutcat

I left a comment on the site asking if she put a car up on blocks in the front yard and put flowers in it would that be a thrifty lawn ornament? Dressed up junk is still junk.


13 posted on 09/07/2010 6:28:05 AM PDT by Oshkalaboomboom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Stoutcat

We left our old grill out at the roadside several days before trash pick-up

The metal scavengers came by with an old white van, picked it up, and took it to a recycling place with the other junk they found and got paid a few bucks for their effort.

A win/win situation!!


14 posted on 09/07/2010 6:31:20 AM PDT by KosmicKitty (WARNING: Hormonally crazed woman ahead!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom

You’re right. Nothing she did follows the Yankee Values of “Use it up, wear it out, Make it do, or do without.”

Instead she just exemplifies the Overconsumption Ode:

“Justify anything under the sun, just go to Wal-Mart and buy a new one.”

Made in China, of course.


15 posted on 09/07/2010 6:34:50 AM PDT by bigbob
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Stoutcat

If she would have gone to buy a made in America(a mythical
entity) item she would have contributed to the economy.
The problem is, even with transportation costs, it is cheaper
to outsource the labor to another country. That’s cause the
taxes, regulations, and unions, and greedy owners, make it just
about impossible to maintain a profitable business. The other
countries have greedy owners also, so we’re probably supporting
them too....how’s that for American ingenuity?


16 posted on 09/07/2010 6:58:03 AM PDT by Getready (Wisdom is more valuable than gold and diamonds, and harder to find.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Stoutcat
She wound up with this in her yard ...

Time completely wasted if you ask me.

17 posted on 09/07/2010 7:09:02 AM PDT by tx_eggman (Liberalism is only possible in that moment when a man chooses Barabas over Christ.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Stoutcat

Keepin’ it classy! My favorite is the old bathtub turned on its side, planted in the ground and adorned with a statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe.


18 posted on 09/07/2010 7:22:16 AM PDT by La Lydia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: tx_eggman

if she really wanted to repurpose that dumb thing she could have painted the whole thing, line the “tub” with a garbage bag, fill with ice and beverages. use the side shelves for cups, bowls of fruit for garnish, and clean ice for use in said beverages.


19 posted on 09/07/2010 8:16:52 AM PDT by madamemayhem (defeat is not getting knocked down, it is not getting back up.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: madamemayhem

Now THAT would be cute!!


20 posted on 09/07/2010 8:45:10 AM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion......the Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson