Wednesday, April 11, 2012

the missing wheelbarrow mystery...

The old wooden wheelbarrow has been a trademark on our yard for many years.

When we first moved here...
there was next to no landscaping...
and everything looked very bare.

My brother-in-law was storing some things over at the farm.
I laid my eyes on his wheelbarrow...
and decided I would borrow it  for 'my front porch'.


Just until he needed it, of course!

It stayed on the porch for many years.
I think my BIL decided it was easier to build himself a replacement...
than to even try to get his old wheelbarrow back. :)


Eventually it came to rest under the willow tree...
and made a great prop on a photo shoot or two.



For the most part...
the birds used it as perch.
And the winter weather took it's toll.
And sometime last fall...
the winds flipped it over and one of the handles broke off.
It would not be doing too much 'wheeling' anymore!
I was a little sad.
 
At Christmas I jokingly asked my BIL if he did warranty work on his wooden wheelbarrows.
He said...'sure'.
But really, I couldn't ask that of him...
when I had so brazenly taken ownership in the first place!

Last week, I asked hubby if he could somehow replace the broken handle for me.  
He agreed...
and went out to measure.
He came back in...
and asked me where the wheelbarrow might be.
What?
For years it had sat in the same place...
and now it was missing from the front yard.
 We decided that someone had stolen it while we were on vacation.
There was nothing to be done about it!
 

Yesterday morning I looked out the front window...
and there, right at the road...
was a spanking new antique wheelbarrow!

I can only surmise that my BIL has gone over-and-above any warranty obligations...
and built me a whole new wheelbarrow.

I quickly moved it away from the road...
before someone else felt compelled to 'borrow' it.
It sits quite handsomely where it's predecessor sat.

I love it.
Thank-you, Ron!
 

16 comments:

  1. You've got yourself one amazing brother-in-law, Judy! I love it, too. And am now thinking of showing it to a certain someone.

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  2. Beautiful - such a nice touch to your garden.

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  3. Kudos on having such a sweet brother in law. Sneaky one too...

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  4. I noticed it as I drove by yesterday...and wondered why it looked so much lighter than usual. Now I know - its not the same one! Nice job Uncle Ron!

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  5. What a sweet BIL to do that. I remember that wheel barrow, and I think I have a photo of it somewhere - saved in hopes that someone at my house would make me one - I have the perfect old iron wheel from a long-gone antique baby buggy.....

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  6. Oh now that is great! Hats off to Ron! It really is a good addition to the yard...

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  7. Oh I love it and love that a certain someone provided you a new one to carry some old memories forward and stack some new memories on top ....

    Hugs!

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  8. Your BIL is awfully sweet and kind. And the wheelbarrow is truly unique.

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  9. What a special BIL you have! I love the wheelbarrow!

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  10. What a lovely story and so great to have your barrow looking 'new' again.

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  11. Your BIL is so kind to make a new wheelbarrow for you, Judy! It is very unique in design.

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  12. Oh - I adore that wheelbarrow! What a sweet thing for your BIL to do. I have an antique one that one of our farm dogs chewed and destroyed many years ago. I've always wanted to have it restored - hmmmm I have a few great BILs as well! You've got me thinking.

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  13. I'm glad the mystery has been solved as I know you ranted over this one many a time. Someone knew what you needed. Fits perfectly...maybe just a perfect photo prop....

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  14. Now that's what I call a good warranty! I'm sure your BIL knows you will treasure this one as much as the other.

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  15. I love the last picture with that spectacular mountain in view.

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~ Ralph Waldo Emerson