A little glue, a little dirt

 

My old and dedicated to yard work sneakers might be on their final lap.

That may not be completely true. I’m bringing them in to the repair shop. A bit of the all-purpose-extra-strength glue and the one with the flappy outer sole should be back at it in a day or two. Might even be able to repair one or two spots on the other one.

For those that aren’t sure what I’m talking about, I retire my older sneakers… by putting them to work. Anyone that has gone outside with good intentions, clean sneakers and a lawn trimmer understands why old and dirty sneakers are the more preferable gear out on the lawn, when gardening, and for other assorted digging in the dirt endeavors. You tend to be a little less upset when the older footwear comes back inside completely green.

Problem for me is that the sneakers tend to reach a certain point before I toss them on the workbench in the garage. A hole around the toe would be one likely issue. A flappy sole another nuisance. All of which means I’m often bringing the sneakers to Terry’s crafting workshop, where the best adhesives are to be found, and a little bit of maintenance effort is put in. Bit of glue here… bit of glue there… tape to hold things tight for a day or so while the glue dries… and that should about do it.

There’s a classic joke about something old, usually applied to things like junk cars, that is built around the idea of not washing it because it’s actually the dirt holding everything together. This morning, I made the repairs and it would be safe to say this isn’t the first time that this pair has been exposed to a bit of glue. (Or the second time. Or third. Truth is probably clear of a half-dozen repairs, but I’m not officially keeping count.) And as I took the top off the tube and prepared to fix the latest issues, it occurred to me that the idea of what is holding them together might be worth considering for these sneakers. Would I be using them again? Yes. Would they actually be fine for what I have planned for them? Yes. If you cleaned them up, and took away the glue I’ve used on them, would there be much left? Debatable.

Again… not quite ready to concede they are being prepped for the last round of work before the trash pile. Also… wouldn’t be accurate to say there’s nothing left but the glue I’ve added. But the truth found in the joke is true enough to make me wonder about the things I salvage and fuss over and can’t throw away or replace. Sometimes it’s just being stingy and frugal. Sometimes it’s a bit more.

I have an old jigsaw stored with my tools. I highly doubt if I will ever plug it in again. It is quite literally more than five decades old. It’s clunky and metal and awkward and not quite right. If you set up a blade and plugged it in, it will act like a saw and cut things. Really doesn’t cut them in a straight line. Might not create anything even close to a smooth edge. But there is no argument that it runs. It does.

That jigsaw was also something my father handed me many years ago. One of the first tools I added to my collection after moving out on my own. I have memories of it in my hands as a kid, on those days when I was trusted to make a cut or two while working on something around the house.

There’s stuff like that all over the house. Not necessarily with the meanings offered by nostalgia and emotion such as what the jigsaw has going for it, but things that are well worn and repaired for service beyond any original expectations.

Sweatshirts with plenty of stitches… you’d rarely put one on if you were headed out to do anything special, but it’s the very first thing you look at on a chilly day when you’ll be staying in. I’ve got them. You’ve got them. And our closets are packed with them.

Looks like those sneakers are going to make it through the summer. Repairs weren’t as bad as I feared. I’ll be moving on to winter boots and heavier shoes for the winter, so it’s likely these old sneakers will be set aside soon and then actually make it to return of the next season of outdoor activities.

Now it’s time for me to go check that tire on the wheelbarrow. Wood is cracked near the mounting pieces, and actually rotting away a bit. But I think with a small piece of scrap wood, a screw or two, maybe some glue… good as new.