My brother would have been 47 today. Please don't drink and drive, or, in his case, ride with a friend who has been drinking.
He was a huge help to me. He'd come over and fix things, mow the driveway ditches because I was too afraid of the steep slope to do it, helped put up fence, just generally do anything that needed doing.
He liked to drink Coke, and would leave the cans wherever he happened to be at the time. I would find them all over the property, and it annoyed the heck out of me.
Now I have a collection of Coke cans in my garage that I can't bear to part with. Silly, isn't it? I want to make something with them to hang on the wall of junk, I just have to figure out what and how. They would have to hang upside down, so they don't collect water and become mosquito breeding grounds. I'll have to review my Cathedral of Junk photos and see if there is anything there to inspire me.
12 comments:
Happy birthday to your brother. Poignant and bittersweet memories for you. I love the idea of an artful memorial on your wall of junque.
I'm so sorry about your brother. Hugs my dear friend Annie.
sounds like an awfully great guy. i'm sorry for the loss, annie. when was it?
i used to cut up aluminum cans to use as shims for stone installations. i once made a mini, lightweight campstove out of a single can that would cook a pot of coffee or a can of beans...let's come up with something functional to make out of the cans. i think he'd like that?
He was a great guy, Rick. It was three years ago, right before Mom moved in with me. And when I say right before, I mean we had his funeral the day Mom was supposed to move in with me, so we pushed that back a week.
You're right, he would love something functional, but how/what? You have ideas?
yes. but i'm not sure it's something you'd want to do. and i have no firm idea of the function.
i see a weaving of aluminum strips. (coke cans tear almost like paper once you get them started. or cut easily with scissors.)
let's email tomorrow and we'll *talk* about it. i'm sure with a little friendly prodding you'll come up with something less labor intensive and more apropos.
We had a dear family friend, Justin, who was born on Feb. 2 (we always remember his birthday because of groundhog's day).
He was a GREAT guy, sounds so much like your brother, except Justin was born around 1910.
Feb. 2 must produce good people.
I look forward to hearing what you come up with for those Coke cans!
~Amanda (gr8aunt)
Dang...I'm sorry you lost your brother, so young was he. I love that you kept his coke cans and have a sort of plan for them. That is a very cool memorial tribute to him.
I love your blog by the way...I send it to many, especially those with parents who have needs, health issues. You are such an inspiration. You are the daughter everyone wishes they had!
Just my thoughts on the coke can possibilities: wind *chimes*
I have always leaned towards forms of recycling that incorporate more than appearance. Like hanging old drain pipes where the wind can blow through the holes and make music on windy days. Arranging the coke cans to please your eye and using copper wire (?) to hang them from a stick or board above or out from the fence where they will move in the breeze might be one thought. Maybe cut the cans into spirals that swirl or coins that swivel...?
Peace, Annie.
No, that's not silly at all. It's a great idea.
check out these web links for the stove i mentioned...
http://www.maxim.com/articles/index.aspx?key=10366&pg=1
i made one a few years ago and it fucking Works. and it's shocking how long the tiny amount of alcohol burns. super lightweight. super small. super cheap.
you never know when you may need an emergency burner.
there are obviously other designs: http://www.csun.edu/~mjurey/penny.html
sorry i've been out of pocket. what have you up with?
Rick, you must have been commenting as I was writing. Check your e-mail.
Heres to your Brother!
Darn right...don't drink and drive.
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