Do you have a spare tyre?
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381825)
Rockingham, Australia
June 24, 2019 8:34am CST
Although I haven’t heard the term so much lately, when I was young we would talk about a person have a ‘spare tyre’ meaning they were carrying some extra weight around their tummy. However, someone in Ireland must have had a different sort of ‘spare tyre’ as they’ve made a very ingenious swing for a child out of a motor car tyre.
I’ve seen tyres hung from tree branches as swings but this one goes a step or two further. I guess it’s meant to be an animal of sorts, maybe a horse. The support in front would give the child something to hang on to. Some people are very clever when working out how to create something. I can copy and adapt things but I’m not sure I’m good at creating a ‘first up’piece.
24 people like this
24 responses
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
24 Jun 19
i confess to've purchased such (they'd added a mane 'n tail 'f cordin') fer my eldest grands when they were wee. i'm with ya, i lack imagination 't seems?? then 'gain, i've diff'culties copyin' others brilliance, too. lol.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
25 Jun 19
@JudyEv t'was cute, we e'en painted eyes 'n added a lil bridle, lol. i wish i still 'd 't, but the daughter lost such'n her divorce. odd thingy to fight o'er, eh?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381825)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Jun 19
@crazyhorseladycx It's surprising what people get attached to. What a shame your daughter lost it.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (93194)
• Bangalore, India
24 Jun 19
Oh! That's some creative brain at work.
And for the use of 'spare tyre' in your young days is very much similar to what we say in India. Though it does not get place in any literary books. But often people with fat belly are said to be walking around with a tyre.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (93194)
• Bangalore, India
27 Jun 19
@JudyEv I think it would be called as body shaming in today's time. So might be people are not using it much now.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381825)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jun 19
@arunima25 You could well be right.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153544)
• India
25 Jun 19
That is quite original Here I have seen tyres being used as flower pots.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128830)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Jun 19
Whoever came up with that idea for a swing was a genius!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128830)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Jun 19
@JudyEv Especially if it was a steel-belted radial! There would have been a lot of steal wound in with the rubber!
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
25 Jun 19
How creative! People still do tire swings and they also talk about fat bellies being spare tires.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381825)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Jun 19
The swing is quite fancy for a tire one. It looks like it would be quite a bit of work.
@snowy22315 (208756)
• United States
24 Jun 19
I bet the kiddo enjoyed that! We once had a tire swing for son, and he had one at his grandparents too.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381825)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Jun 19
A tyre hanging from a tree makes a great swing and would be much simpler than this one.
@FourWalls (86580)
• United States
24 Jun 19
Sometimes I feel like I’m carrying a full set of tires around my belly instead of just the “spare.” 
Tire swings are very common in the south (Jimmy Buffett had a song called “Life is Just a Tire Swing”). Nothing that ornament, though!
Tire swings are very common in the south (Jimmy Buffett had a song called “Life is Just a Tire Swing”). Nothing that ornament, though!1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
24 Jun 19
Oh yes, I have heard that for extra tummy weight.... that is a cool swing, too
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381825)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Jun 19
This is the first one of this type that I've seen. Sometimes they just hang a tyre from a tree branch.
