This week's edition of New Yorker is the Innovation and Tech issue, not one I am excited to get, usually. But, like so much of the magazine, I read it all because the writing is so good that I never know what's going to pique my interest, and so much of it does.
I loved the irony of the cartoon: all that so we don't have to shell peas. Especially so, since, because of the many wonderful memories I have of my mom and I, sitting and shelling peas is one of them, that and husking corn. Raw peas and barely blanched corn for freezing were two favorites of mine. I'd do the work to get the treats. Thankfully Mom understood that veggies are veggies.
Walking the backfield for raspberry picking or driving to the blueberry patch; playing scrabble and cards; going to Elmira or Rochester for shopping (and always in a round-about way, almost corralling the mall rather than going straight to it); taking us to rollerskating with the fellowship group or to Cornell for the fireworks, I remember all that mom did, and none of it was high tech. Just hands-on time spent.
And yes, I can remember her crankiness or tiredness or anger at our fighting or lack of doing, but really, what matters most aren't those things. It's all of the above with so much more: the sitting at the pond or lake reading the paper after work while we enjoyed the water, the weekly trips to the public library or all the games and concerts she went to, always there supporting us.
Funny how a cartoon can remind us of so much.
Love
