I wanted my first post on my new blog to be something about the title of my blog: the creative ways my sisters and I have coped and created through the years ,and the ways we continue to do so. But at 4am this morning, lying in my neighbors extra bedroom, I knew I had to start with my brother Dave, and potatoes.
I had the opportunity to see my brother Dave two weeks ago when we made a trip to the homeland (Altoona, PA, a 9 hour trek from here) to visit my parents. We spent wonderful time with my mother and father, and saw 6 of my 12 surviving siblings, so we were very successful in three days! The last night, just as we were preparing to go to bed so we would be rested for the next days 9 hour return road trip, my brother Dave calls. “ Are you still up? Can I stop by? I’ve been out of town refereeing and I want to give you some potatoes before you leave.” Well, of course I stayed up; and Dave arrived, still in his black and white striped shirt, still with his whistle around his neck, and in each hand, a white garbage sack full of, yes, potatoes. As he retired from his full time teaching and coaching position, he became a farmer. And he had some beautiful potatoes in those two bags. Have I ever thought potatoes were beautiful before? Well these were! And there were several pounds of three kinds of potatoes!!!
Well, we brought those potatoes home with us. And we rejoiced in the bounty of our potatoes. Ten days after returning home, the second snowfall of the season struck on October 29th, overpowering the Northeast in a heavy smothering, limb breaking, power line dropping snowstorm. That was 6 days ago. No power, no cable, no internet, and so far, no repair trucks for the downed powerlines to my neighborhood. Many times I begin to feel sorry for myself, waking up at 3am my body rigid because if I move I let in cold air to my sleeping bag/blanket/winter coat package I sleep under. When I count my misfortunes, I have taught myself to also count my fortunes. So, when I get overwhelmed, thinking about how to get through one more night, how I will replace the spoiled contents of my refrigerator, how many more nights it will take before power is restored, one of the positives I tell myself is ”Well, at least I have potatoes”. And thank you, Dave, I am grateful. I have plenty of potatoes!!!
