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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'>The Masher’s Last Stan<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'>By Ann Chiappetta<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Blog: <a href="https://www.thought-wheel.com/the-mashers-last-stand/">https://www.thought-wheel.com/the-mashers-last-stand/</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I learned to cook prior to food preparation machines and commercial blenders <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We used whisks, hand-crank mixers and potato mashers. I stood on the Romper Room emblazoned stool beside Mom until my little arms tired. I whipped cream, eggs, and sifted flour. I was practicing to be a Suzie Homemaker, don’t you know.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>After my parents divorced and we moved into an apartment, the budding skills became necessity. At nine I learned to scramble eggs, boil water for macaroni, and help make<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> meatloaf and meatballs. The spoon with the little holes and the potato masher made the move with us. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I estimate the utensils are over fifty years old, the spoon is solid stainless riveted to hardwood handle grips. The masher is also riveted and sturdy, not even a bit of rust. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dad’s carpenter’s measuring stick given to him by his father<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>was the final tool<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Laid in a reverent place among elderly scrapers, hammers and planers.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Bobby, said a friend, your making mistakes, get rid of that thing.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The measuring tape wasn’t as fun to play with<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>And pinched my tender fingers more than once<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dad would release the stop and we listened to it retract as if by magic and<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>He would chuckle and say something about<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The wonders of modern technology<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Then whip out the stubby pencil from behind an ear, mark the wood<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>clip it back to his waist and return to work with the hand saw.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I pretended the curled papery bits from shaving the wood<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>that fell like<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dogwood petals onto the shop floor were<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Secret messages from fairies or a mouse<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I put them to my nose and inhaled the fragrances <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Cedar or pine was the best<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Pop gardened and gave me the first taste of fresh mint<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Strawberries warmed and sweetened by the sun<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Pickled cucumbers in jars so big a child’s hands could not <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>carry or open them <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>My little fingers squeezed<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Lupini beans from their casings as directed<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>By the little Italian lady visiting<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>From next-door<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>and my lips tingled from<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>a bit of afternoon antipasto <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>and my confidence was tempered<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>by losing a few hands of Casino<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I tried buying lupini beans and couldn’t find them<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Though I remember the card game rules and pulpy fragrant<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Refinements Of the shop<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>And how attached I am to a few outdated implements<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The telltale products of my youth.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:Anniecms64@gmail.com">Anniecms64@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>Ann M. Chiappetta, M.S.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>Making Meaningful ConnectionsThrough Media <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>914.393.6605 USA<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:Anniecms64@gmail.com">Anniecms64@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>All things Annie: <a href="http://www.annchiappetta.com">www.annchiappetta.com</a> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>Ann M. Chiappetta, M.S.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>Making Meaningful ConnectionsThrough Media <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>914.393.6605 USA<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:Anniecms64@gmail.com">Anniecms64@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>All things Annie: <a href="http://www.annchiappetta.com">www.annchiappetta.com</a> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>