Friday, September 5, 2008

Apple Slices With Danny

This morning I was peeling a pear for the boys babyfood and I found myself trying to do something my grandfather used to do with apples...peel them in a way that leaves the skin in one long strip. If you haven't ever done it, I invite you to give it a try sometime. It's harder than it sounds. Sure if you cut deep enough into the apple it's easier but Danny could cut it so that the skin was nearly paper thin and there was more apple to enjoy. He would usually pull out an apple at my sister's t-ball games. I would park it next to him and away he would go. It never seemed to matter if I was hungry or not, I would always eat the slices off his pocket knife right along with him. I think it was a sign of victory to eat those peeled slices. He had mastered again. It always tasted so good too. Maybe because deep down I knew he didn't peel that apple for any other reason than for me. He knew I liked it and it was a way we connected. I'm not sure where he first figured out that he could do this or if it took several years to master, either way it's a very fond memory I have of him. I'm going to keep trying to learn this trick. Maybe one day I'll pull it out of my pocket for my boys.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful story Sarah, truly a treasure and honor to pass on to your boys. Love you all Teresa

Tania said...

Thats a great memory! I think you should write stuff like that down. After loosing my mom, I try to write everything down.. because there are things I wish I could ask her, but can't. So if you write it down, no matter how old you are or what happens in life, they will have stories like that to treasure.
Tania

Anonymous said...

Grandpa Helburg used to do the exact same thing. He would sit on his front porch, lounging in his folding chair, admiring the petunias in the flower bed, and peel off the tart green apples from "his" apple tree. West Coy Drive has so may memories, but Grandpa peeling apples with his pocket knife is one of the fondest. That, and the fact that he always had change for 7-11 Slurpees!!!!

Anonymous said...

What a fitting tribute considering that today is Grandparents Day! Miss you guys :)

Love, Courtney