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lou J's avatar

Lots to love here, starting w the exceptionally validating connection between love of potatoes and strength of character. Makes me feel GOOD. I have a lifelong love relationship w the P. Mom was particularly skilled w em, and though I knew they were vastly preferable to instant mash, I loved the mash too, also drew crop lines w my fork, but worked through the “field” as if I were a ruthless bulldozer.

My first job was picking tobacco at age 12, often next to potato farms and when nobody was looking I would steal a few, polishing them on my horrendously filthy pants and eating raw. Eventually I decided to plant a few and that became a long lasting tradition. I don’t need em fancied up, though I have egads of good tricks to elicit their playful side. In fact, breakfast was a killer hash using the last bit of Dt Patty’s corned beef and a handful of yellows that a gardener gave me when I met em on my walking commute. Mostly I have em around in the classroom, often cooking a bunch and handing around randomly in classes and the hallways, especially appreciated on cold days when the heaters aren’t working. I have converted thousands who previously thought they didn’t like potatoes, but now know to love the comfort aspect, the lack of packaging involved, the Whole Foods nature of a nutritional staple that doesn’t have to be purchased at Whole Wallet.

Nice job on the drawings!

Just got reminded of a blissful solution to nearly freezing to death one December in Amsterdam (no money for lodging and not much for food), spending hours gazing at Van Gogh’s The Potato Eaters, making a beautiful connection that led to a most memorable and lovely first and only one-night stand.

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