That's the answer to my neighbor's question to her husband, and here is the question...How come you are so healthy - walk well, see well, hear well, and you are 97years old? His answer - "two apples a day"..My neighbor is 91, frail, hard time to walk, partially blind, but she does have all her marbles and it really bothers her that her husband is so fit and she walks with a walker and gets so tired. Her name is Line, and she firmly believes now that she should have eaten two apples a day..her husband is a living example of the age old line An apple a day keeps the doctor away...and in his case two apples a day.
One thing though Line is so 'on the ball', and full of stories from her long life. Her birthday was last week, her sister sent her a box for her birthday and in this box was - for her a most wonderful surprise. She showed me this wonderful surprise, and I too was surprised when I saw it..a small suitcase, made of crocodile skin, very old with a lock and key, copper corners, and a very dark brown - the size was about a 14 inch by 14inches and about 5 inches deep. She said "this is Little Koffer", apparently that is suitcase in German.
Well this little Koffer was an important item all through her childhood - first when she went with her sister, mother and father from Germany to Holland..it carried all their important papers and visas..then when they had to go back to Germany, same thing, but this time it also carried some Dutch Chocolate and other small Dutch articles - which her mom did not want to declare, so Line had to put her jacket over Little Koffer and lean her elbow on it and look out the window when the Customs man came on the train. Her mom had their visas and passports in her purse that time.
Later during the bombing, Little Koffer had to be beside the door with the important papers, and again Chocolate, and perhaps some playing cards - as now it was used to go down to the basement. There was no bomb shelters in her town. She said - no important armament companies either..
Line tells me there are more stories to know about Little Koffer, so she will tape them, as being partially blind she cannot write or read. Once they are taped she will let me hear about the life of Little Koffer.
We didn't have a Little Koffer, and although Mac and I travelled quite a bit, he was the one who was responsible for our passports. Mac was The Koffer (suitcase), and I went through all our travels never caring a whit, He did all the worrying, the money carrying, the travel tickets, passports etc etc. Now I'm a nervous wreck wondering where everything is when I travel, even just going up north, I need a little Koffer..for so many things.
Right now I'm realizing just how much Mac did through the years...He knew each child's birthday - wrapped all the presents, (I at least bought them)I write the cards, and to this day I am never sure the dates of birthdays, and have to look at a special card that has the dates of each child, and grandchild's birthday. This card was made by Mac, and is in my purse size Adgenda..one little problem, I forget to look at it. I know that we will be celebrating three birthdays up north this weekend, Valerie's (how old is she I wonder), Christopher and Olivier our grandsons, I have a vague idea of their ages, but will check on the special card...my own little Koffer prepared for me. So remember to have a special Little Koffer and eat two apples a day..g'nite.
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