Hello.
I had a very family orientated day… accidentally catching up with various cousins, which was really lovely.
So I must admit, I am very under-prepared for ‘Ruby Tuesday’ I’ll get a nice photo of Ruby sometime during the week, since I failed to do that today for you today!! 🙂
I did get a little bit of much needed weeding done in her carrot/beetroot & bean garden yesterday
As you know, I enjoy sitting down with Ruby having a cuppa and listening to stories. We sometimes go off on wild tangents to where we started – but that’s the nice thing – different memories get triggered when we talk about this and that.
I asked Ruby what invention had the biggest impact on her in her amazing 100 years. Very quickly and decisively she answered “Electricity”
She thought it made life for the farmers – especially the dairy ones – so much easier. Machines were developed and made that took so much of the load off peoples shoulders.
All the work that had to go into making a cup of coffee if you didn’t have a fire going – where we walk into the kitchen and flip a switch!!
Entertainment changed from standing around a piano for a singalong to sitting by the radio – or in front of the Giggle-Box as Ruby still insists on calling the television!!
Eventually inventions followed electricity – like the iron and the refrigerator. Bliss to have ice cream in the house!
Can you imagine in one lifetime going from no electricity to a world where we sit at a computer and talk to people we have never even met by the internet??
Can you imagine how you might cope if suddenly all that was taken from us? How many of us would adapt and survive or know what to do?
I’d like to think we could, but I would sure miss the worldwide connections – and ice cream!!!
I thought I would ask if there are any questions that people had for Ruby to add them in the comments – it might be interesting to get some different ones to make her ponder upon!
Anyway – here’s hoping our weather does something nice tomorrow… got plans that include not being inside!
Cheers!
PS occasional extras on my facebook page.
I’d like to hear more stories of how Ruby made ends meet during the great depression. That kind of knowledge may become invaluable someday…
Thanks for the question Caroline! I will enjoy an extended cuppa and chat over that one. I have been meaning for AGES to do a post for Mavis at One Hundred Dollars a Month about how Ruby saves money generally, but it would be really interesting to talk about the Great Depression specifically!
I can’t think of any specific questions, but I would love to hear her stories about growing up and just everything lol! I love to hear stories from yesteryear about party phone lines and one room school houses, boarding houses, and farms being the norm with moms making their own butter, creams, and everything in between. My favorite thing to do when spendinh time with family is to ask my grandma-in-law (she is probably 80-ish) to just tell me stories. She is writing a memoir and I can’t wait to read it!
Hopefully I will be able to get some more general stories of Ruby’s life growing up in the near future. I also enjoy reading old fashioned books about the kinds of things you mention – I was always fascinated with the book “Farmer Boy” by Laura Ingles Wilder. Have you read it? As a kid I was enthralled at the way this farming family lived!
How wonderful to have a family memoir!!
I have not read it, I’ll have to check it out. I must add a funny sidenote; before I read this post I thought your title was calling Ruby the best invention in 100 years. I thought it was very cute and also quite possibly true. 🙂
Thats funny! I am going to tell Ruby that!! Still…. not far off the mark! 😀