new member of the family

Okay, so not a living, breathing member, but an important one.  You see it's like this ...

By far, hands down, without a doubt, the most used small appliance in the kitchen is our beloved juicer.  It was an enormously generous housewarming gift from a very dear friend.  Here's the problem, while I was in Nashville, my ever enthusiastic dear husband decided to make some juice on his own.  I say enthusiastic, because really, it's one of my favorite things about him.  He just goes at everything in a big way and juicing's no different.  So like I said, while I was in Nashville, he mentioned his juice making efforts in our evening conversation and that the chute had gotten kind of clogged up and then the motor sort of made this strange sound and then the digital readout came up with a big "E".  That would be "E" for error, "E" for dead - bummer.  The closest authorized repair place was in NY.  With back and forth shipping, it would cost about $120 - $130 to replace the motor.  Major bummer.  And I was on such a roll - making a gallon of juice at a time ... hmmm, guess that makes me kind of enthusiastic as well.  Turns out, when I was talking to the repair guy in NY, he allowed as how, those juicers aren't made for that volume of juicing - well, that's not what the product info would lead you to believe.  Phooey.

So I ask the repair guy, "what would you get?"  He said, without a doubt he'd get an Acme 6001.  And he would be happy to set me up with one for about $200 including shipping.  "Thanks so much for the info.  I'll be in touch." ... or not.  I just wasn't feeling like this was the right time for a $200 expenditure, but I hated not having my juice!  I decided to do some perusing on-line and see what I could see.  Turns out, I found one on eBay - $45 plus $15 shipping = $60 = a whole lot less than $200.  So, it's used, but the repair guy did say I'll probably die before the motor in one of these gizmos gives out. 

Please welcome the newest member of our family - our unknown vintage Acme 6001 juicer ...

Actually, I can probably find out how old it is by the serial number.  I was the only bidder on this one and the seller even had a 14 day guarantee.  I'm quite pleased.

The other thing I like is this - I'm pretty sure this is the same kind of juicer my grandfather used back in the early 60's.  Oh man, so many memories - our family of seven was living in one side of my grandparents' duplex - 2 bedrooms for all of us.  And my older brother had his own room!  We had fold out couches in the living room for my sisters, my little brother was still in a crib and, for the life of me, I can't remember where I slept.  I do remember on cold mornings, standing next to the gas radiator behind a chair in the living room to get dressed.

But going next door to my grandparent's side, grampa was always concocting something.  He was either making some nasty juice mix, you know like beets and onions or maybe working on a poultice of fenugreek and golden seal that he'd put in an old white hankie to put on his head - to grow hair.  He actually did get a bit of peach fuzz going.  Grampa was a small, relatively frail man, bald as a bat with not a tooth in his head.  Apparently he'd had some teeth made at some point and would joke about putting them in for a "Christmas trick."  I never did see those teeth.  He'd sit in a kitchen chair trying to convince my full-figure granny to sit in his lap, all the time saying, "Come on Mama, give me a kiss!"  Granny and me would be laughing to high heaven. 

This is my Grampa - photo by my big brother and master photographer, Gene, the one who had his own room.

Oh golly, I could go on.  Funny thing how something so simple as a juicer can bring back so many memories. Looking back, living in that duplex was probably one of the most influential times in my life.   I'm pretty sure there's a book in there somewhere.  One day I'll figure out how I want to write it.

But for now, hope your weekend was grand.       

l i g a  - kvk