New blog things and life in general

Last night I finally had some time to visit with my cousin Lynn, my aunt and Lynn's kids (hubby wasn't home yet). I had Iowa shirts for the kids and a free evening.

Lynn, knew how unhappy I was about not being able to do the stuff on my blog which Joan and the rest of you can do so she offered to walk me through some of it. Unfortunately even though she is a teacher and explains stuff exceptionally well, it still seemed Greek to me, and she ended up doing all of the changes, including adding the award Patti graced me with plus adding some of my favorite blog reading lists.

Lynn also took every opportunity to tease me - her only oldest (by the way,the name comes from the fact that I am the oldest of Lynn and Joan's three cousins, and since there can be only one oldest, they have called me "only oldest" for many years)on my lack of computer abilities. My aunt and 12 really enjoyed the bantering between us but it made me think of times past when my aunt's memory was still very much intact and how when I was a child, every word she uttered to me was gold. Now, thankfully, unlike our grandmother, my aunt still has people recognition and past memories,although her present memory span is but a couple of minutes tops. It doesn't dimish my love and respect for her but it makes me sad that my same eyes which looked upon my aunt with wonder, now look upon her with compassion.

Watching Lynn play with me about my lack of computer skills last night while my aunt just enjoyed us being together,I was reminded of a time when I was the one Lynn and Joan looked at with hero worship in their eyes while they hung on every word I said. Those same wide eyes Lynn had as a child, now are teasing eyes when she talks to me all the while shaking her head at my lack of knowledge.

I am grateful that my cousins have these wonderful capabilities. I am very grateful that Joan was able to go to every doctor appointment with me when I had my stomach bypass surgery and ask important questions when I forgot to ask them. These two women are as important a part of me as my aunt has been all my life.

When I was 16, Joan was 6 and Lynn was 3, always tagging after me when our two families were together. I complained to my aunt as teens often do. She wisely told me that some day, the age bridge would close. I now know that it has closed completely. The only problem is that while the bridge Joan and Lynn have is sleek and ultramodern, made of stainless steel with innovative changes being learned daily, my bridge is still made of old wood with slats, and technology learned seem to keep falling through the empty spaces where the slats have fallen off.

I appreciate everything my cousins do for me and I am very grateful they encourage me to try to walk on their bridge. Unfortunately when it comes to technology (computers, digital cameras etc) my brain seems to be holding on to my old wooden bridge. I do know I can always count on both of them for whatever help I need even though there is teasing which accompanies the help. Without these two, I would probably be using paper cameras and the old 1905 Underwood typewriter which sits holding long past memories on my bookcase. These things always remind me that I am one very lucky "only oldest".