Blogger is blowing my mind. Everything is so spiffy and seems more high tech. Just to create a post!

I'm alternating between sleep, riding out symptom flares, and working my ass off for the last bit of major responsibility in my volunteer position. By the end of January, I'll have more time and will post regularly. But I wanted to get this up now before I forget.

For those who miss my imaginary conversations in my head, which sometimes happen between me and my Little Brother (aka. LB1, who is married so my fabulous brother-in-law is aka. LB2), I'll write the rest talking with him. (No this isn't really happening. He learns about our conversations later, when/if he reads. It's really amazing how dead on true these conversations could really be, as he said.)

Me:  You know how you were asking me to consider renewing my Pro account at Flickr?
LB1: Yesssssss....?????
Me:  Ok I did that, but only because you hosted such a great Family Christmas day this year and I had the new photos to post. And then I saw something which made me.so.happy!
LB1: Oh! What??!! What??!!  Did you catch a photo of Frankie doing something she shouldn't be caught on camera doing?
Me: No no. Wayyyyy better.
LB1:  Sooooo....ok are ya planning to tell me about this today or next year or what? Spit it out already.

Me: Ok this is soooo good I can barely contain my happy. ::beaming smiles:: When I was transferring the photos, my photostream had only older photos and someone had commented on one my all time favourites. I mean, that photo goes to the core of what I believe.
LB1:  What is it? What did they say? Who? Oh god, don't tell me it was (sister we don't speak to)....
Me: Christ, no, thank god. I said I was happy about it!! Aren't you paying attention?
LB1: Hahahaha .... that's funny, coming from you. Ok so continue I've got baking in the oven and dishes to finish so you just talk, I can hear you, but sit over there because I just like to know I have freedom to move and I don't want to knock you down and have you crack your head open on the ceramic floor. Ok, go.
Me: Hey, I pay attention. In fact, I work twice if not three times as hard as the average person, just to follow a conversation. I have to concentrate so hard I'm exhausted after a couple hours and my brain just shuts off. You know that!
LB1: I know I know I'm just playin'....where's Frankie? Frankieeee!!!!!! Come and get treats from Auntie Echomouse!!!!!  ... wait, can you hear her? shit, what was she into up there? .... oh here she comessss!!! Quick get the bag and only 2 treats each and you have to....

[Note: Yes this is the same Frankie who was only a kitten last I blogged. She's three years old now. And they have three cats now. Frankie's full name is Aunt Frank. No, not Anne Frank, which is what we all (and their friends) asked them:
"Why the hell did you name your cat after Anne Frank?"
and then LB1 would explain,
"No no, it's AUNT FRANK, after an Aunt we had, she was a drunk, highly entertaining, the funny stories we have heard about her, anyway, we just call her Frankie now."]

Me: I know the drill, I babysit them remember?
LB1: I know it's just Lola is being a bit of a hog lately and Kylie too even...
Me: Ok so can we get back to my happy news now? Whoops here they come charging in....
LB1: Here kitty kitty kitties!!! .... ok go, i'm listening.... oh look they're so cute!....my pretty girls.... ok i'm listening, continue....

Me: It was this lovely woman I met, well I think of her as a girl because she was a girl when I met her years ago. But the weirdest thing is ... she is one of the kindest, funny, not afraid to be herself, yet NOT a bitch, people I've ever known. Anyway, of all things, we met blogging, or rather we both read the same blog of someone else and then started reading each other's blogs. I mean this was like, this goes back to 2002 or 2003 or something. She even came to my house once! All the way from the USA, just because she was going to be in my city with friends. We had a really great visit. And then, somehow, we lost touch. Which I think was my fault probably. But anyhow, she popped up out of nowhere and left a comment on one of my photos at Flickr. And it's one of my favourite things in all the world, this photo - or the thing in the photo - it's just....the personification of life, to me anyway.

LB1: Wow, so that's great. It's always good to run into NORMAL and GOOD people again. It's when the assholes turn up that can turn your day to shit. Anyway, good for you!!!!
Me:  . . .
Me: Why do I feel like a pat on my head is coming? I 'm older than you remember!!?
LB1: Hah! That's what she said!...... hahahhahahahaha
Me: Haha. Well anyway, this was a really nice surprise at the end of a really shitty year. A really shitty several years. Well, I don't have to tell you.....
LB1: Yep,  no, I hear you. So good stuff! Ok I have to take this crumble out of the oven before the temperature causes the texture to.... (and then he just starts talking food lingo I can't follow which matters to him but to me means nothing. he loves to bake and cook and it's all just beyond me.)

So, after I busted open this blog again, I thought of her as one of my top fav people I miss from blogging days. But in real life too. So I left a link on her flickr to advise Echomouse is back. And she privately sent me a link to her blog and a message. She left blogging too but has been back at it very quietly and privately it looks like for a year or so. I've only had a bit of time to peek at it but I cannot wait to read it. She has been through what I went through, and more. But really good things too. But still, sounds like we both had a year we were happy to kick to the curb. 

And her first post for 2012 I just read is so much the same feeling and thought as my own, though much more eloquently stated. This woman has an IQ...I can't even remember, but she writes succinctly and beautifully about everything.  If she lets me, i'll share her blog link here one day. But for now, this is for you dear friend.....we WILL catch up soon I hope. I've missed you. Sending happy positive blast off 2012 only good things thoughts to you, and everyone else here too.