Becky Says...

April 2002

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April 7

It's a good thing I don't automatically delete forwarded mail from the relative I have decided to start calling Cousin Forwards. She gets the name because a good 98 percent of what she sends is just that: forwarded e-mail, usually jokes that are older than the hills.

Anyway, yesterday, she forwarded one that informed us in its subject line that it was a forward of "Baby Picture." I figured it was a cartoon --- she sends those, too.

But I'm glad I looked. I didn't realize we were expecting a new grandcousin, but he arrived late last week, and he's a cutie. And he's named for my favorite uncle, which as far as I'm concerned guarantees him a good start. (Yes, I know that's not the most logical thing I've ever written. Hush.)

My uncle Ben was the next in line after my father. He was the one who was good with things that required hand-eye coordination, as in he could build stuff. None of the other brothers were good at that at all. And I still have some of the smaller things that Uncle Ben built for me when I was a child---some small shelves, and a lamp come to mind as examples. He had a workshop set up in the basement of his house, and it was a magical place. I used to love to watch him work.

More often than not, when I was at their home, he and my aunt were in the kitchen, with her working at some kitchen thing and him sitting quietly, reading the newspaper and drinking coffee. Usually their children were doing homework...they're all older than I am. And he was the soul of patience. He was especially good to me in those first few years after my father died.

Something I remember is that he taught me to drink coffee from a saucer---do you know that custom? It really does help cool the coffee if it's too hot. Of course, back in those days I had a sip of the stuff, with lots of milk and some sugar in it.

When I was still a pre-schooler, he would have me sit next to him, or on his lap, and would point out words in the newspaper to me. He was delighted if I already knew the words and could read them to him, but he was happy to tell me what the words were if they were new to me.

And I knew that if I asked him what something was, he would tell me. He was one of those wonderful adults who did not think it was appropriate to condescend to children. He might have given me less than total information if the subject was way outside my age range, but, for instance, I knew how those magical tools in his workshop worked (and why I had to stand back when he was working), and their correct names, long before school got in the way.

It is for things like the ones I've described that I remember him so fondly, though he's been dead many years now.

With pleasure I extend a warm welcome to the newest Ben in the family. I hope he turns out to be as good a person as the one for whom he's named. He couldn't ask for much better than that.

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Although the commitment time is over for those who participated in "Saving Kymm's Soul," the ring of journallers started by Beth in honor of Kymm's pledge to give up reading journals for Lent, the list is still available.

Text © copyright 2000-2002 Becky