Sometimes newer isn't better

My brother Jay, my cousin Rovin, and me stayed with our Auntie a lot when we were young. I have a lot of memories. I almost didn't know where to begin. I thought a good place is an early memory of an old popcorn popper. We used to watch a lot of late night or early morning television. Our Auntie would pop popcorn for us. I remember just sitting there watching it pop. The house always smelled of buttered popcorn. It's a happy place for me. Back then, there were cartoons or children's programs early every morning. My brother, cousin, and me would always watch. One year there was a wedding. I don't recall whose wedding. However, I do recall there was a menu choice, fish or steak. I chose fish. My brother and cousin chose steak. Most of the people who chose steak got food poisoning. My cousin got sick but has an iron stomach. My brother ended up in the hospital. My cousin and me got up at six in the morning every morning to call my brother so we could watch his favorite cartoon on the phone together. It was Starblazers. I looked it up somewhat recently. Someone remade it. In all honesty, it's probably better than the original with regard to graphics, storyline, and characters. However, there's a part of me that really wants to be that child watching that particular cartoon, eating buttered popcorn on our Auntie's living room floor. 

Sometimes newer isn't really better. It's shinier. It's prettier. It's cleaner. However, if the heart of the child who lives within me doesn't feel the need to rise at six in the morning so I can excitedly share a moment with my brother and cousin over buttered popcorn, then it's not better.

Early memories

I remember both my Mom and my Auntie were nursing students. At some point they took different paths. My Auntie started working for an insurance company. I remember her boss had a private box at the horse races he allowed our family to use. My Mom started working in the lab at Saint Mary of the Woods. I remember her friends but not their names which is rare for me. Most of them were Nuns. One was a published author. She wrote a book where the main characters were my brother and me. It was an underwater story. I'm certain my Mom still has it somewhere. One baked me a birthday cake in the shape of a lamb. The fur was coconut. It had chocolate chip eyes. I had multiple birthday parties. I was really spoiled. I do recall none of the children, including myself wanting to cut into the little lamb cake. My Mom and Auntie took it into the kitchen and basically disassembled it; so, we would eat it. It was German chocolate. I only remember because we liked the nuts, cream, chocolate and coconut. I can't imagine it being anything else. One had this Golden Retriever/Labrador that had puppies. My first dog was the runt of that litter. Yes. I chose the runt of the litter. He was a good dog. He was my first love. He was the source of my first heartbreak when we lost him. 

The lady that gave me the puppy said she'd do her best to keep him healthy. However, he was the runt of the litter. That meant he's the smallest and may not be the healthiest. She told me most people don't want the runt of the litter because they're small and sickly. It made me sad. My brother was small and sickly when he was young. We wanted that puppy. I've never told anyone why we always chose the runt of the litter.

The holiday sibling photograph and other traditions

Every year for as long as I can remember, my parents took an annual sibling photograph. This ordinarily occurred at Thanksgiving or Christmas. At first, it was just my brother and me. Eventually, there were three of us. Today, I'm the oldest of five children. It's never been an issue. Whoever is present for the sibling photograph must be in the sibling photograph. Last year, my brother had a miniature breakdown. He didn't want to take our sibling photo because we were only three of five. It was 2022. Our Dad passed away in 2012. Two of our sisters moved to Washington shortly afterward. It was my turn to have a mini breakdown. I reminded my brother just how long it had been - just the three of us. He reluctantly took the photograph. We used to see oneanother nearly every weekend. Now, I have a nephew I've never met. Our Dad was the glue that kept our traditions alive. I never want to lose our traditions. It's like losing the last remaining pieces we have left of our Dad. 

Random thoughts of a different time

When I was young, our extended family would caravan across the United States during the summer. My Dad always marked the route on a map for us to revisit later. We always wanted to stop at every Stuckey's we saw along the way. Pit stops are fun for children. Back then, there was no seat belt law. Everyone just piled in where they fit. My Dad drove a station wagon. I always sat in the very back. I've been to forty nine of fifty states. I'm only missing Alaska. I hope to see the northern lights one day. 

A frequent stop for us was Niagara Falls. One of my most vivid memories is running beneath the falls with my brother and Dad. I remember Bedrock (Flintstones theme Park) in South Dakota. We have some cool photographs. Every time I have chocolate, I remember Hershey Pennsylvania. We've been to all the major tourist attractions. I remember my brother and I having strong "no" feelings about that elevator in the Empire State Building. Dad bribed us as usual. Funny thing, we didn't like elevators but would run stairs and didn't have a problem with heights. If it was a theme park, we've been there. If it was unusual, we've definitely been there. When we visited the painted desert and Grand Canyon, we heard about and visited this really cool underground cave with ufo cave paintings. 

I have strong memories of visiting relatives in California. I remember walking along the boardwalk. I have this vivid recollection of my Dad laughing maniacally because we drove down Lombard Street in a van. There was a sign that clearly said, "no vans". We mentioned it as we passed it. He said, "Oh well. Too late now." Sometimes, I still dream of the beach. Our family stayed at Venice Beach often. I can still smell the air sometimes. 

I remember the Parthenon in Nashville. I remember Beagle Street in Memphis. I remember Louisiana. I remember the World's Fair in Tennessee. Some of my favorite locations (off the top of my head) are still the Mirage in Vegas, Colorado in general, Universal Studios, and Cape Canaveral. I could keep going; but, we'd be here a long time. We still travel, just not as far or for as long. I can honestly say I miss it. It's nice to just get away.