I did not take this picture (it was taken at Radical Betty’s memorial celebration, I think by our northern correspondent Paulette) and I can only guess that the person on the receiving end of the command or terrification or whatever is your favo-rite blahgger. At 89, The Commander has one more year as an octo-woman and that gives us one year to think up something besides nona-woman to describe someone who has reached the age of 90. I’m sorry but nona-woman just doesn’t have the same ring as octo-woman.

And how is this most excellent woman spending her birthday? Well, the GG is up there and she has received calls and cards and I have even passed along Facebook congratulations from some of my childhood friends and others. And she is busy. As always. Sorting out this or that pile of papers or artifacts. She keeps telling me she doesn’t want to leave me with a mess and I keep saying something like, “I’ve seen messes. This is NOT a mess.” Kee-reist, there is new carpet and a wonderful cleaning lady. When The Commander is not dredging her supposed stuff, she’s going to water-ex and Sunday movies at Shirley’s and Reading Round Table or some other elders’ class over at Lake Superior State. Did y’all know that The Commander and Radical Betty were involved in forming the LSSU Elders program? Yes, they were.

The last couple of times I have talked to The Commander, she has been processing photos. Yes, I mean processing them. She is scanning old photos (I think) and adjusting the color, etc. On her computer. I think she is using iPhoto but I could be wrong. Whatever she is doing, my 89-year-old moom is pretty dern good at using her computer. She has bludgeoned her way through some situations with tech “support” folks that would have left me bleeding on the ground. I took *classes* to learn how to adjust colors on photographs. I know a lot of people who have octo-parents that can’t do anything with a computer. My dad was one of them. Once, when he and I were in Glen’s grocery store up in Siberia, he walked over by the door while I swiped my debit card through the swiper. My moom? All I have to say is, “YOU GO GIRL!”

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