Thank You, Internet

I'm old enough to remember life before the Internet. Are you?

Back in the old days, we read local newspapers to learn what was going on. The biggest conduit for entertainment was our television set. We had phone books and encyclopedias. To "look something up" took a great deal of effort.

Then, e-mail emerged. I got my first e-mail address in 1996. Gradually, the World Wide Web grew and companies started putting up websites. Online information and resources replaced analog ones. Today, you don't get a phone book delivered to your house; you go online to check virtually everything, like where that new restaurant in town is, when it opens and what's on the menu.

In two decades, the analog world shifted to a digital one, with everything available at our fingertips. Now, you apply for a job online, you buy health insurance online and you shop online.

Do you remember the old days? When did you plug into the 'net?

What brings this social development to note for me is a lovely gift from a friend. Lynn is a sweet woman who became my friend a few years ago and has been my most ardent supporter. Lynn always says nice things on my blog; we chat on Facebook and e-mail; and she writes on her blog about her family and scrapbooking.

Why does Lynn make me think of the Internet? Because she lives in South Africa, halfway around the world. I can't ever imagine finding someone that far away before the 'net made it possible. Only through online communication were we able to forge and develop a friendship. So, thank you for that Internet!

Lynn's sister, Wendy, also blogs. I've been trying to persuade them to adopt me as their sister. I'd leap at the chance to be related to these wonderful women.

Lynn recently gave me a necklace made of multi-colored beads. It's several shades of orange and was handmade in South Africa. Here's what it looks like...