A tribute, with gratitude, to my brother

My brother's birthday was last week and I did something that I don't usually do for his birthday -- I sent him a gift!!

Or rather, I MADE him a gift and sent it to him  : )

This was taken in 2007 

We stopped exchanging gifts years ago and now just send an email message or a cute online card. But this time I got an attack of the crazies and decided to crochet him a scientifically nerdy gift. He is, after all, a chemist, and a professor, and does research having to do with dental sealants. I dunno, I just crochet and paint and embroider.   :p

We are like two peas in a pod!! Yeah, right. I remember him trying to help me with math -- a very frustrating experience for both of us to be sure! It definitely didn't take because I still count on my fingers!

But I doubt that he can crochet! He can paint though. Beautifully. And way, way better than I can.

This was taken sometime in the 80s and is one of my favorite pics. 

We're both a bit grayer now (OK, a lot grayer...) !!

So, Mr Earl N. Meyer Flask (that's Erlenmeyer flask to all you chemists out there...) has gone off to play on a shelf in my brother's office, next to an Indian coffee pot apparently -- I hope they don't trade liquids, Earl's looks like his might give you a tummy ache!

I put some fiberfill (or, as Noli calls it, "fluff") in the top so it looks like vapor coming out...

and, of course, he looks like that's a scary potion he's mixed up!

My brother did many things for me as I was growing up -- things that I remember and am grateful for to this day. He was 12 1/2 when I was born. Gotta put that 1/2 on there, but now he tells me that somehow our ages are getting closer as we grow older... huh? Has something to do with that math he never could get me to understand... My hubby agrees and tried to explain it to me, but to no avail!!

Anyway....

I'm sure he did a lot of babysitting and changing of diapers, but I remember the sweet things he did that brothers often do not do with their little sisters. Like take me on a picnic with his girlfriend, and letting me ride in his soap box when he was racing with the other boys on the street (this thrilled me to no end), and writing letters to me when I was in high school (he was in the Navy stationed in Bahrain at the time) and talking about the things that concern a high school girl -- boyfriends and dating and popularity. He gave me good advise that my mother probably wouldn't have talked to me about. I still have those letters.

As a child, I would save half of my popsicle for him and leave him notes on his pillow telling him goodnight and that I loved him. He was the one who indulged me with my imaginary friend (Moosie, who looked like a monkey), carrying him around by his tail like I did. He would stick me under his desk and tickle me with his toes when I bothered him too much while he was studying. He was the one who consoled me when HIS dog died and I was the one who found him.

After getting his Doctorate, he moved to Holland to work with Unilever (parent company of Lever Brothers) and lived there about four years. The summer before my senior year in high school, he gave me the gift of a trip to visit him -- for the summer! What an experience that was!

He was tantamount in convincing my father to let me move out of the house, and move to New Orleans (from Baton Rouge where we lived) for my first "real" job and an apartment of my own. He lived in Slidell across Lake Pontchartrain from NO and so was near enough to come to my aid if necessary. This was a turning point in my life, as my father was very strict and didn't allow me much leeway in how I lived my life or the decisions I made.

And so, I wanted to give a little tribute to my brother and to let him know how much I love him. I'm sending him a link to this post -- just watch him blush!

I'm also linking this to the Blogging Business Artisans team challenge for this month. As team members we participate in at least six challenges each year, the themes determined by our team members. This month's theme is Gratitude and we are asked how gratitude plays a part in our lives and to create something that shows that gratitude. So my little flask is a tribute to my brother, for his birthday as well as all that he has meant to me.

And, one more tribute to you, big brother! This is an Etsy Treasury that I made for another team (from my Magnolia's Attic vintage shop) -- the Etsy Vintage Team. Just for the nerdiness in you!! (Although I don't consider you to be socially inept as nerds are wont to be....)  : )

A Scientific Experiment






                       
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