Half Way Around the World

Sometimes I curse modern technology, especially when I don't understand it, which seems to be a lot more often than I wish. At the moment I am in Edmonton looking after four grandchildren while their parents are in China picking up their new sibling.

The phone rings and when I answer it the line is dead. This has happened more than once so I think I'm doing something wrong and will have to ask the children to show me how to answer their telephone. Ridiculous! All these new telephones are different and claim to be very simple to use. Sometimes I long for the old fashioned telephone that you just picked up without having to push buttons.

On the other hand, I have discovered the amazing world of skype. We sit at the computer in Edmonton while my son and his wife are in China on their computer and we see each other clearly and talk to each other clearly. Wow! This is so amazing. And we are able to do this several times throughout the day. When we lived in Scotland 30+ years ago, we'd be fortunate to receive a hand written letter occasionally and telephone calls from family in Canada just a time or two a month.

Today I am very grateful for modern technology and will remember the day I met my newly adopted granddaughter the next time I feel like cursing all the gadgets and buttons that defy me.

See my new granddaughter www.theriegelfamily.blogspot.com