Viking Bangs

"Hi Audrey,
       Do you remember when Grandma took this picture?  I think you were 2 days old. Look at how cute  you are.  I don't know what Auntie was looking at, but boy my hair was short.  Now it's 2 feet longer.  I rarely cut it - but when I do, it's only the bangs.  Uncle John says, 'Be careful, or you'll look like a Viking.'  But like Confucius said, 'dull scissors and Viking hair are better than dull brains' (or something like that).
      Love,
          Auntie"

"Dear Audrey,
      I'm sure you've heard all about 9/11 at school, and how that day changed everyone's lives - especially those at Ground Zero.  But did you know that after 9/11 shrines to commemorate the fallen heroes started popping up all over the place like this one? Right after 9/11 someone put a fireman's hat on this rock, and next thing you know there were flowers, plants, flags and all kinds of things around it.  To this day, 10 years later, you can still find these shrines on the anniversary of 9/11.
      Love,
          Auntie"

Hwy 46

"Hi Audrey!
       This is a picture along Hwy 46 near Paso Robles of a clump of trees in the shape of a heart.  Great-Grandma Joaquina loved this heart-shaped grove.  She also looked like the little old lady in the Burger King commercials in the '80s - the one who said, 'Where's the beef.'  She would say that in the back of the car when we'd drive along Hwy 46.  Auntie and Aunt Xie would die laughing. She would also speak Portuguese to Grandma, and we had no clue what she was saying, but could tell if she was talking about us by the change in the tone of her voice.  We loved her and miss her a lot.  She would also say, 'Quoi ta thine,' when translated means, 'Poor little thing,' or something like that.
      Love,
           Auntie"

Bird Brain

"Hi Danny!
      This picture was taken 9 years ago at one of Grandma's famous yard sales.  Notice how Cukor is sitting on your dad's shoulder, and how Nathan is pretending to be Cukor's head?  Although Cukor's head really looks like Cukor (not Nathan) humans and birds both have similar brains in that the surface, or neocortex is folded.  That's why we relate to them & cats & dogs.  Rodents have a smooth neocortex so we don't find them as cute.  Birds are actually very smart.  So if someone ever calls you a 'bird brain', say 'Hey, Thaaanks!" (just like that).
      Love,
          Auntie"