My niece wanted to talk with me today!

6-year-old Avi decided she had time to chat with me on the phone today.

That almost sounds silly, but it was a big day. Avi's little brother, Zev, is quite a chatty 4-year-old these days, but Avi's over it. No time to talk with Aunty Robin. Her parents always ask though. "It's Aunty Robin on the phone, want to talk with her?" They try to put their hand over the phone quickly to cover her "NO!"

But today, her dad had accompanied her to a birthday party. While he stood on the sidelines, he chatted on the phone with me. I could hear Avi using dad as a kind of party home base. She'd run over and say something and run away again. Or he'd direct her to some party fun spot with "Go over there!"

By the time he asked that regular question, I knew quite a bit about her party activity.
"Do you want to talk with Aunty Robin."
"OK."
WHAAAATTTT!!?

I covered my surprise.
"How was the magic show, Avi?"
"Good."

"Did they have a rabbit?"
"Well, yes."

"You are such a lucky girl."
"I know it."

"Did you get cake?"
"Yes."

"You really are a lucky girl."
"I know it. Bye."

Short, but oh so sweet.


Another niece is just as non-verbal. She's 17 and in her first ...


year at college.

She was flying to Texas on Friday to join other students helping to clean up Galveston.

It's hard to get her to talk to me either.

But she did text me from Sky Harbor in Phoenix on Friday night. "I'm in Phx" She was five miles from me. I texted back, but got no response. A call went straight to voice-mail. Figured she was on a flight, but no idea where or why.


So I called her dad, another brother. Got the full story. She's been in Galveston, helping clean out the basement of an elderly woman whose husband had recording equipment and records and tapes that were destroyed. Sarah, who was raised in Hawaii, has never been to Texas.

Her dad says she's flying back through Phoenix on Tuesday.

I've got my text ready.

"How was Galveston, Sarah?"

And let's hope I get a response.

... and hey, I almost forgot. Another brother's daughter, Grace who is 11, has started following me on Twitter.

She entertained me and all her other followers with notes this weekend which included: Hmmmmm........... Homework................ BLECH

Not sure what these three say about the future of communication.. but I love it.

Robin, Tempe