I was just having my morning chat with Redhead and we were discussing myths, make-believe and the many wonders of the internet. How we chat online and feel we know people, despite having never met them. We both agreed that, in this locked-down world, our online friends are becoming more and more important. 

 When we create an online personna, we give ourselves a name. In my case, it is the delight I have in remembering my late father, known as Raymond F Peters who posted here until his sad departure to give God a bit of a hand. My Dad used to sing a song called " The Naughty Lady from Shady Lane " and I, at my tender age of none of your business, still like to think of myself as that naughty little lady who snuggled upon his knee and promised to buy him a yellow taxi one day. ( Quite why I would do that, I have no idea). But I did.

Even in my 60's my Dad knew that I was the naughty lady from Shady Lane and, from the day I was born, I put their lives in a whirl. 

In the course of our conversation, we had to come to Redhead. As one does. 

A hastily created avatar of the Redhead on the box of matches that we all recognise and has become part of Redhead's online personna here at Patriot Realm.

But what, just what would happen if Raymond F Peters had something to do with it?

Of course, Redhead and I were having a great old time by now and I decided that my late Dad, her husband, always saw her as Jessica Rabbit.

Mum felt that perhaps I was being a bit too kind but agreed that the resemblance was uncanny. At 89 years old, she felt that perhaps it was not entirely accurate and that it was not quite right to share her image with all and sundry on a community website such as this. Plus, she hastened to add, her thighs are much slimmer.

I agreed. 

I suggested that the problem was that how we see ourselves online is not necessarily how we really are. 

I believe that we are all as we see ourselves. Online, in real life and in our minds.

Getting older does not diminish the way we see ourselves.

About 50 years ago, our family knew two dear spinster ladies who lived with their bachelor brother. One day, the two sisters were walking down the road and got a wolf whistle. They would have been in their 70's at that time.

Far from today's outraged young women wanting to lynch the young builder who blessed them with a wolf whistle, they went home and giggled like school girls. That young tradie made their day.

A few days ago, my brother took a photo of Redhead that was not the most flattering. 

He sent it to family.

Well, this is Shaydee setting the record straight. 

Redhead is still gorgeous and Raymond F Peters thoroughly approves of this message.

What is it that makes us choose our avatar? What is it that we seek to convey? Are they random or carefully thought out?

I hope this short meandering gives you all pleasure and delight and makes you remember, as Flysa said, WE MATTER.