Through The Glass Dimly

It never rains but it pours, or so the saying goes. There have been a number of related expenses since upgrading to the new computer, the latest being a new scanner. I have an old, fairly decent one, but it doesn't talk to Windows 7 terribly well. Even then, on my old computer, it wasn't able to cope with most of my slides, which I would like to digitize. The majority of these, from the seventies, aren't in very good shape; they're quite dark, and the old scanner resisted working with them.

I was gifted with a new little, dedicated slide scanner for Christmas. It worked, but I wasn't totally happy with it: neither the software not the results. So, yesterday, I returned it to Blacks and ended up at Henrys looking for a replacement. Somewhat surprisingly to me, I was pointed to flatbed scanners, and, even more surprisingly, I purchased one. I am finding that it will scan my slides, and although the results are problematic, I am usually able to salvage something. Like this one.


It's my dad, and I just used my fingers and toes to figure out that he in the picture and I at my computer right now are of a very similar age, probably within a year or at most two. But here's why I'm really posting this photo: the magnifying glass in his lap by the newspaper, the famous magnifying glass.

For as long as I can remember this "glass" has been around. If I have my stories straight, my maternal grandmothers used it, so it's at least 60 years old. At least!

In turn, both my parents used it. Not long before Mom passed on, she greatly amused us by proclaiming that she should get a new one because "They wear out, you know," for so it seemed that way to her dimming eyes. We still chuckle over her conclusion.

Now, Cuppa and I find ourselves using it from time to time to read the fine print, particularly on medications. Just two days ago, I was straining to determine just how many decongestants I should take and how often. After much squinting, even with the magnifying glass, we believe that it's "one or two tablets every four hours to maximum of six per day."

I think my magnifying glass is wearing out.

Meanwhile, it's now being used to some degree by the fifth generation of Grandma and hr descendants as Nikki Dee is quite prone to latching onto it when she's visiting. Looking at Buppa's enlarged facial features must work for her, however, as she hasn't complained that it's wearing out and needs to be replaced.