Ocho is not Old!

My oldest brother turns 42 today. Divide that by 8 (ocho) and that makes him 5 and 1/4 years. Not sure where the nickname Ocho came from but it fits. The expression Ocho is old is even more complex. I don't think I was around when this occurred. It was probably one of Dad's nicknames. Sounds like to me anyway.

John has always been good spirited and strong willed. He knows what he likes and dislikes and he isn't afraid to tell you. John and I have shared a lot of similarities.

We both indulged in smoking and drinking in our underage years, but he was never "indulgent" like I was and did things at a much smarter level than I did. He stopped when he knew it did not agree with him. He worried what others thought for him doing it.

We have both had mental breakdowns and neither of us will forget it.

John is usually on a mental high - his brains always working, processing. I feel I have a lot of this going on as well only my thinking is all to myself. And the things he remembers! Things like you cannot believe!

I always gave myself the credit that it was me who encouraged him to not be fearful of his bike. I guess I do cause I remember he learned the same day I did. He tried to drive a couple of times but realized it wasn't for him. I'm proud of him for trying.

John was always nice to me growing up. I would often ask to use his Fisher Price toys to go play in the back with. I especially remember using his camper with the little boat that fit so cute on top. Toys are not the same are they? He let me play with the Weeble Wobbles too. He was and still is a very trusting person.

We also enjoyed watching re-runs of Muppet Show and Sesame Street together. Mornings of the Flintstones and Jetsons we'd watch together. I caught him a few times watching these reruns even we were older. I used to get mad at him for it thinking he needed to grow up. Why did I care?

I can still remember the smell of our Christmas tree. You know, the smell from the lights warming the garland? And there he would be switching around all the green ones. His favorite color was green. One year he was the only one that chose right from wrong out of us kids when we decided to throw the ornaments into the air to see where they would land on the tree limbs. I didn't understand why he didn't get spanked that night.

I remember counting all the hydrants and what ones were green and what ones were red and just repeating the word, "Hydrant" everytime we saw one when we drove down the road. It was a lot of fun.

I never thought of him as my big brother or the oldest, just thought of him as my friend. *smile*

Happy Birthday John! Go have a great time! You are only as old as you feel and I know you, you will be a kid at heart forever!