There are severl ways to get your photographs onto the computer. One way is a scanner - if you do not have one, does someone else you know? You don't have a digital camera, you said, but if you have undeveloped film with pet picture on it, most places that will develop film for you will also make a photo CD for you at the same time. Ask about that ...

To make an avatar, you need to have an image that is 60x60 pixrls or less. Go to User CP then to Edit Options. Scroll down, hit "change avatar," then show it where your image is.