Since my family is all from New England finding out I had ties to the Mayflower and the Salem witches came as no surprise to me. In fact, I'm related to a dozens of the witches. Elizabeth "Goody" Proctor is my 9th great grandmother. She's the one the book, The Crucible was written about so when it's a full moon and I get a yearning to rip my clothes off and dance naked in the backyard now I know why or at least I have a story I can tell the police when they come to get me. Speaking of books and authors...Laura Ingalls Wilder (Little House On The Prairie) is a cousin, also, but I don't think I have that prairie thing going on, but Mildred definitely can rock a witch's hat!
Today wasn't a great day for discovery. Benedict Arnold popped up. I know all families have skeletons and scalawags, but traitors??? Okay! I guess I'll have to own it. It's not a close tie. He's like a 4th cousin 8 times removed. That doesn't even qualify as a kissing cousin, does it? Who of you out there understand the generational relationship when someone says so and so is 2nd cousin 3 times removed or 2 times removed? Anyway, I'll take Benedict Arnold just as long as I don't find out I'm related to Donald Trump. I know there's a fat chance of that happening because all my DNA is planted in the British Isles. I better shut up. He might have a smidgeon of Irish or Scottish tucked up his fat ass somewhere and it really would make me cry if I found out we're kissing cousins.
Speaking of crying, yesterday while sitting at a traffic light I had my one of my "moments." There was a lone bird sitting on a wire and as I watched it, I started crying. Now, as I type this I'm starting to cry again. My mother used to tell me that all birds sit on wires in the same direction. I used to tell her she's crazy. Every time I'd see birds, I'd always look and they'd never be sitting the same way. Where she got that idea I never knew, but it became a standard joke my kids and I would tease her about. Yesterday, there was just one little bird sitting alone and it made me cry. The flood gates opened and I cried all the way to the doctor's office.
My goal tomorrow is to do some more work on the bedroom so I can work towards getting it ready to move into it EVENTUALLY. My kids are worried that it will bother me to move into my mother's old bedroom, but I think I'm okay with it and of course, my dogs are okay with wherever I am as long as they get at least 75% of my bed.
I have been wondering how you were doing, mildred. thanks for checking in. keep your goals in sight.
ReplyDeleteApparently there is a statue honouring Benedict Arnold in Montreal, because he was considered a hero in the British colony of Canada at the time. See? It just depends which way you look at things!
ReplyDeleteHugs. The second cousin once removed thing is a mystery to me. Growing up immediate family was all I knew. Over the years the family has now grown and despite not being a good aunt I am a great aunt (several times over). The younger generations DO have cousins (and know them).
ReplyDeleteSigh on the medical front. I am in their hands as well, and not having a fun time with it.
I hope both of us find that magic wand to wave soon.
Don't worry about it girl. On my mothers side we are related to Aaron Burr...and he shot and killed a president. I guess good for me trump is gone.
ReplyDeleteNice to see you post again. Miss you toots. Hope Cecil is good lol!!!!!!
Grieving a parent is hard. Let the grief come as it wants, but let it go the same. Last night I found out about my 6th great grandfather and grandmother. He had been a weaver in London and decided it didn't suit him. So he came to the Maryland colony around the Revolutionary war. He signed up and worked himself up to a sergeant major. He crossed the Potomac with George Washington. Another of my 6th great grandfathers did too. It is possible that they at least knew of each other. After the war he was penniless except for a land grant in Wilkes County Georgia. He went there and married a thirteen year old orphan. They were married for more than 80 years, had 16 children and expanded their land holdings and wealth. I have not yet dug into the ugly truths about this. To have as much land and wealth as they had ended up with they must have enslaved people. I would hope to be mistaken, but it isn't likely. I will look into that as well as other questions that I have found when rattling closets. But that is the fun and the risk of genealogy.
ReplyDeleteWhen you move into the room, conduct a ritual of some sort. Make it closure of your mother and a start of the room as yours. Candles or sage perhaps or prayers.
ReplyDeleteYes, i actually do understand the first cousin, second cousin, once removed, twice removed, and etc. In fact, i can draw a chart to explain it if i have to. Yeah, i know, i'm boring, but what do you expect of a janitor?
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping you feel better soon.
messymimi.I love your comment so much. cat.
DeleteGood to hear from you again, Mildred Ratched! Thinking of you. Anyway ... I did an genealogy/ ancestry/ health DNA test a couple of years ago. Main reason was to know about certain health condition recurring in our family. Well, now I know that I don't have the dreaded BCA1 gene (aggressive breast cancer), but I also learned that I could display dementia in old age ... Whoopee. Anyway ... consider yourself hugged, friend. Sending love from Alberta, Canada. cat.
ReplyDeleteI think ripping your clothes off and dancing naked in the back yard would make you feel infinitely better, just a hunch. Studying Ancestry is big in The Man's Family, my MIL even compiled lovely Books for each Family Member, an expensive labor of love. As for my Family it's mostly word of Mouth and probably a lot of embellishments since they were good Storytellers. When I did the Ancestry DNA thing it came back as 21% 'Other' of Undetermined Origin, so the Mysteries remain for Dad's side...
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a very interesting family tree.
ReplyDelete