This week has been full of watching. Watching the weather to see whether (weather...whether...whatever) I could do some work outdoors or in during a Hadnap. Watching the little guy's heiny thanks to a horrible case of...well, use your imagination. What makes one's heiny particularly neon red? Poor little monkey. (It's teething, BTW.) Watching a buttload of Sesame Street to keep him chill and relaxed. Watching "Little Women" during naptime because, well, Mama can only take so much Sesame Street.
Searching for my ancestors on Ancestry.com is beyond rad. The nights that I can keep my eyelids open enough, that is. Dude. I'm related to Martin Van Buren. (Not the best president ever...or possibly one of the worst...but it's better than Hitler.) Oh, and we've got a handful of relatives that came during the "Great Migration" in the 1630s, along with one that goes back to Edward I. Yep. King of England, folks. Feel free to kiss my feet or try to overtake my kingdom and behead me. That might be fun.
It just goes to show you, though, that you're missing out on something if you ignore the ladies. I wouldn't have discovered any of the particularly cool ancestors (or the "important" connections, although those who migrated during the Irish migration are just as important as the "known" characters on the tree) or have gotten as much information if I hadn't clicked on the little leaf next to the ladies' names. Mind you, it saddens me that there can be full-length books written about a family's gentlemen but all you really find out about the ladies is their birth, death, and marriage dates. But, as I've always known, we are all truly equal as individuals and, damn it, ladies are cool.
Probably why I'm so thoroughly enjoying reading Marmee & Louisa by Eve LaPlante. It's no secret I'm a Louisa May Alcott fan (see above spiel about Little Women), and this is an in-depth look at how her relationship with her oft-ignored mother impacted her life and writings. The fact that the author is a distant relative who grew up with first-source materials in her attic just adds to the "thrilling factor."
We're growing them big here in the dorky/acting out household. Aye-yea. Veggies in the garden. Cats on the furniture. Toddlers who look like they could start kindergarten tomorrow. He won't have his two-year appointment until next month (his pediatrician is having a baby this month, so...sheesh, how dare he? ;-)), but it'll be interesting to hear what percentile he's in. I feel awkward when people start talking to him in the 4-year-old rather than 2-year-old way at the grocery store and expect answers. There are times that he's completely social ("HI!!!!" is pretty much all he'll say to strangers, though) and others when he's a terrified ball of shyness, so either way, they doth ask too much.
Ignoring the fact that (counts on fingers) FIVE months from TODAY is Christmas, folks. The mess. The toys. The pile of ignored clothes. The running from one family to the next. The baking, the buying, the wrapping. Actually...I'm a little excited...but I'm still ignoring it. Hoping to simplify things a bit this year, too, so we won't jump off that bridge until we get to it.
What about you? What's "currently" happening with you? Growing anything cool? Ignoring? Searching?
Linking up to the incomparable Harvesting Kale and fabulous Ot & Et.
Ancestry is fun, isn't it? I discovered that my great-grandfather was a saloon owner in the mining town of Leadville, I had Mormon ancestors who pushed handcarts across the country on the way to Salt Lake, I had an Italian great - great - great grandmother named Felicissima (best name ever), my grandfather's family were Swiss Mennonites who came here sometime in the 1600's, and I am a direct descendant of King Olav of Sweden (ca 800ad). CatMan found out he had ancestors who came over on the Mayflower, and he is descended from King Charlemagne! Sorta puts things into a different perspective, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteOK - I'm off to go harvest some zucchini before they totally take over!
It is so, so incredible, isn't it? Makes you feel small and important all at the same time. ;-) Good luck with those monster zucchini.
DeleteI share a birthday with Woodrow Wilson... does that count? :) Shut your mouth about the "C" word! It can't possibly be the end of July.
ReplyDeleteMwahahahahaaaaa! Naw, Im actually depressed that back-to-school supplies are out...and that back-to-school clothes are so damn summery.
DeleteOne does not bring up Christmas before Halloween ;) We are staying home this year and I'm pre-looking forward to a super quiet holiday and at the same time pre-missing all the hustle and bustle and family. But I'm still shunning you for mentioning the "C" word (as Christine says, haha).
ReplyDeleteThat sounds about right that I'd be shunned. I'd never cut it as an Amish chick. ;-)
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