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Family trees are so interesting, you never know what you will find. I did a family tree for a friend and was able to go back to the 1400's as England kept excellent census. Found Sir Francis Drake was "related" to my friend, but he was a twig off a branch of another branch of yet another branch, etc. off of a major branch, so not a direct relation.

When doing genealogy, you get half of your DNA from your mom, and half from your dad. That means you have about 25% your 4 grandparents' DNA... about 12.5% of your 8 great-grandparents' DNA.... about 6.25% of your 16 great-great-grandparents.... 3.12% of your 32 great-great-great-grandparents. .... 1.56% of your 64 great-great-great-great-grandparents. The percentages are not exact as we can inherit a bit larger chuck of DNA scattered within the groups.
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One of my relatives was a Hessian soldier who fought for the British at the Battle of Trenton against the Continental Army. He was captured. George Washington left him behind at a farm to be used as a farm worker/prisoner as a thank you to the landowner for letting the Continental Army camp on the farm land.
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My relatives on mother's side were Norwegian and Swedish - probably Vikings way back! On my father's side seafaring English and Welsh. Mother was the one interested in genealogy but she didn't get further back than about 1700's I think. No scallywags that I know of.

On my mind today - teeth!!!

I hadn't been to the dentist for a number of years for a variety of reasons - covid being one. I decided I would rather have teeth issues than risk covid and long covid. Before that I went regularly and have had a lot of work done.

They did x-rays, and the hygienist started cleaning. Then the dentist walked in and said "Your teeth are good!!!"

Wow, what a blessing!!!

She also said "Whatever we can do you've got it" She was referring to implants, a bridge, crowns, root canal...She's right! And I want to keep them.

I will go back for them to finish the cleaning and for some work to build up some teeth (front bottom) to improve my bite. I prefer to keep my teeth if I can. I am still amazed and blessed at having no cavities. That's got to be a first for me!😊
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Golden: I, too, had a dental appointment today. I have been a nervous wreck due to having to wait 4 months to see a new dentist. I have an expensive mouth. Due to insomnia issues, I found a new dentist a mile from my house. Bottom line - it wasn't as bad as I thought. I am so glad to hear that you also experienced a good dental report. I purposely did not look at a friend's social media post as she wanted 11 teeth out. Your own teeth are always best.
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My husband has his follow up visit tomorrow to see how he is doing since his prostate cancer treatments.

These things always make me a bit anxious. My husband has never been one to complain very much. He’s an optimist and doesn’t worry excessively. I tend to hold my emotions inside so that I won’t upset him.

I am one of those annoying people who wants to look at all possible outcomes. He takes things one step at the time and is more analytical than I am. I suppose that is why he is the engineer in the family and I am a creative person in other areas of our lives.

We do balance each other and I would be lost without him. I have always wanted to die before him. Hopefully, we have many years together yet. Our 46th anniversary is coming up soon. Our daughters say they are going to throw us a huge party on our 50th wedding anniversary!

I still remember going to my parents church for a 50th wedding anniversary Mass and the celebration afterwards. Mom and dad were married 56 years.

My brothers and I were laughing because the priest was talking about what cigarettes and beer costs back when they married. My OB chuckled and whispered in my ear, “Only in a Catholic Mass would we be hearing this in an anniversary sermon!” LOL 😆

Please send good thoughts and prayers our way.

Thanks.
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llama - I am glad your visit went well. I am not nervous at a dentist any more as I have been so often. I can assess a dentist and hygienist very quickly, I like these new ones.

need - prayers for a good report for your hub. R had routine follow up scans the other day and we are waiting for the results. It's not nice. Wow 46 years. Awesome!!!

nacy - I just couldn't take the risk!

I wish the dentist would acknowledge that I must be doing something right even if it is not altogether what they suggest. Dr's too, A few years ago as my dr was away, I went to my dd's dr for my driver's medical and she looked at me and at my info and said "There must be something wrong here." I said , "No. I am (at that time) 84 and I can do squats." and proceeded to show her. I told her I don't go to my dr very often. With a frown on her face, her answer was "You'd better get to your doctor".

Why? I wasn't sick! I just needed a driver's medical.
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Science tell us that genetics and lifestyle do make a difference but ultimately life is a crap shoot, you can do everything right and die young or you can party hard and live to be 100.
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Happy Spring, everyone! 🌱🍃🌿🌸🌱🌼🌱🌷🌱🌺🍃🌿🌱

What are y’all planting this spring season?
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Anxietynacy, where are you? I'm in Maine (coastal, southern) and all of a sudden what was originally forecast to be snow followed by rain seems to have changed to a forecast of mainly snow plus some sleet, 6-10 inches interior, maybe 4-8 where I am. My daffodils are up, but fortunately not too high yet. The mallard ducks are back on the nearby pond, other birds seem to be back as well. I think we had spring in the late winter and now we're getting winter in the early spring. :-)
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Anxiety,

Tulips are so beautiful! Hope yours survive the snow!

Newbie,

Mallards are so pretty. The colors are gorgeous. Y’all have the most delicious lobster! I enjoy going to New England in the fall. We had delicious lobsters in Kennebunkport, Maine. Maine is lovely.

Here in the south, we don’t have four distinct seasons. We never have a long brutal winter. Spring is brief and our summers are hot and humid! Not much of an autumn here. No beautiful fall foliage.
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Anxiety,

I would enjoy seeing fall foliage. I have to travel north to see the leaves changing colors.

I don’t like cold weather at all. I think snow is beautiful but I would have to get used to living in a place where snowfall was commonplace.

It amazes me that my youngest daughter fell in love with the cold weather and the snow when she lived in Denver. She hates the humidity and heat that we have here in the summer.
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Mallards returned to our pond a few days ago. Chipmunks came out of hibernation and my feeder is filling with early spring birds such as grackles, red winged blackbirds and cowbirds. I’ve heard killdeer. Juncos, who come for the winter, have not flown north yet. Too chilly for goldfinches. It’s snowing, to total 6”. I plan to stay in and read all evening.
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Ana.

Do you live in a rural area with lots of wildlife?
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Goldfinches can stick around all winter but they'll be brownish, they won't get their yellow feathers until spring molt.
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Need: Prayers for your DH.
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Golden: Thank you.
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Thanks, Llama.

He had blood drawn today so we will find out Monday how he’s doing.
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Need: You're very welcome.
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Need and cwillie, our goldfinches return prior to changing into breeding plumage, but I haven’t seen one yet. We have robins that overwinter, plus lots of blue jays, cardinals and various woodpeckers. We’re rural - large acreage. A mix of meadows, managed and old growth forests. Wonderfully isolated. Several types of owls and hawks. Coyotes. Deer. Herons and kingfishers. And evil beavers. Occasionally in the summer I see indigo buntings, scarlet tanagers and orioles. If I listed all our birds, I’d blow through all the allotted post space. We also have wood duck boxes but sometimes screech owls or hooded mergansers move in.
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Ana,

Sounds beautiful! The evil beavers remark made me giggle. Please share some beaver stories with us.

I am a city gal but one of my favorite movies is with Chevy Chase, Funny Farm.

It’s so cute! Have you seen it? The couple from the city move to the country so he can write a novel. The plot is hysterical!
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Need, beavers are girdling and felling our mature trees, including beech, willow and oak. Girdled trees die slowly (they leaf but the roots starve) making the area dangerous, as they could fall any time. They dammed the creek downstream where the landowner is absent and disinterested. There’s an old beaver baffler in the dam but they’ve managed to plug it. I have been making hardware cloth tree skirts. We also suspect beavers are dismantling our bridge. Most of the decking has mysteriously vanished. They’re cranky and the pollute the water in our pond. “Beaver fever”. I got between the pair and one lunged at me. Fortunately I had a 125lb protective dog with me. I have most of a beaver skeleton drying on a window ledge (outdoors) which I hope intimidates them. (found the skeleton in the woods) Rotten rodents!
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Oh... if in winter it would just snow gentle, feathery flakes (from midnight to 5 a.m. preferred) and then there would be bright, sunny days with temperatures hovering around the freezing mark we'd all love winter.
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I live across the street from a large, popular suburban lake here in metro MN. A few years ago we had some beavers show up in our bay -- prior to this there was never beavers in the lake or even near it. Not sure where they came from. They are way bigger and meaner than people think. They did tons of damage to trees. But they are slow and one got hit by a car and killed. The other... rumor has it that someone shot it. Now we are being invaded by otters. Also very mean and very aggressive...not cute.
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Yeah, too many people can't seem to understand that wildlife is wild and does wild things, the stories I've seen of idiots feeding predators or trying to pet baby animals and generally getting too close so they can take a selfie are insane.
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We personally knew a woman who was training to try out for the Olympic swim team. She was at a cabin on a remote lake and went for a training swim. An otter attacked her in the water because they are territorial and aggressive. Bit her 80 times up and down her leg and disabled her. Very sharp teeth. Strong critters. Like aquatic honey badgers. Racoons also suck.
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Ana,

That’s wild! Now I see why you call beavers evil.
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@Ana

You know what? The beavers were there before man was. They live and build in water.

So pretty much man gets the choice to live in his cities with concete under his feet not grass, or he learns how to share the habitat with the wildlife who was there long before man was.
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I have lived next to this lake since 1986. There were never any sightings by people or reports of beavers by our DNR. It's a very popular busy recreational lake. After that beaver couple got done in, I've not seen or heard about any others. I'd hear all about it on Nextdoor if there were any. People would be cranking about their trees getting chomped.
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Burnt,

It is true that we have invaded wildlife’s territory. The animals have to have a place to live.

It’s amazing how wolves are traveling along highways now.

Bears are ending up in people’s yards, so are alligators and coyotes.
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Burnt, you know what? Until food sprouts through the concrete of cities, farmers (and others who service the rural community) will continue to live and work in rural areas. Beavers plug culverts and waterways, flood fields, roads and houses, fell trees that knock out power, block roads and fall on buildings and vehicles, plus contaminate water with Giardia Lamblia, so residents must boil their water. While beaver behaviour is often beneficial, there are circumstances under which they become an expensive nightmare. Much like a rodent or insect infestation in one’s home or business.
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