family medical history...

While checking here and there among family members that I know (there are tons of family members that I don't know both in the US and across the pond but that's neither here nor there) I finally came across the criteria I needed to have my BRAC1/BRAC2 test run under my medicare insurance. I was informed by both my cousin and my niece that my maternal grandmother (Me'mere') died of ovarian cancer. Since she died the same year I was born, I wasn't aware of this and don't remember my mother ever mentioning it. All I remember mom saying about her mother was that she was the sweetest gentlest woman. And she would have had to be as my maternal grandfather (Pe'pere') was in my opinion the sweetest gentlest man. He died when I was 9.  Anyway, I needed 2 people in the family that both had Breast Cancer or Ovarian Cancer. Since my sister died of Ovarian, and apparently my grandmother did also, that should do it... according to the lady at the Genetics lab.

But the story goes on... 

Before I got this joint info from my immediate family, I *churned up the waters* a little online.  I had done some ancestry research a while back and had come across a site called "findagrave.com". On it a relative that I didn't know had done a memorial for her great great great grandfather who had 2 wives and 23 children (Yes! 23! - now you can see why I said we had tons of family members that I don't know). My family had always hinted of this, but our actual facts were a bit sketchy. As the lineage goes, it turn out that her great grandfather and my grandfather were brothers. Anyway, during this disclosure, we emailed a bit and turns out that her father's sister and her own sister both had/have Breast cancer. However, these would be 2nd cousins and maybe second cousins once removed .... and too remote to aid me in my criteria search. But we shared info and dates and a few pictures... so it was a most fascinating turn of events. I appreciate the fact that she took the time to answer my email and even do a little searching for me. Kindness.

Now my interest in our ancestry has peaked again, but I don't feel that I can rejoin ancestry.com right now as their membership fee is a bit high. But I have compiled the info that I do have and am now using a board to try to keep things straight. And I'm trying to find some free sites that may help. If you know of any, I'd appreciate if you'd post them in my comment section or email them to me.

 Saw 3 squirrels eating from the cats dishes in the backyard...

Took a closer look...

One of them was bi-colored.... a combination of brown and blond

At first I thought maybe he had mange... but then the hair wouldn't be blond, it would be missing. So I'm guessing that he had some genetic mutation (looks like he got bleached in spots).

DH and I have been very busy this week. We decided since we were both home and had no appointments or commitments this week that we would thoroughly clean the house room by room... taking one room each day and taking the time to wipe down the walls, take everything off shelves, move furniture, vacuum under cushions, etc.  It has been exhausting, but satisfying. We've sorted through a lot. Some to be given away, some to be thrown away. I already have 3 boxes of books ready to go.  The best part is that the things we had high up on top of cabinets (that only gather dust) we removed and didn't put back. Next time we do a thorough clean like this  (maybe next summer - if we are still able to do it at 70), we won't have to climb up to reach these things as they'll no longer be there.

Of course we aren't finished... but should be by Monday. And luck would have it, we haven't been too sore. Although DH mentioned that getting up and down so much is getting a little hard on the back. I told him that I agreed, but that we'd better do it while we still can. We just have to be very careful and not overdo. 

The cats have been very curious watching us move things around. For the most part, they just stay out of the way... but occasionally jump up where we're working to check it out. Ghost really dislikes the noise of the vaccuum... so she generally hides in the bedroom when it's on.

Julie and Rose