No Charlemagne family history connections for you---yet.  Apparently there are those that consider it "hot stuff" to brag descendancy from this leader of the Holy Roman Empire.  Although "He was temperate in eating and drinking, abominated drunkenness, and kept in good health despite every exposure and hardship.”, he was also brutal in his quest to spread Christianity.  But no connections for you yet.  


NPR blogger Robert Krulwich recently discussed the popularity of shared Charlemagne ancestry and brought to mind a very interesting mathematical reality.  Theoretically, you can calculate your ancestors by doubling the numbers for each generation back.  For example, 10 generations means 1024 ancestors (which isn't too far from the total number I currently have in the combined Dalpiaz/Ryan tree).  So, back to the time of Charlemagne (48 generations give or take) each person would have 281.5 TRILLION ancestors.  See the problem?  There weren't even a trillion people on earth in the year 800 AD.


So, now what?  Of course, even though you still have 281.5 Trillion grandparents of some level, each isn't a different individual.  Cousins marry, for example, and pretty soon you're tripping over the same people in more than one place in your tree.  


The good news is that genealogy is finite.  There comes a point where no records are available and you can put all the names you want to into those 281.5 trillion slots on the tree, but without records to document proof, it's like a hangman game--just filling in the blanks to win the game.  


This is described as "pedigree collapse", which is the phrase that came to mind today when I read that cell phone providers are running out of airwaves to support all the SmartPhone data plans out there.  Called "spectrum crunch" (sounds like a breakfast cereal), this problem highlights that the wireless spectrum can't support promised services as it is a finite resource.  Apparently Smartphones are infinite or this problem wouldn't exist (suggesting a quick and sensible solution).  

Regardless, perhaps wireless providers will be forced to collapse and marry its cousin.  Verizon, meet T Mobile.  Or we could just send Charlemagne.

Wallaby My Valentine?

Some of you heard about our recent visit to the local zoo to participate in their "Courtship Tails" Valentine event. I saw it listed in the paper and considered that we'd be honoring Amy in our celebration by taking part so off we went.  Four couples are treated to some stories of the zoo animals and their mating and breeding habit. 

Perhaps I should have known we were in a little bit of trouble when they whipped out the camera and had us pose for a nice cozy picture practically before we removed our jackets.  We pondered about the other three couples--my guess being that they would all look just like us--people with nothing much better to do on a Saturday afternoon in the dead of winter.  When we entered the room, two other couples had already arrived--a lesbian couple and a gay couple (these guys were visiting from Long Island, believe it or not).  I thought "OK, not exactly just like us but a fair representation for such a gathering".  The fourth couple arrived and off we went for the tour.

Our guide was very knowledgeable about the mating and breeding of a wide range of zoo animals.  Most of the animals weren't doing much of anything to demonstrate technique for us, but we did learn that the animals miss visitors while the zoo is closed over the winter months.  I'll spare you the slithery snake facts (groan and shiver--me, not the snake) but will share one interesting breeding fact about the wallaby.  A wallaby fetus stays dormant until the mother's pouch has been cleared of its most recent occupant.  One joey leaves the pouch and the very next minute the next one is staging itself for birth. 

It was only the wallabies that were showing any romantic gestures while we were there.  The female did not seem altogether interested, batting the males away rather ineffectively with her short little front arms.  I was reminded of something there.........oh yes, romance in the 7th grade hallway.  Visitors walk by the wallaby exhibit to get back stage with the penguins and many of our group members were already cooing over the penguins when the male wallaby managed to get himself on top of the female.  One of the guys in our group frantically tried to call the others back.  "This is what we came to see--come back!  They're doing it!" echoed across the nearly empty zoo. 

It was fun and we were treated to wine tasting, chocolates and red velvet cupcakes (red velvet for the reindeer--clever).  Each couple was interviewed by the local news. See it here (don't know who that grey haired couple is, but they seem nice) Great fun was had by those who wondered if Jim was able to speak for himself.  This was shortly after they asked how long we'd been married and he couldn't answer without checking inside his wedding ring and doing some serious math.    They didn't show that part and now you have the "back stage" view of our visit.

Except for one more detail--as that fourth couple got in their car to leave, I noticed their license plate said JUST BFF.  I had to laugh to myself as I thought that kind of skewed the demographics of our group a bit.

Guide to Super Bowl Halftime Show for those over 40

I did not see the finger.  I'll say that right off to get that part out of the way.  Neither did I see Janet Jackson's mishap 8 (really?) years ago as I was hanging curtains.  This time I was watching but I did not see the big moment.  Damn.  I watched the entire thing and missed nearly the only part everyone is talking about today. 

I was proud of Madonna.  There was some talk that she was too old for the Super Bowl halftime show.  Didn't look like it to me, but I admit my admiration for her grew significantly as I noticed she was carefully moving around.  Like a 53 year old woman at center field at the Super Bowl should.  And her hair looked so nice! 

I cannot be the only one who needs a guide to the rest of the glitterati that appeared during the show.  I freely admit being hopelessly out of touch and am providing this guide for those of you in the same boat (whether you are admitting it or not).

The only other one I kind of recognized (but no one else in my house was too sure about) was the guy from 
The Voice:  Cee Lo Green

It was a little weird that Madonna got down on her knees to this southern hip hop performer, but she knows better than I.  His new album is called Lady Killer.  I don't think so.

Nicki Manaj --  Just last year she was named Billboard's Rising Star and this year it's the Super Bowl with Madonna. Not too bad!

British singer M.I.A. (I guess it's pronounced Mia).  Best known for a 2007 song Paper Planes which was nominated for a Grammy and featured in the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack.  I can't show her picture because, well, you know--this is a family blog.

Then there's LMFAO.  Yes, I know what that means.   They are known for electro pop party rock style music.  And, again I can't show their picture.  Not because this is a family blog but because those outfits should not be reproduced in any manner.  Go ahead and make fun.  Outfits were horrible.  I'd rather see Janet Jackson's breast.

Bazinga!

I was watching Big Bang Theory recently as Sheldon and Amy Farrah Fowler were recording his new Fun with Flags video series.  Yes, that speaks to the exciting life we have here now that Ryan's gone back to school.  Anyhow, a note on the chart behind his head said "Featuring your Father's Grandfathers' Flags".  What a great blog topic!  Don't click out of here just yet.

Dad's grandfathers were William H. Ryan and William Edward Pierce and somehow I never noticed they were both named William until this blog research.  William Ryan was born in 1862 in Gloucester.  At that time, the United States flag had 34 stars.  This flag only lasted a couple of years before new stars were added and therefore the only President to serve under this flag was Abraham Lincoln.

By the time he died in 1934, the flag had 48 stars.  That flag lasted 47 years until Alaska joined the Union followed a few months later by Hawaii.

William Edward Pierce was born in 1864 in Argyle Nova Scotia Canada.  Nova Scotia had not yet joined the Confederation of Canada, but did so only 3 years later along with the rest of the provinces. This flag was only 6 years old at the time William was born. 

William Pierce died in 1942 in Gloucester under a US flag of 48 stars.

Our ancestors lived through very interesting times and the flags of their time on this planet tell this story.  Both Williams were born into political turmoil as their homeland struggled to unify and to create the great democracies now in place.

BAZINGA--got you didn't I?  It's interesting, isn't it? - to think about the history they saw probably without even realizing the impact.

Welcome to the world Tylee!  Who knows what history you will witness?

RIP Dad

Things that I do that remind me of Dad:  re-arrange the dishes in the dishwasher.  This used to make me nuts when I saw Dad endlessly rearranging and now I find myself doing the same with probably nearly the same level of irritation.

Get upset when I can't find the screwdriver.  I made my own set of tools and placed them near where I would be able to get to them when I needed them.  It was so convenient that now this set has been taken over and the screwdriver occasionally goes missing. 

Misspelled signs.  Don't need to say more there.

What about you? 

2945 Estero Blvd

It's been so darn cold these last few days, it's hard for my thoughts to stay here in New York.  They've been wandering back several years to Fort Myers Beach.  Visiting Nanny and Weenie was always a big deal for me--a real treat.  Weenie always seemed so touched that I would save money to fly to them for vacation but it was "win-win" for me.  Warm weather and spoiling?  Who could say NO to that?  I went to Florida instead of the senior trip and never regretted it.  I will admit the story might be different if we still lived in Silver Creek when senior trip time came along but that wasn't the case so off to Florida I went.

 This is 1973--back in the day when you would dress up to get on the airplane.  And you could debark and have your picture taken entering the terminal.  I think we look pretty good here!  There was nothing like stepping outside the terminal to breath the air.  Immediately you knew you weren't in Kansas anymore!  The tropical air has always had an immediate healing affect on me.  It's similar to filling my lungs with Gloucester sea air--it acts to heal and ease stress. 

We'd drive over the big bridge and enter the park driving very slowly as per the resident rules and general common sense.  There was a store right there on the street as you turned into the park.  I liked shopping in that place--there was a little bit of everything there at all price ranges it seemed to me. 

Nanny and Weenie's spot was a double wide so there was plenty of room comparatively speaking.  The car would go under the carport, you'd enter the Florida room (aptly named) where Nanny's typewriter often resided.  There were steps up into the trailer and you'd immediately be greeted by the cozy atmosphere tinged with the distinct cigarette odor.  Nanny and Weenie each had their own chairs distinguished by their accessories--for Nanny, a knitting basket; for Weenie, a newspaper. 

There were rules to follow that Nanny laid down in a way that you knew she meant business.  One I remember especially was clearing up as much leftover water as you could in the bathroom after a shower so as to avoid mildew and such.  Another was respecting the pool hours for guests.  She would make us turn over our plane tickets for safekeeping.  It was from her that I learned to always take a change of clothing in my carry on in case my suitcase went astray.  This practice has come in use many times over the years!

She strictly watched over our sunbathing habits but sometimes a sunburn would still occur.  We reached the beach by walking across the street (a busy street) and down the walk way reserved for the park residents.  I especially loved walking along the beach with Weenie up to the pier and back.  The walks were part of his heart regimen I believe.  Hard to imagine he needed to walk for his heart since he worked so hard under Nanny's thumb on his "yard work".  I think his yard work covered the same square yardage as my desk here. 

These are fond memories and I can almost smell the tropical air right now. 

Call me anything but late to dinner

This is one of my favorite pictures of Weenie.  I believe it was taken on one of those infamous Dorset Lake Ontario Canada fishing trips with the Nevins family.  How handsome!  His fingers are straight and it looks like he's got some guns going for himself!  Although it looks a little bit like he's wearing sneakers, I doubt it as I don't believe that would have been the normal fishing footwear of the time. 

I've been listening to people describe the endearments given to their grandparents and the stories have been so interesting!  Seems everyone has a story.  Until I heard these stories, I hadn't thought too hard about Weenie's name.  Weenie was always Weenie--our beloved grandfather.  Did you ever stop to think about the fact that EVERYONE called him Weenie, so his grandchildren were calling him the same thing the other church usher was calling him?  It would be like calling Dad Paddy.  I suppose he was really used to it but it never never dawned on me that "Weenie" meant anything other than "My Grandfather". 

As you probably know, Weenie had us calling his brother John "Uncle 4-5"--of course, he was actually Mom's Uncle John and I don't remember ever hearing her call him that.  Always 4-5.  And Fat Aunt Marg.  Skinny as Weenie but "Fat Aunt Marg".  He must still be smiling about that little joke on his brother and sister in law. 


We had Nanny for both grandmothers and Grampie for the other grandfather.  Pretty ordinary.  Gammy Flynn and Gammy Nevins.  I remember Gammy Flynn just barely.  I didn't like the way she smelled but as I view the old movies, I see she was fun loving.  As Mom would say " Weenie didn't lick it off the ground"!

Cards are a very fond memory of time spent together in multi-generational joy!

Beer, cigarettes, coins and cards.  It's all there.  These are cherished memories.