Where Do You Come From?

Have you ever wondered where you came from?  I don’t mean who was your Great, Great Grandfather, but much farther back than that.  I learned at my family reunion that my earliest relatives arrived in America in 1623 from England. But, The National Geographic Society has launched the Genographic Project, a five year effort to understand the human journey – where we came from and how we got to where we live today.  You and I can participate by joining and receiving a kit that contains a swab and a lot of other stuff.  We take the swab and swab the inside of our mouth and send it in to someone.  In 6-8 weeks they come back and tell us where we came from 60,000 years ago.  They will do either your mother’s side or your father’s side of the family, not both.  It cost $99 to become a part of this project.  Now, I don’t know about you, but I do not need to know that information that badly.  Sure, it would be nice to know, but $99 is a little steep for information that you will probably never have any significant use for.  I normally do not provide links in this e-mail, but just in case there are some of you interested,  click here

My doctor put me on a cholestrol drug last week (Vytorin).  During my conversation with the nurse that called me with the results of my blood test, Jerilyn whispered into my ear “Ask her if they have free samplesâ€.  I did, and lo and behold, she gave me a month’s supply of free pills ($62).  The last cholestrol pills I tried several years ago caused muscle pain and I stopped taking them.  I’m hoping these will be “side-effect freeâ€.  I had blood drawn in April and then again in June, to insure that my cholestrol was indeed high.  Both times they gave me the results in “particlesâ€.  I’m so used to the old “good & bad†thing that the the particles only confuse me.  I go back in another month for another blood test.

While we were back home for the Hale Family Reunion, we stopped by and visited the graves sites of Grandma & Grandpa McCoy, Grandma & Grandpa Hale, Uncle Guy and Mom & Dad.  It seems to be the only chance I get to talk to most of those good folks.  They were all important in my life and they are all sadly missed.  Grandma McCoy (a Cherokee Indian) told me many years ago that “when you die, your spirit hangs around your gravesite to see who comes to visit.  That is how they tell who really caresâ€.  Now, I don’t know if I believe that or not, but I would hate for any of those wonderful people to think I didn’t care!

I spent the last several days building a set of ramps that would allow me to drive my truck/car/tractor over the curb at the front of our yard.  I tried to be as creative as a dumb ole country boy could be.  The ramps had to be very portable (light & with handles), very wide, and water resistent.  I kept the weight of each one to around 25 lbs and the handles allow me to carry them like a suitcase.   Now, whenever I want to wash the car or truck, I can drive them into the yard and water the grass,  plus, I’ll be in the shade.  Also, whenever I haul in mulch/dirt for the yard I will be able to take it wherever I want, eliminating transferring it to a trailer hooked to my tractor.   I’m not a very good carpenter, but the measurements did not have to be very precise.  Each ramp is 15 inches wide, I have tested them and they work exceedingly well.  Score 1 for me.

I was standing in the garage yesterday and Jerilyn steps in and grabs two pitchforks and says “follow meâ€.  She leads me to a mole tunnel and says “watch it moveâ€.  Sure enough, I could see “Moley†making his way back thru his tunnel.  Well, we commence “stabbing†like a couple of fanatics intent on saving the world from these useless vermin.  Jerilyn then takes a small trowl and tries to locate him.  Sure enough, she uncovers him, he is on his back with his insides laying out on the ground.  We give up thundrous applause!  But, all of a sudden, this fat little fellow’s legs start kickin’ , he rolls over and heads off up his tunnel again.  Frantically, we try to top him, but it is to no avail.  “Never mindâ€, says I, as we walk back toward the garage, “he will die soon enough.†  One of these days I will develop a foolproof mole trap.  The whole world will be grateful.

This past Sunday evening I was returning a book to our local library and I noticed a young Asian couple teaching their young daughter how to ride a bicycle.  That sure brought back some memories.  I remember teaching my daughter how to ride a bike.  As long as she thought I was running along beside her holding on to the bike seat, she rode it well.  If she looked back and I wasn’t there she usually ended up crashing.  Forty years later, she still expects me to have one of my hands on her seat of life.  She does quite well negotiating the road of life, but occassionally, needs to know that I am somewhere close by.  That was the way I felt about my parents.  They didn’t have to participate in my daily life, but there was a lot of comfort in knowing they were there when I needed them.

I hope you’re enjoying your summer, or whatever season it is in your part of the world

Tommy

“What a wonderful life I’ve had! I only wish I’d realized it sooner.”

Collette