DNA

My son decided to take a DNA test. From his father he knew there would be Irish, German, and Swedish. I on the other hand am a melting pot of many nationalities. 

It took several weeks for him to receive the results. It was fun looking through the results. It made me want my own.

My son gave me a test for Christmas. It consisted of directions about how to use it, a mailing box, and a sterile test tube with lid.

I put the proper amount of clean saliva in the tube and mailed it. It was hard waiting for the results.

Finally they arrived. I knew one of my grandmothers was 100% Danish. I knew there would be a lot of 

Germanic ancestry.

From my DNA results I am mostly of Northern European descent. It tells me what percentage of what nationality makes me. It is fascinating.

I have also learned that even though we have the same parents my brothers and sisters DNA will probably not match exactly. There may be small differences in traits that we inherited. That is why we have different colors of hair, different eye colors, even baldness. 

Every once in a while the web site for the DNA company re-defines the tests. It might include a specific area of a country and what percentage I have from there.

Since having the test done I have learned from other sources that there were many Mormon ancestors. They traveled through here as they were on their way to Utah. Who knew?

I am glad I did it. It lets me know a bit more of who I am and why I have certain traits.

How I Met My Husband

When I was teen-ager Friday nights were for socializing. If you had a car you would drive what we called the loop.

To drive the loop you drove down Pierce Street to Gordon Drive. From Gordon Drive you went up Nebraska Street to 14th Street. 14th Street over to Pierce Street. 

Unless you went to get something to eat you did this over and over until you decided to go home.

If you had no car you wandered around downtown. You were not confined to the same streets as cars. We thought it was great fun. Why I have no idea/

We would also stop to get something to eat. Once in a while parts of the two groups would meet that way.

As a matter of fact that is how I met my husband. He and his friends came in from their car. I and my friends were having a hamburger and fries when they entered.

They sat near to where we were sitting. We began to talk and get to know each other. 

We were invited to join them the next night. We accepted.

Because my friends and I were on foot we walked home that night.  I lived a long way from downtown. I was late getting home. I was grounded for two weeks.

 I told my parents I had a young man coming the next night to take me out. They were not impressed. I was still grounded.

When he came to pick me up that next night I wanted to be able to go out to let him know I could not go. My parents allowed it. Somehow he talked me into getting in the car and off we went.

We drove the loop that night. When he dropped me off at home Daddy was waiting. I went in to accept my further punishment. My husband-to-be took off before Daddy could get to his car.

I still have no idea why I disobeyed. I did not do things like that.

Round And Round

I lived in a little bitty town. The business area was one block long.

We lived on the highway leading into town. When I climbed my tree I could see everything that was going on downtown. It was my favorite place to be to have some alone time.

I was 14 years old. I went to a small school. We all socialized with each other.

One night my friend knocked on the door. She wanted to know if I could go riding around with a bunch of the kids who were there in the car. I had to get permission from my parents who reluctantly gave it,

I excitedly jumped into the car with my friends. It was my first time to ride around. I was growing up!

We went all over that small town. We did nothing but ride and laugh. We had fun being out.

After about an hour they dropped me off at my house. I felt happy because we had such fun.

When I walked into the house the mood was definitely not happy. My parents were furious.

When I asked to go riding around they thought I meant riding 3 blocks to the other end of town. Then we would turn 'around' and I would be home.

It was a huge misunderstanding. I did not communicate properly and my parents were too literal.

I was severely punished. We all lived through it.  

Good Morning

How do you get up in the morning? Now that I no longer have to go to work I enjoy taking my time. 

I watch birds in the trees. I watch the news and a couple other programs as I get dressed. It is a relaxing way to start my day.

My father had been in the Navy during the war. We learned at early ages to stand back if we had to wake him up. As he awoke he would jump up and stand at attention. Anyone in his way would be knocked down.

My ex-husband would wake up swinging. I do not know why. We always stood away from him too.

The most interesting to me is my little sister. She is normally a sweet soft-spoken person. When she gets up in the morning she wants to be left alone. If you speak to her too soon she growls. She actually sounds like a wild animal. We usually give her about two hours.

I would love to hear any interesting ways people wake up.

Celebrate

 My youngest sister was born on July 5th.

This is what happened. My sister was not due for a week or so. As is normal for most women Mom was tired. Besides the exhaustion that comes near the time for a baby to be born Mom had 5 of us to take care of. Add to that she only recently had stopped having morning sickness. Having a baby was not easy for my mother.

My aunt was staying with Grandma on her yearly duty visit for two weeks. It was decided that there would be a cook-out on July 4th. My aunt and uncle would come as well as their four grown children and spouses and children. 

Daddy manned the grill. The women made everything else. It was a great meal.

When time for clean-up came Grandma announced loudly that Mom could take care of that so "the family" could visit properly! (Grandma was a real sweetheart!)

I was not quite 11 years old so I was no help. Mom was on her own.

When we got home Mom was in tears of exhaustion and immediately called the doctor. She told him she could not take any more. She needed some rest and some quiet.

The doctor told her to go the hospital right away. He kept her there all night so she could sleep. It was a small town and the doctor knew how Grandma could be.

The next day when he came to see her Mom looked much better. He suggested that as long as she was there anyway they could try to induce labor.

My sister was born that afternoon.

Years later before she started school for the first time our house was the last one toward the top of the hill. We could see forever from the very top.

The drive-in theater in town set off fireworks every year for the 4th of July. We went to the top of the hill to watch.

My baby sister thought it was so nice of them to celebrate her birthday. And it was.

Letter From My Brother

My youngest brother was so excited to learn he was going to be an uncle. In his little 5-year-old mind he was about to be a grown-up. 

I lived in Detroit and he was still in Nebraska. Phone calls were still expensive. We could not speak in person very often. We kept in touch by writing letters... often

My little brother could not write yet. I sent him letters with simple words and kept them short. At that age his attention span was short. He loved getting his own mail.

When I got letters from him I knew he had dictated them to our mother. She would write everything word for word. That way I got a letter from my brother.

One letter said, " I'm cleaning the house. Not the kitchen. Not the bathroom. Not my bedroom. The living room.

Not the tables. Not the chairs. Not the floor. I'm just cleaning the couch. Bye."

Is that fun or what?

Smile. It Makes Them Wonder

 I had a job that I really loved. The company I worked for was run by two brothers.

When I began to work there one of the brothers was not physically present. The one I worked with was a nice guy. I was treated so well; perhaps a bit better than others. I got used to it.

The other brother did not come in at all. He was in the midst of divorcing the woman in charge of the rest of us. We all got along with her. She became a friend.

Eventually she stopped working there. She had remarried and was able to stay home with her little girls. Her husband decided to work with us sometimes.

He fell in love with and married a friend of mine who also worked there. It was like a big happy family.

Then the original brother got sick. He could not run the business so the other brother took over. 

Soon I was not the ''golden child". I can live with that. It was still a great place to work.

Eventually I was given all the worst work situations. I was miserable. I thought about quitting. I hated just entering the building.

Then one day my brain kicked in. I loved my customers and the people I worked with. Why was I allowing someone else to make me feel so bad?

Each night before I reached the front door I pasted a big smile on my face. I was ready to enjoy my customers.

It took some time but eventually I really was happy going to work. It drove the people who had been working hard to make me unhappy crazy. I was even happier.

Always smile. You will feel better. Most people around you will feel happier. Those who wish to make you unhappy will be confused and eventually look for another target.