This 'n' That

We had about three and a half inches of wet snow fall during the first half of Monday - Martin Luther King, Jr Day.  About one in the afternoon, I stepped out onto our balcony and used the dustpan to scoop the wet snow off the railings, and to uncover Penny and Wendell's solar batteries.  Nedi came out, but Lovey decided it was too wet for her little toesies.  This morning there's a think sheet of ice on the balcony floor, but that's all that's left.
   On Saturday, 28 January (my Mom's birthday), the inaugural running of the Pegasus World Cup will take place at Gulfstream Park in Florida.  Twelve people, or racing entities, each put up $1 million to enter a single horse in the race.  It will cover a distance of one and one-eighth miles on the main dirt track.  The names of the horses running were turned in yesterday.  I'm not sure when the draw for post positions will be held, but NBC is covering the race live from 4:30 until 6 p.m. EST.  The twelve declared runners are:  California Chrome; Shaman Ghost; Keen Ice; War Story; Neolithic; Breaking Lucky; Prayer for Relief; War Envoy; Ralis; Noble Bird; Arrogate; and Eragon.
    Well, as usual, I was tracking backwards on my family tree yesterday.  I had started with a woman named Miriam "Mary" Swett, who was born in 1672 and died in 1734.  As it got later, I was (honestly) hoping that her ancestors would disappear...  However, about 10:30 last night, I came upon one of her (and my) ancestors whose name was William de Braose.  He was known as "Black William" Baron of Abergavenny; he was born around 1204 and he died on 2 May 1230.  I had no problem with that.  However, under cause of death, it stated that he, Black Will, had been hanged inside his own castle, Aber Castle, by Llywelyn ap Iorwerth.  Both of these men are my many-times-great-grandfathers....  I decided to stop investigating for the night.  I had already run into an ancestor, who, along with his son-in-law, were killed in battle at Blore Heath, the first battle in the War of the Roses....   Too much history.  (I'm currently reading an excellent account of the years 1775 & 1776 in and around Boston, Massachusetts, from both the English and American point of views.)
    I start taking care of Roxie and Finney today - as well as walking Rosie.  The first two are Brittany Spaniels, and Finney just returned from 4 weeks of Hunting School.  Not that her owners use her for hunting; she just has a huge drive to hunt and point at prey, so it was decided to use her energy in a non-harmful way.  She used to point at squirrels in the yard, and one had to grab her by the collar and pull her away to get her to break the point.  I'll have to see what we'll be doing while the owners are gone...
    I hope you have a great week!

Ancient Genealogy

I need to check records to see if the family branch genealogy I just followed is actually recorded somewhere, or if someone just copied down oral traditions and guessed at other things, such as dates and places.  It will be interesting to check - and I will check.
   I laughed last night, as I was following a blood line back, and found that a man had lived from 310 to 390, and that his supposed wife, who had bourne him eight recognized children, was born in 130 and died in 278. - So the wife lived for 148 years, but died 33 years before her husband was born, and managed to provide him with 8 living children more than 55 years after her death. - I thought, at first, that the wife's birth and death years were miscopied - but NO - her father was supposedly born in the year 95 AD.  I scrubbed that line back for two generations and made a note to do careful research...  I know we're an odd family, but necrophilia and giving birth after death is not a known habit.
   I am currently awaiting the housecleaners arrival at Rosie's.  They normally come around 11, but Nancy asked them to do the house first today, since I'm an early riser.  The leader and supervisor of the cleaning squad was given my number, and told to call me to agree on the time.  My phone has yet to ring, and it's 8:57 - Nancy asked them to come over at 9...  I have the dishwasher running, and Rosie had an accident early this morning, so her bedding is in the washing machine.  All other traces of her boo-boo are tied up in a plastic bag in the trash outside.  The cleaners are to clean the atrium/TV room first, then Rosie and I will stay in there, while they clean the rest of the house.  I need to tell them not to clean under the Christmas tree, nor inside the railroad tracks in the den.
    I've taken care of the Jack Russells - fed, medicated and walked - and the hens and Victor and Xena - released, fed and walked - plus running home to feed my kits and clean their potties.  Rosie and I have had breakfast, and she has been outside three times this morning.

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I am so sorry about the death of Carrie Fisher on Tuesday, and then the passing of her mother, Debbie Reynolds on Wednesday.  They were very close, and both became "over-night stars" at the age of 19. They both had great talent and meaningful lives.  Both of these great ladies will be missed.