Yesteryear, I worried about my young son’s future and well-being, and what I needed to do - as a mother - to protect him. To keep him safe from harm at home. At school. On the playground. To feed and nourish him, and to shelter him. To teach him right from wrong. And to shape him into a respected, caring young adult.

I taught him to read and write. But I also taught him about compassion and tolerance. And respect. And humility. I showered him with love; and with hugs and kisses. And fostered self-esteem and confidence that he could do or be anything as long as he possessed the dream and desire.

Here’s a riddle for you
Find the answer
There’s a reason for the world
You and I…
(The Riddle, Five for Fighting)

Today and tomorrow, I worry about my son’s future and well-being knowing the day is coming when - as a mother - I will no longer be able to protect him. As a teenager approaching 18, I fear that a mandatory draft will be reinstated, and he’ll be called up to fight a war he doesn’t believe in. I worry that the fate of our country lies in the hands of people who cannot agree on the most simplistic of issues, never mind the more extreme and severe. And I worry that, because of outside influence(s), all the good I’ve taught him will become tarnished as this United States becomes a series of disUnited regions.

When he was little, I couldn’t wait to see the kind of man he would grow up to be. Now that that’s about to happen, I wish I could turn back the clock - even stop time from progressing. While that sounds selfish, I believe - albeit naively - that, at some (turning) point in our lives, all parents share this same wish.

My little boy is no longer a little boy. He’s a young man teetering on adulthood. And while I am excited about his future, I’m also scared to death of what lies waiting around the corner.

First and foremost - Happy birthday all you Leapers. You don’t look a day over x/4 - you’re lookin’ mahvalus!! ageless, too.

So - Leap Year. Leap Day. What was the rationale behind throwing in an extra day to occur every 4 years? Well, let’s see what kind of use(less) trivia I can dredge up in honor of Leap Day:

1. Leap years are needed to keep our calendar in alignment with the earth’s revolutions around the sun.
2. The Gregorian calendar has a 400-year cycle until it repeats the same weekdays for every year–February 29, 2008, is a Friday and February 29, 2408, is a Friday.
3. The Gregorian calendar has 97 leap years during those 400 years.
4. The longest time between two leap years is eight years. The last time that occurred was between 1896 and 1904. The next time will be between 2096 and 2104.

(source: Time and Date.com)

Not only is it Leap Day - but it’s also Sadie Hawkins Day. Ladies, this is your opportunity to go and be brazen, be bold, bewildered and bemused. Go find that guy who makes you swoon, and ask him to marry you. You won’t have this opportunity again for another 4 years. Make the most of it! (If you’re married or otherwise involved, surely your significant one will understand!)

I’m a sucker for a celebration - so I’ll be roasting and toasting later tonight!

Cheers!

Since 1999, I’ve been researching my family roots. And piece by piece, bit by bit, I’ve mapped out a chart that - to read, would require a wall 1-mile long and 1/2 mile high. Each piece of information has been validated, some revalidated.

It’s been an interesting journey to uncover my kinfolk. And yeah, I’ve even communicated with a few of my newfound, long-long cousins.

Deliverance may be a good way to start this tree out.

Some of my luminary ancestors include:

Hatfields. That’s right. THE Hatfields. NOT the McCoys. We fought over a pig. Go figure.

Remember learning about the drummer boy and fife in US History class? The drummer boy was Simeon Justice. Yep, him too. Got a LONG line of Justices in that tree!

Mr. Anheuser swindled business away from my Denny clan. The Denny’s have never forgiven those beer people, and refuse to serve ANY of their lagers/brews at any of their establishments, which are quite many. That feud is just as famous to the Denny clan as the Hatfield and McCoys.

Old Man Bumpass was supposed to sail on the Mayflower, but missed it and came over on the Good Ship Fortune instead. He still managed to settle in with the Mayflower country club, though.

There’s also a distant link to Thomas Edison and the Roosevelt family, too. (Did you know that Eleanor and Franklin D. were cousins?)

And, get this - Olive Branch, and her daughter Olive Weed. No, I’m NOT kidding (check the picture).  I was half expecting Olive Oil’s name to pop up.  It didn’t.

Woke up this morning to a snowy backdrop. To give you an idea of how much we’ve gotten so far (it’s the biggest snowfall we’ve had so far this season), I put together this composite …

It’s still snowing, and is supposed to continue for a while longer. When it stops, then I’ll go out and play in it!