Working on the Matches and cleaning

 Cleaning all accomplished of the basement and it is the main floor today. Routines are nice as they keep you focused I must admit. Just a couple of matches and this was another interesting one that had a huge tree to go with it. I actually wrote to the match in Ancestry which is very unusual for me but I note I have done a little more of that this past couple of months (I have had answers to most of them actually). The Rawlings matches often fill in spots where I do not have a known Rawlings cousin. For the most part the phasing has worked really well and there are no areas that I feel uncomfortable about in terms of choice. Moving back to the great grandparents is a good step as I start to work on the Generational charts. I know that I will not publish anything after 1900 in these charts but that catches the census in the 1800s for anyone using it. 

Some discussion on boys not being as comfortable in school as girls. When I worked as a volunteer with the children at my youngest child's school I was helping them learn to use computers. They had only enough computers for three children to work at each of the machines (back in the later part of the 1980s. I suppose from the outside looking in; it perhaps appeared chaotic. But I had them working away in groups of three that they chose and the tendency at this lower level in grade school was for the girls to cluster quietly sitting in front of the computer and sharing the mouse. The boys were much more active, still three at each computer, but they were up and down and louder but still accomplishing the same work that I was assigning to them. They are more restless boys I think and perhaps standing up every half hour in class and doing some sort of exercises at the desk would be helpful. I think it is a lot to ask children to sit for hours working. It isn't even healthy. But I no longer help at school so I do not know what is happening now. 

Perhaps this week I will get back to my Latin as the time has flown by these past couple of months. I want to finish off all the matches and then move to the wills and the genealogical table for the Blake book. I also want to do a little work on Pincombe so that I am ready for the Newsletter at the 1st of June. 

Yesterday we did gardening for a good hour and cleared away more of the weeds particularly around the hostas which are starting to come through in the areas that tend to be cooler. There is still a lot of work to do. I think the elderberry bushes may be done as they are still not budding. Perhaps remove them and just put some bulbs in that circle. Another thought would be to put the roots of the lettuces that we buy in there to regrow and the bunnies can eat that lettuce. I must mention that; it is a good idea. I already have one started in the house. 

I am pleased to see that tetanus shots can now be received at the pharmacy as I waited for simply hours last time that I needed one at the urgent care clinic. I seldom see a doctor other than the once a year that I generally go. That should be soon; must make an appointment and take my blood results from the Ontario Health Study with me as they match the results from last summer which confirms my thoughts on my medical condition. At eighty it is reasonably good; I get a lot of exercise of a beneficial nature (meaning I have a good amount of peak activity during each day of the week as well as strenuous activity along with moderate and light). It is good to have a reasonable amount of each level during each day. Mostly I do not eat any red meat (perhaps once every couple of weeks when my daughter is here) and then only a small amount. I tend to eat chicken and fish as they are my favourites. I have now moved back to skim milk all the time with the occasional 1% cottage cheese but always 0% Greek Yoghurt. I have small amounts of butter so still have some milk fat just not too much. It is nice to start to have fresh vegetables as I tend to use mostly stored vegetable (purchased) from the late fall until this time of the year with some fresh - lettuce and tomatoes primarily with the occasional pepper. Now that we have green houses locally I often have these fresh from the green house in the winter. I do not buy prepared food very often - perhaps a dark chocolate bar on occasion or granola by a new company in Quebec which is very good with absolutely no additives (all food product). Making everything from scratch gets me away from my computer which is very healthy especially baking any cakes (mine is always banana bread made with a mix of 100% whole wheat and all purpose flour in equal portions). It tastes really good, I butter it but I do not have a sweet tooth. 

Wanting to learn more about the Sovereign Wealth Fund proposed by the Prime Minister and his Cabinet. It is such an excellent idea and I like the idea of it being a long-term type of setup as it will benefit people in their retirement in the future. I need to understand how one passes this type of fund to one's descendants. The tax implications and all of that sort of information but it will take time to put it into place in terms of that type of usage but getting it going sooner rather than later is a good plan. I do like the idea that individual Canadian Pension Plans could also be part of that in order to reduce the amount that the government is setting aside from the budget to start the plan (namely 25B) (perhaps our huge grocery chains could also consider becoming involved with their profits benefiting from supporting Canada initially and then collecting the rewards of that trust). It would be nice if we could have this starter amount consist of some portion of existing Pension Plans (and businesses that would not be in conflict of interest) that are available for such investment. The quicker we are; the quicker the shovels are into the ground and we are on our way building the fortunes for the children of the future in Canada. I do not see this as something baby boomers will necessarily profit from (more of a gift to the future of our descendants) but rather it is a gift from us to the future. But it will  probably start to produce returns in the near future but not right away. It is a good place to set money that you do not use at the moment and plan to be a profitable investment.

Travel is always the big cost I think for older people.  At 80 I am not going to travel outside the country particularly not for any fear reason but rather I have been on so many trips I am just not interested in doing that. Keeping to some one else's schedule is no longer appealing to me at all. Sitting on a bus for hours not appealing. Flying for hours not appealing although I do love flying. Being in strange hotels and with strangers not appealing. So I am following what is best for me in my old age as the days ahead of me will be full of my writing year after year. Putting money into the Sovereign Wealth Fund is a very appealing idea I think. 

The dog two doors up is so happy that I am out in the yard again; he likes routine. He had a long chat with me and for sure asking when my daughter's dogs are coming again. They had so much fun a year ago running races up and down the yard.  He was unhappy I think with the neighbour in the middle as a day or so ago four strangers were clearing up the gardens and cutting the lawn upsetting his daily routine of just wandering about his yard guarding it as such dogs do. That was a conversation with just a little whine to it. He is a big dog like my daughter's dogs. 

Tea drank and time to do the solitaire puzzles. 

Mother's Day

 A lovely Mother's Day yesterday with a lunch and dinner I didn't prepare. We also went for a nearly 6 km walk around the neighbourhood which I greatly enjoyed. I have not walked on some of those paths since I used to run with my youngest over by the creek. It has certainly filled in and the trees are huge now. What a great way to spend mother's day. I never thought about being a mother in my youth; I did have other plans. So my daughters continue to amaze me as they are busy in their chosen careers - very very busy. 

The day simply flew by but I did attend Church online and the new Bishop of the Ottawa Diocese was officiating at Holy Communion. Having grown up in Huron Diocese there are a number of differences between the two in terms of services which probably do not exist today as I have not been at Church in London, Ontario for many many years - probably the funerals of my parents were the last time that I was at an Anglican Church in London when I think back. I did go a couple of times with my mother as well before she passed away.  

Not one match accomplished yesterday.  I will do some today but it is basement cleaning day and soon time to start the robot at its task. There are a number from Living DNA in this next few that I am looking at. Quite a few Blake, Buller, Pincombe and Rawlings as many many of those cousins remained in England. Most can be put into these four grandparent lines readily. 

Solitaire puzzles are next.  

Continuing on the matches

Worked yesterday on the matches and also did yard work. It was an efficient working day. I shall write my cousin as well today in the west. I keep meaning to do so but the Knight book is a very long way off although there will be mention of the Knight family in the Blake book because Maria Jane Knight was her great grand aunt as well as my great grandmother.  

The matches (I completed five) were fairly straightforward but only two could be restricted to the great grandparent line. I will continue to work on that today although Church will be in just over an hour so not as much as yesterday.

I have managed to clear away all the weeds and wild spring flowers from the emerging plants so we will see how that goes. But it is good to have the front done. I still need to rake the lawn although I generally wait until the dandelions are finished so that the bees can work them. 

Not paying much attention to the news for the most part. Occasionally read the editorials in the National Post when they catch my eye. The Prime Minister and his Cabinet are very very busy from the news that I do watch. I like the concept of Fortress North America (borrowing that familiar phrase from the Second World War). I still remember references to Fortress North America in my young years. Here in Canada before the United States came into the war, we helped to protect American neutrality by pushing planes over the border in the west that had been purchased by the war front in the British Isles and then flying them to England (many women pilots flew those planes to England during the war from Canada (as well as male but they were needed at the front for the most part)). When the Americans came into the war the term Fortress North America was coined. That it would also suit trade discussions is an interesting concept which was mentioned by the Prime Minister at the Conference in Toronto. 

Toronto is an important city in Ontario (the capital of the province) which we all know in Ontario but also it has the ability to hold large conferences with individuals from all over the world with a huge airport for those arriving and leaving including in this case Past-President Obama from the United States.  This was a meeting of CAP Action (Center for American Progress Action Fund) named the Global Progress Action Summit. Also attending was the former US Secretary of Transportation Peter Buttigieg as well as many people from around the world. 

Church in a bit and then some more outside work unless it rains. What to do next? I expect I need to start working down the sides and we want to move some of the rich earth from the central garden as it is now full of roots from the Black Walnut tree and mostly useless in terms of growing anything. We need to especially build up the areas where the new fence was put in as that pretty much destroyed the gardens for that length on both sides.  We also need to free the plants as they are coming through. The hosta still not showing at the top but probably not enough sun and warmth in the morning as they are up further down in the gardens at the back.

One of the matches was quite interesting as it is in an area that was without matches. This area now covered is all Buller and all from Living DNA and people living in the United Kingdom. Since just one line predominates in England (all of my line coming down from Edwin Denner Buller is in Canada or the United States) so I know that these strong matches are from the Edwin Withers and Sarah (Welch) Withers family which was very large and found all around the world including the United Kingdom. I know there are a number of them as there are at least 25 in common in that match. So that has cleared up that mystery as we all descend from great great great grandparents -  William Welch and Sarah (Welch) Cheatle, Christopher Buller and Mary (Beard) Buller with Sarah (Welch) Withers and Ann (Welch) Buller being twin sisters. 

Time for breakfast. I am late today. Solitaire Puzzles still to do.  

I do not in general use social media

 When I want to look at something I go to the source. I guess it is my scientific training perhaps but I do not like social media and do not use it particularly. Because the Senate can only really delay items and eventually does just follow the wishes of the House of Commons, I do not really think about how many senators each province has. That was brought to my attention by the National Post article on we do not know enough about Alberta and their complaints. I did read through the designated seats for each province and BC and Alberta both have 6 along with Saskatchewan and Manitoba also having 6 each. Quebec is guaranteed a particular number of seats (same number as Ontario) and that is 24 with Ontario also having 24 (one notes the difference between population in those two provinces at 9+ million for Quebec and 16+ million for Ontario). It would appear that this number is determined by the Canadian Constitution which I assume is the one from 1982. So Saskatchewan and Manitoba with much smaller populations have the same number of seats as BC and Alberta. The remaining provinces New Brunswick and Nova Scotia 10 seats each, Prince Edward Island 4 sets (this adds up to 24 as well interestingly so is probably a regional representation of 24) and Newfoundland and Labrador 6 seats, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut 1 seat each. The distribution is based on region rather than population. 

Since the impact of the Senate is to proofread the bill before it goes to law and note any discrepancies with existing laws and likely with the thoughts of individual regions I think they do a great job. I do not go to Senate meetings so no ideas on that. I believe by the original constitution that Quebec must always have the same number of Senate seats as Ontario, the Maritimes in 1867 consisted only of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick although Prince Edward Island did go to the meetings and their total is also 24 except I have no idea what they did between the time that NS and NB came in (1867) and PEI waited until 1873. Would have to research that. If I want actual facts I generally do not use social media. So would Alberta prefer to take seats away from Saskatchewan and Manitoba and take them themselves; I realize the system is not by population but rather based on region and then split them up equally in that region. Ontario has willingly opened up the purse strings to help every province since Confederation until we were a have not province during the Harper government when all the money was funneled to Alberta for the oil industry. I do not think that that was wrong as the ability to use the resources of Alberta worked very well for Canada and that was the intention of the Founding Fathers (this was after all a very strongly English (British) centralized system at its onset). That all the provinces would contribute what they could for the good of Canada. I have never really had an opinion on any other province particularly but this is an eye opener actually. I think what many people do not realize is the attitude of most of the province of Ontario towards Toronto which gets everything and the rest of the province waits forever for roads for schools for medical setups. The only reason they improve the roads for the most part is to make it easier to get to Toronto.  So Alberta is not alone in your desire to be heard. The capital city of the country, Ottawa, did not have a four lane road coming into the city for years and years until finally 417 was built and Highway 16 finally widened coming up from the 401. Possibly the answer lies in Senate Reform but I think the idea of region is good as there are regional considerations by geography. I think the Territories are under represented and should have 24 senators in total like the other regions; they are the  north and that is vast. That would really help with all the work we need to do in the north for sure. We need eyes on everything really and that is one huge area. The First Nations could provide most of that representation if that works out for them as they are poorly represented in the Senate (there are only 12 generally although changes occur). 

Gerrymandering in Canada is generally not accepted as any changes are only created by federal independent non political commissions. That needs more research on my part if I want to know more.  

That was an interesting article and I shall try harder to learn more about Western Canada. I shall write my cousin as she has lived there all her life.  I have never been west of Winnipeg, Manitoba in Canada sorry to say but my daughter and I might take the train from Edmonton to Vancouver and then the other way to Prince George. Both will be fantastic. 

A very interesting day on the matches

 My accomplishment level is low as I still have 30 matches to look at but yesterday was confirmation of some Rawlings DNA. I had one really good match, a known 2nd cousin but it was in 23 and Me so just two other siblings present. I wondered about one sibling in particular and the match at Living DNA gave me that answer so that great news. Continuing with the matches today and perhaps I might get through more three or four perhaps; time will tell.

Yesterday I cleaned out part of the front garden and it looks great. I will try to finish the other part today. Perhaps get the lawn raked as well. We will see how that goes but it is going to be mostly sunny although just seven degrees celsius to start. 

I read the National Post article today. As a nation we have survived much in our nearly 159 years since Confederation.  In 1867 we were a group of just four colonies who came together to form the Dominion of Canada. It was a struggle and early in the 1870s the British withdrew their military so we were literally on our own. But we came together to cast off the Fenian raids from the south and forged a friendship within Eastern Canada that still is a strong part of who we are as a people. British Columbia wanted to be part of Canada and so we promised a railroad and we did it and it was hard and costly. Manitoba joined us and I always think that was the beginning of the First Nations being prominent in Canada other than earlier times before Confederation when the First Nations stood side to side with the colonials, British Regulars and threw off attacks from the south. Prince Edward Island also came into Confederation having withdrawn initially at the time of union in 1867. Rupert's Land became the new sighting for our young and prospering nation and we bought it and shared the lands that lay below the agreed 1818 treaty with the United States giving up freely that portion of the purchase which was below the 49th parallel. We were on good terms with our American neighbours except for the Fenians and that has continued throughout the next century and a bit that has followed all of that. At the moment trade is a problem but we will resolve that I am sure. But as a nation when I was a child you were Canadian first because that is what works best in this modern world to be part of a greater whole than just the one province (basically an administrative unit within Confederation) that you live in. We shared when another struggled. The western part of Rupert's Land that lay north and west of Manitoba all the way to the Rocky Mountains was gradually filling up with settlers including actually one of my great grandmother's brother's family Henry Knight and his son Samuel Knight with his wife Rose Anna (Yates) Knight and their five daughters who arrived in what is now Saskatchewan in the early 1900s. The middle daughter married in particular and her daughter is one of my DNA correspondents although I must get back to that for sure. I am dreadful at corresponding; I am better at being a hermit. But the First Nations have many many areas in the west that are lived in and have been lived in by them for thousands of years and very little of  Rupert's land has been ceded I do believe. 

The Founding Fathers saw a great future where they seized opportunity and ran with it and it is that great future (we are living it) that makes Canada the country that it is. We need to build Canada though and it is not going to be easy; it is going to be expensive like the railway and like buying Rupert's Land but so worth it because being a country is more important than its parts. The First Nations plays a huge role in all of this because they do not think of parts; they see it as a whole and I think we need to do that in order to be the most successful country that we can be. We have to loosen those greening ideas but keep them in our minds as we will forge ahead with the intent to eventually make Canada greener. The process needs a lot of money input and we need to make that money to ensure the best situation for Canada. So who really gets to decide on Canada - it should be all Canadians. People always yearn for more money; money is the root of all evil and destroys societies. We have to yearn for the best Canada for the future for the children of the future. If we weaken and let money control our thoughts then we lose that great opportunity that people sought when they came to Canada in the 1600s/1700s/1800s/1900s and yes even the 2000s and were welcomed by the First Nations. We have to let possibility rule the day and build that pipeline to tidewater in British Columbia, create those mines and extract the value from the ground and sell both of them for full price. We can do it; we just need to want to do it. If it scares you the thought of all that cost then find a better place for yourself to live where you feel that you will be happy. Most Canadians are happy with what the Founders have created. We are not greedy; we willingly share with the rest of the country. I too share my dislike of the waste during the Trudeau eras (I do not like the 1982 Constitution - it restricts our rights in my personal opinion). I do not like it that mines pipelines were refused during that Trudeau time (but also during the Harper time same thing for some items). Money at that time during the Harper government was poured into Alberta to support the oil industry. I do not object to that as it was necessary but some money could have built that mine in Northern Ontario and we would be looking at an operating mine for the last fifteen years instead of nothing (that was one of the failures of the Harper government and I will not relate further on that as it does tend to annoy me). 

I still think that this Governor General to be brings to Canada a knowledge that we need simply because of this idea that one can supposedly democratically slice out a part of Canada that was created by the Founders. We are held in chains in the east by this supposedly democratic idea that an area can simply extract itself from Canada.I look at it from a viewpoint that is perhaps different as I see the Prime Minister as a westerner - born in the North West Territories and raised in Alberta. His world wide experience as well as at home gives him a unique vision and I support that vision because it is the vision of the Founders of Canada. The West is very well represented in this Prime Minister as he strives to do what can be done to get that pipeline to the west coast. One notes that the leader of the opposition is also from Alberta. Greed though is the biggest problem and is a terrible part of humanity and does need to disappear from our world. The Prime Minister balanced himself very well by choosing a Governor General who represents the East in many ways as she grew up here and is part of the East and he is part of the West along with the leader of the Opposition - interesting really. 

And I haven't even been listening to the news and will not for a bit. It annoys me at the moment but the article at the National Post caught my attention. 

On to the matches but first the Solitaire Puzzles - they soothe my thoughts.