Looking at my Roots from a DNA Perspective .....

Digging through family photos and other memorabilia 

triggers a wide assortment of memories

(both good and not so good)

but it also raises so many questions.  

These days, thanks to many online resources,

it’s possible to find answers to some of those questions

but sadly, answers to the more personal ones 

must remain in the realm of the unknown.

How I wish I would have asked more questions

 and listened more closely to the conversations 

of the older generations when I was young.  

But I am fortunate to have known several 

of my grandmother’s siblings and their families

so I have a better grasp of our extended 

family’s history than I might have otherwise.   

As I attempt to convert the information I have 

on my direct ancestral line into story form for a 

Family History book, I long to know more 

about these people who lived and died so long ago.  

It’s fascinating to delve into history to see

how their lives would have been shaped by what 

was happening not only in their local communities 

but in the wider world.

My DNA results have proven

to be very interesting as well.

Being aware of the part of Great Britain

where I knew my family roots originated, I suspected

some Scandinavian (probably Danish) ancestry  

but hadn't expected Swedish influence to show up 

in my DNA profile.

And I was completely surprised

by DNA input from The Netherlands.

The large green section in the circle above is 

my British ancestry (81%), 

the blue area is Danish (12%) 

the red section is Swedish (4%) 

and the purple part is the Netherlands (3%). 

So apparently, the colours in this circle

represent the elements of

the genetic recipe used to make me!!  

Until next time, Nanny Anny

Doing Something Different This Week ....

I’ve spent the past few days creating some pages for

a family heritage type of scrapbook.

This book will contain some photos and information on the family

of my maternal great-grandparents so it is going to be all about

them and their eleven children. 

One of those eleven children was my maternal grandmother.

I consider myself to be very fortunate to have some photos

of my grandma's parents as well as her siblings, 

along with some of their descendants

 And I’m finding it to be surprisingly soothing and relaxing 

to choose, trim and decorate

the papers for this scrapbook project, as I try to find just the right 

colours, themes and embellishments to suit the person 

whose pictures and story will occupy a particular page.

.

I suppose it would be fair to say that Genealogical research

is so much more than just a hobby for me.

There's a very personal element within the general research for me 

as I seek to know where I came from and what it was in my roots 

that had a hand in making me who I am today. 

As a first generation Canadian, it seems that the more 

I learn about both my ancestral and cultural heritage,

the deeper connection I feel with my roots across the ocean.

My parents made the decision to move here for a better life for themselves 

but have left a legacy that will span many generations yet to come.  

Counting myself, my children, 

my grandchildren and great grand-kids, 

our family is already four generations deep in this country.

 

It is not lost on me that with each generation, 

the connection with our roots fades a bit more and soon 

there will be no one on this side of the ocean 

who will have any contact with family members overseas.

Perhaps that gives me even more of a push 

to record the story of our roots 

for not only those I will leave behind

 but also for those still to come 

who, although they may not have 

any contact with far-away relatives, they will at least have 

an understanding of some of the answers 

to the many 'who, what and where' 

questions they may someday ask themselves.  

As I look into the lives of my ancestors, their extended families

and the times in which they lived,

it turns them from being merely a list of names and dates

into real people …. people who lived and loved, 

raised families, worked, served

and who at times survived hardships, heartbreak and tragedy.

Through it all, I try to remain mindful of one thing, above everything else: 

the fact that

‘we are’, simply because ‘they were’.

Until Next Time, Nanny Anny

A Bit More Progress ....

My pantry shelves and the contents of my fridge and freezer

were all calling to me this week.  

I need to up my game as far as being more intentional

with my meal planning and prepping. 

Being a pensioner, I live a frugal existence out of necessity

but I know I can do much better

in achieving my desire for a more healthy eating regimen.

So my first job was to clear off the pantry shelves

and re-organize the items on them according to their expiry dates

so I will know to use those items up first. 

Then I made a rough note of how many meals

I thought I could glean from the contents of those shelves.

My budget needs a reset too

so in an effort to stretch my funds a bit further  

one of my goals heading into the new year

will be to see how long I can go without needing to buy groceries

apart from milk & fresh produce

and still have the makings of some interesting, nourishing meals.  

I spent time decanting dry ingredients into containers

and then lining them up on a shelf 

where I can see how much I have of each  

and keep track of what I use over the course of a month.

Plus, I really like the way the containers look, 

all neatly lined up on the top shelf of my kitchen cabinet.  

I don’t like to waste food

so it pleased me that there was nothing to discard

apart from some packaging

which was destined for the recycle bins. 

I emptied the fridge, gave it a good cleaning t

hen organized it a bit better.  

I’m going to be away house/dog-sitting for a couple of weeks

so I’ve been trying to use up what fresh items

I have on hand and will restock produce & dairy items

once I am back home again.  

These are all just more small jobs but part of the thorough reset

that is my goal as I move forward through 2025.   

I’ve got a few books loaded on my phone via the ’Libby’ app

for reading or listening to while I’m away

and I’m packing up some old photos & other memorabilia

along with craft supplies

to work on some family history scrapbook pages.  

I'll take a jigsaw puzzle too,

just for something different to do

between scrapbooking and reading.  

Well, that’s it for this week ….

 Until next time …Nanny Anny

Making a Fresh Start …..

Well, with Christmas all packed away, it’s time to make some

plans for a serious reset here at home. 

Thinking that I should probably tackle one room at a time,

I opted to begin with the living/dining room. 

It’s a bit of a cheat really as this room is pretty much already set up to work

well as it is but it seemed like the best (easiest?) place to start

and I knew a deep clean wouldn’t go amiss.

So, with a carpet shampooer borrowed from my DD,

I got busy, working from the ground up, 

first in the living room section of the room & then in the dining room area.  

What a difference it has made; the whole room looks so nice.  

Carpets have been cleaned, window sills have been scrubbed,

all the woodwork has been wiped down, the mini blinds have been washed

and the furniture dusted and polished.

Only small jobs but they’ve made a good beginning to the new year

in a few little corners of my home

I like this little 1:44th scale roombox that sits on top of my bookcase

And yes, I like these kitty cats on the fireplace hearth

my little plant corner by the front window

The Christmas leftovers have either been eaten up or tucked away in the

freezer so now I’ll have to do some meal planning for the coming weeks. 

I want to eat more protein & vegetables and reduce my carb intake

so I’ll need to be mindful of that when planning meals and buying groceries. 

Trying some new recipes (and maybe some different foods) will hopefully

tempt me to become accustomed to a lighter and hopefully healthier diet.

And I must do a lot better at getting my daily quota of water!  

I have a weight loss goal and want to work towards achieving it so

in an effort to learn more about myself, I will explore more deeply the reasons

behind my comfort-eating and work on resolving those issues.

I will try to remember to lean more on the support of my fellow

weight-loss group members when I hit a stumbling block instead of internalizing

a sense of failure and beating myself up about it.

I'm trying to be more consistent when it comes to exercising and am finding

that having a chair Yoga session is a great way for me to start my day

although walking is still, by far, my very favourite way to exercise.

I like to get my steps by walking outdoors

but when the weather doesn’t suit me, I walk the halls in my apartment building;

that's a bit boring perhaps but still, the steps add up and that’s what matters. 

Well, I’m off now to sort through several weeks’ worth of mail etc

that’s been squirreled away in the depths of the china cabinet drawer

Note to self: must find a better way to deal with paperwork.  

Then as a reward I'll take myself out for a nice walk

on this cold, crisp and sunny winter's day.

Right … that’s it for now.  

Until Next Time … Nanny Anny 

Happy New Year ..... let's try this again!

It has been years since I last wrote anything on this little blog.  I think I'll give it one more try and see if I can be a bit more consistent at writing posts this time around.

The beginning of a new year seems to be as good a time as any to make a fresh start.

Hopefully this type of diary will help to keep me motivated and accountable as I work toward achieving some goals I have set for myself.

I'm not one for making the usual type of New Year's resolutions but I have chosen a word to try and live by during the coming year so I'll see how that goes, as well.

My word for 2025 is 

'balance' 

I've chosen that word based on the realization that I'm pretty much an 'all or nothing' person in most areas of life so I want to have a better, healthier balance in all things.     

For sure, I need to establish a better sense of balance in many areas of my personal life but I also need to learn how to grant myself much more grace instead of being so demanding of myself where my time, my energy, my abilities and my physical, emotional and spiritual well-being are concerned.  

As well, I need to have a better sense of balance in my surroundings, so maybe a bit of re-arranging and definitely a whole lot more decluttering will be happening in my home.

I've also decided to keep a 'gratitude journal' this year with the idea that I will do my best to find three things each day for which I can be thankful.

And so, with Christmas now in the rear view mirror, it's time to look ahead and move forward in anticipation of what the coming year might have in store for me.

I didn't do much in the way of decorating for Christmas .... just a few special pieces.

A pretty little wreath on my door

 my little village

my small nativity scene, a lovely reminder of the reason for the season

and my vintage ceramic Christmas tree

So, while I've enjoyed having touches of this special season on display, it's time to get busy and pack up the Christmas decor and wrapping paraphernalia to be stored away for another year.

Then I will take a deep breath and launch out into 2025 with the hope that the coming year will find both myself and my little home having a positive and well-balanced 'reset'.

    Until next time ... Nanny Anny 

Childhood Memories ....

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES ....

While browsing through a local antiques market a while back, I found an old tin dollhouse just like the one I had over 60 years ago.  It appeared to be in pretty good condition for its age and the price was very, very good so of course, I bought it.

                                    

I think I would have received my childhood house at Christmas time in 1953 and I actually still have some of my own original pieces of furniture so I have been having fun placing them in my little house and happily recalling the joy that playing with my dollhouse gave me as a young child.

I will have to look for some affordable pieces to replace a few of my own that have gone missing over the years and one piece that is broken so I am looking forward to having fun searching out the replacements for these items.

       

In the kitchen, I still need to find a refrigerator to match the stove and sink units.  Those pieces as well as the table and chairs were mine from years ago.  I have added a few 'vintage look' modern miniature pieces to add to the mood of the room.

The master bedroom has twin beds, reminiscent of the 50’s.  (I suppose the current residents of my little house don’t use the fireplace in there as the large double dresser has been placed in front of it).

                                   

The bathroom is still very much a work in progress.  The toilet is broken so I need to find both a bathtub and new toilet to match the original sink. 

                                  
So far, all I have in the nursery is a playpen, a pushcart and a tiny wooden train set (the train is modern but has a retro look).  I will be searching for a vintage crib and bathinette for this room.
  
                              

The livingroom just has some furniture odds and ends right now and everything is a different colour.  (I guess the current residents must have a very eclectic taste in furniture!) Some pieces were mine and some I found at an antique sale but this room will likely undergo some changes as I find more pieces that would have been original to this type of dollhouse.

This dollhouse also reminds me of how much times have changed as I'm sure no modern dollhouse would have a lithographed fireplace with a rifle hanging on it!

I am enjoying this fun bit of nostalgia and and I must say that I like my dollhouse today nearly as much as I enjoyed my original one so many years ago .... maybe even more!!

Have a good day, everyone!
Nanny Anny

                           

Trying Again ....

Oh my goodness, has it really been a whole year since I wrote a post for this blog?  I think instead of trying to play catch up, I'll just re-start with what's been happening recently.  And hopefully, I can blog more often this time around!

I signed up to take a piece-quilting course so for the past few weeks I have been spending my Thursday evenings in the company of 2 other ladies learning how to piece a log cabin lap quilt.
.  

The process was a steep learning curve for me but I must say that I enjoyed every class and learned something new in every part of the course.  I had never used a rotary cutter before so that was a skill I had to master before I could really get going on the project.  Fortunately we had a lovely, patient teacher who guided us every step of the way from choosing our fabrics right up to putting our quilts together. 

Twenty-four squares were joined together; here they are ready and waiting to have to have the borders sewn on.  

Another step in the process was using the chalk pencil and template to mark the design to be stitched.  I love the little heart; there is one in each of the corners.  The colour is off in this photo, though.  It must be the lighting because it looks almost purple and it is really burgundy and pink.  

My almost finished project is now set up on a frame at our local Seniors' Centre, where it will be quilted.  And here I am. learning another stage of the process.  Sure is challenging to make those stitches so small and even!  

All in all, it has been a great experience .... challenging myself to learn some new skills, enjoying the fellowship of the other ladies and best of all, I will have a lovely new quilt to snuggle under while reading or watching television.  

Have a good day, everyone!

Nanny Anny