Grandpa Needs to Drive Less

Whenever any KF local family member (with a driver's license) can, please take Dad/Grandpa on a run around town, to get gas, to take the trash to the barn, to get coffee at the Triangle in the morning, to school functions, to doctor's appointments, etc.
As his disease progresses his functionality and cognitive skills are deteriorating. He realizes that he should drive less. But he doesn't recognize that he shouldn't be driving at all. So the more times someone else does the driving for him the less exposure there will be. He even said he will go at this "piece meal". So if you can please take away any piece you can. Insist if he resists AND take him in his truck. He needs to get accustomed to being in the passenger seat of that vehicle!
Thanks everyone. love, Liz

Happenings at Souther Cayuga High

The Citizen's Article

The above link is for the Board of Education meeting that happened last night. Thomas and I went to the board meeting. I don't feel the article does the event enough justice. It was amazing watching all of those students there and the ones who went up to speak were very moving.

I went up to talk about Mr. Veiga, a band teacher who helps with the jazz band. I just wanted to let the family know about the meeting because it's all my family and my school have been talking about for the past few days. All we need is for the budget to pass.

PLEASE vote for the budget!! We need these two teachers. They are fantastic!

Thank you!

-Sarah

The 2009 Twenty Outstanding Women You Should Know

Name: Maureen Fessenden
From: Lansing
Family: Single, no children. I am very close to my immediate family.
Hobbies: Outdoor activities – walking, jogging, hiking, skiing, and swimming. Spending time with family and friends. Traveling and sporting events.
Volunteer Work: Big Sister Mentor, Volunteering in orphanages through Global Volunteers and A Broaderview, Church volunteer.
Quote to Live By: “I shall pass through this world but once. Any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer it or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again”. –Etienne de Grellet

Maureen's Nomination Letter: "I am nominating Maureen as an "Outstanding Woman You Should Know" because she is just that...OUTSTANDING. Maureen is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist at Cayuga Medical Center who is not only a hard worker but also a talented care giver. Her assessments of our clients needs are always thorough and comprehensive, involving all aspects of our client’s lives. Last year Maureen took her talents to Peru where she spent two weeks volunteering to help children in an orphanage. Since her return Maureen has continued to volunteer locally with the Big Brother Big Sister program through the Ithaca Youth Bureau. Maureen also teaches Sunday School classes in her hometown at the United Church of Genoa. Maureen loved her time spent in Peru that she has signed up for another volunteer trip in Chile and will be going there at the end of March, early April to spend time in another orphanage. Maureen has been such an inspiration to me not only in a professional aspect but also as my best friend. I am thankful that my life has been blessed with her friendship and am sure that each of her friends would say the same."

From Stacey Caskey (submitted to WQNY Q Country 103.7)

Yay Maureen!

I heard about this on the radio and I thought everyone might want to see this page:

http://www.qcountry1037.com/pages/4182006.php?contentId=3811555

Our Mitochondrial DNA

Bob and Chris Rath gave me a Christmas gift of being a participant in the National Geographic Genographic project. (www.nationalgeographic.com/genographic) I swabbed my checks in early January and just now got around to checking the results. Since I am a female and have no Y chromosome only my maternal lineage (mitochondrial DNA) could be checked. Males can have both maternal and paternal lineage checked. So this is essentially Anne's maternal lineage and therefore the maternal lineage of the seven. So for all grandkids it makes up at least half of your paternal lineage. And the results: haplogroup J. Out of East Africa (where all humankind originated) our maternal ancestors eventually made it to northeastern Europe, where many haplogroup J are found today. Note--no surprises here! If you want to get a lot more science you can log to the above referenced site using my participant number: FW976TBV56. Happy trails to you..............

Late to the game...

Just now...w/ some encouragement from Meatball...jumping into the family blogosphere. Good to read notes and news. Congrats to Andy...for acceptance into Buffalo. Thomas for great swimming. Amanda for french connection back to Lansing schools. Mary for turning 50 so tastefully. Liz for scintillating golf stories. Maureen for a great Facebook page. I'll stop. Recent family highlight from our small fam...was winter weekend in NYC. I had to attend a Wells meeting. Family tagged along for some fun. They ended up in a small studio audience for Good Morning America (see pic w/ Diane Sawyer)....and were on camera a few times. Haven't rec'd DVD of show, but should soon. Also saw a great B'way show..."In the Heights" (thanks, Liz, for recommending). Feb school break ends tonight. Kids back to school tomorrow. Maddie and Sarah will be in school musical, guys & dolls, in early March. Mitch b'ball season coming to a close. Out here.

Quick Reference Guides for Computer Lovers

Liz, that golf story had me on the edge of my seat.

Now, onto one of my favorite topics: computers. For anyone out there who is teaching themselves a new computer program, check out the free quick reference guides at http://www.customguide.com/quick_references.htm.

I spent a couple days in Orlando with Mom and Dad last week. Dad and I had an exciting round (9 holes) of golf. He had one fabulous shot over water (wider than the pond) but we couldn't find it near the green. I knew that there had not been a splash so the only place could be resting in the reeds along the shore. Sure enough there it was, sitting like an egg. It took the two of us to retrieve it without getting wet. Therefore, he did not take a penalty stroke! I had to lean way out and grab with my left hand as using a club would only pull the ball into the water. I rested my left foot on an adjacent batch of reeds, had my right foot on on shore and my right hand holding the end of Dad's putter as he braced himself to give me support.

Our New Secretary of State

Thank you to all residents of New York State for giving us your wonderful Senator, Hillary Rodham Clinton!

Family Reunion 2007!

So these pictures aren't from Aunt Mary's Dance Party, but I now have an opportunity to share them with the family!

Amanda and Lauren serenade us



Sam is always trying to teach us to swing dance. Hopefully Aunt Martha was better at it than I am!

Ladies hanging out at G&G's

Then, as most families do, we went off to the cemetery...

Dad and Aunt Liz at King Ferry Presbyterian Cemetery, family headstone rubbings

Andrew and Amanda


Thomas, Sam, and Mitchell

Suggestion

I forgot about the first assignment: Xmas suggestions. Everything was lovely, but I think we should set some guidelines for gifts to contribute to the Yankee Swap because I feel like it was less exciting this year. That's all I've got. Peace out.

I can't think of a good title

I've been slightly MIA for the past 2 weeks. This blog is an excellent idea, hopefully more of the family will start sharing (hint hint). I'm glad Werewolf was such a hit. I'll look for more card sets.

Happy belated birthday to Aunt Mary! I'd love to hear about the dance party and see some photos! I hope it was a blast, I can't imagine that a dance party wouldn't be.

Tuesday was a great day. I think I felt patriotism for the first time during Obama's inauguration speech. This is cheesy, but I had a track practice immediately after and I chanted "nouveau président" (new president) while running with the group. Such a great feeling. Then, I tried to do a lesson with my sophomores on Obama's speech, but they weren't interested and weren't awake. It was kind of a downer. Oh well.

Our weather is going crazy right now. It looks like we're in the eye of a storm with sun peaking in, rain spurts, and then at least 30 mile an hour winds. Pretty cool.

January 13th -- Happy 50th to Mary

it was fun to return to this blog and see our family photo at the top! so i'm going to post a special photo in honor of Mary's 50th birthday, which is today!!!

Happy Birthday Mare!

Well, as you can see from the "contributor" list in the lower right of the page not all the family members have accepted the invitation. Or, in the case of Kate, she has had difficulty signing in; maybe others are too.
While Christmas is still a memory I can recall, I want to voice my suggestions for improvements for 2009. Let's stick with the name drawing and drop the Yankee swap. Let's keep the group game (Amanda, Werewolf was perfect). Let's keep the musical performance. Let's stick with "pot luck" meals but figure out some way to not have quite so much and be sure that meal #2 is covered not by luck (although we have been lucky). The plastic utensils were a bust or at least most of them were. A mix of flatware and heavy duty plastic may solve the problems. And let's keep everybody coming!!
love Liz