Budapest, Ancestry, MTHFR

I apologize that I’ve been slow in responding. Pat had “open” knee surgery about 10 days ago and I am the “go-to” person. His operation was more than arthroscopic surgery and less than a knee replacement. The doc put a metal plate on the bottom of his femur and a plastic plate under his kneecap. Fingers crossed he can play racquetball again. Or at least pickle ball at the rec center. My final project is due on Wednesday in Advanced Sewing at Salt Lake Community College – our assignment is to make a fully lined “Little Black Dress.” I’m studying Fashion Design as a senior citizen for only $10.00 per semester. And loving it all.

As to the MTHFR, there isn’t a book  on it yet, so I have a proposal into my agent. Pat goes back to work full time on Monday, so I’ll have time to find an “expert” coauthor. Fingers crossed I get a book contract. I stopped writing books about 3 years ago. I’d written over 12 and didn’t want to spend the rest of my life sitting in front of a screen. After a year or so of watercolor painting and being bored and housebound, I started sewing again and in my efforts to find someone who knew pattern drafting, found the Fashion Institute. I love being with the young students and learning new stuff.

I want to do the 23andme testing, too. Here’s what it offers: “Find out what percent of your DNA comes from populations around the world, ranging from East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and more. Break European ancestry down into distinct regions such as the British Isles, Scandinavia, Italy and Ashkenazi Jewish. People with mixed ancestry, African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans will also get a detailed breakdown.” 23andme also sends raw genetic data that can be uploaded to produce understandable info, “containing sections on eye health, detox, tongue tie/cleft palate, methylation, allergy/mold, IgE, IgA, IgG, clotting disorders, thyroid, celiacs/gluten intolerance, mitochondrial function and sulfonotransferase genes.”

As to ancestry.com, I haven’t done anything with it. But did use the computers once at the LDS Visitor’s Center. The local predominant religious culture here set up ancestry.com so they could identify deceased relatives and “baptize the dead.” One of my friend’s “calling” is to teach genealogy to her ward at Sunday church services. Every week.

I had a long conversation with Aunt Justine before we visited Budapest. I’m jealous you visited Fero and spoke with the Town priest. Fero didn’t fit into our itinerary as we were traveling with friends. I loved Budapest. Loved the food (and all the cakes!!!) and loved our tour guide who had Grandma Rusnock’s accent and just hearing it again brought tears to my eyes. She resembled grandma and when she spoke Hungarian, I just melted.

We are on our way to Ireland at the end of May for a 9-day tour, then 2 days in London. (Pat should be walking normally by then.) Please send location of the Murphy estate.. This time, we are taking a tour, so, ratz, I may not be able to get there.   But perhaps I can.

I am delighted you’re teaching. It sounds like fun and the topics are interesting. I don’t know much about it, although once heard Herb Cohen give a fabulous talk on negotiating. There’s a chapter in my book, The Win/Win Way on game theory, but I didn’t write that chapter. My coauthor did, as he wanted to add more “meat” to the book. The chapter was basically about Prisoner’s Dilemma.