Nice people thread part 8 - worth the wait

zagubov

Met all my grandparents. I like the scandinavian languages where they use words like farmor and mormor for gran or farbror or morbror for uncle. Much more informative words.

There must be cultures with first-cousin marriages where the distinction would be irrelevent. In China the word for uncle's disappearing apparently, as is obviously aunt, nephew, neice or cousin (and come to think of it, brother or sister).

My grandparents were born in the 19th century. My kids would be lucky to be alive in the 22nd century but my niece has a more sporting chance.

Somebody wrote into the Mail a few years back to mention his granparents were born in the 1790s, so the 18th century. So far back they'd have known Abraham Lincoln's dad if they'd been in the right place! :eek:

neverdespairgirl

zagubov wrote: »

Somebody wrote into the Mail a few years back to mention his granparents were born in the 1790s, so the 18th century. So far back they'd have known Abraham Lincoln's dad if they'd been in the right place! :eek:

Something I find fascinating is the spread of grandparental ages - mine were all born between 1909 and 1915, so only 6 years eldest to youngest. Isaac's grandparents were all born 1948 - 1950, so an even smaller spread.

On the other hand, my mother's grandparents were born between 1860 and 1896, a much larger range.

zagubov

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

Something I find fascinating is the spread of grandparental ages - mine were all born between 1909 and 1915, so only 6 years eldest to youngest. Isaac's grandparents were all born 1948 - 1950, so an even smaller spread.

On the other hand, my mother's grandparents were born between 1860 and 1896, a much larger range.

There's an argument that grandparents were an emergent property of our species and a cause of our evolutionary success. We could pass wisdom between generations using grandparents to check the accuracy. They could also be transferring this information while the more able-bodied parents got on with the business of food acquisition.

There's a lot of genetic information that suggests we're what chimps would be like if we rearranged their genes for longevity rather than strength.

And whether this is attributable to "random chance" or "God", either way, I say good choice!:T

neverdespairgirl

Speak for yourself, sweetie! I wouldn't be seen dead in a chimp hair style.....

Generali

Well I'm home and I'm knackered. Flew Economy. Ouch. Got a cab home = $100. Double ouch. Met some good people on the plane though. 1st leg with a couple of very pretty, nicely flirty 20s girls which was fun. 2nd leg with a bloke who build tunnels for a living in HK & China who was fascinating. Also had a bit of a chat with a bloke who'd landed a very sweet deal working in the mines (can't have been that sweet as he was in economy!).

When is the earliest reasonable time to go to bed? As soon as my head hits the pillow I will be asleep, no question about it. I hate the journey back from the UK.

The weather here is filthy. It's absolutely chucking it down: I reckon it's about an inch or perhaps more at this rate. We're predicted to get 3" of rain today. Never mind, we live up the hill so little chance of flooding. I'd sleep through it anyway. Plenty of thunder and lightning too.

sss555s

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

Beach to the right of Madinat Jumeirah?

Good spot Hamish :T.

We stayed at Dar Al Masyaf, next to the beach at the Madinat resort.

vivatifosi

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

Were there other siblings as well? Either half or full, on your mother's part?

For them as might be interested, the story of my great-great-grandmother, Fannie Morecroft, who survived the sinking of the Lusitania (and went back to see afterwards, to continue her career!):

http://londongirl.hubpages.com/hub/The-sinking-of-the-Lusitania-A-survivors-story

That's a lovely story NDG.

lostinrates

Half a stone of fluid lost over night. All of it off my feet I reckon.

Next time round I really want to be a robustly healthy man.

vivatifosi

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

Something I find fascinating is the spread of grandparental ages - mine were all born between 1909 and 1915, so only 6 years eldest to youngest. Isaac's grandparents were all born 1948 - 1950, so an even smaller spread.

On the other hand, my mother's grandparents were born between 1860 and 1896, a much larger range.

Coincidentally my two grandfathers were born a day apart. My two grandmothers were also close together. I have long been sceptical of horoscopes as they were not at all alike.

Generali

lostinrates wrote: »

Next time round I really want to be a robustly healthy man.

I can recommend it. It's a pretty good life to live especially if you're born in a rich country. I don't think I'd have been allowed to bounce back from my career setbacks if I was a woman. To some extent you make your own luck but if you don't get given a chance to prove yourself then you can't prove yourself IYSWIM.