Today's News

All going to plan, Bill will be off doing the Great North Run today, with about 40,000 other runners.  He didn't actually enter, his son-in-law, Martin, had the entry.  However, owing to the birth of Bill's granddaughter, Charlotte, it turns out Martin wasn't able to come over here to do the race.  I think we all sort of predicted this, but Martin's enthusiasm makes him forget that he doesn't really run his own life any more...  Anyhow, Martin offered up his number and Bill snapped it.  I'd worry about Bill just haring off to do a half-marathon (13.1 miles), but he cycles, walks, runs or races most days of the week and so I expect he'll finish comfortably, if not with a PB.

The other big news is that Downton Abbey's third season starts tonight.  I'm allowed to be a bit goofy about a TV programme, given that I rarely watch anything at all.  The only other show Bill and I put ourselves out for is Who Do You Think You are.  Which leads me to my next topic.

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I've been trying to track down details about my Mom's cousin Tom, the only cousin on her father's side she ever used to talk about.  I have the impression that she liked him or that he was good looking, or maybe both.  I've never met him and I have no photos of him.  The evidence suggests Tom was married three times.  This lady was his wife at the time of his death. 



 Doesn't she look incredible at 73?

She, too, is now deceased, but - frustratingly - her obituary says nothing about her husband or his family; it was written by her daughter, from a previous marriage.  (I fit right in here with all these marriages!)

Said daughter had an unusual name and when I Googled it, came up with this man (now deceased), a former Republican U.S. Senator from Wyoming with a unique ancestry. 

Said daughter was one of his four wives; I'll not burden you with the details, but he's worth reading about if only for the pleasure/ horror, depending upon your politics. 

My point - and I do have one, Beryl - is that this man's sister is the Dowager Countess of Carnarvon, being the mother of the present Earl of Carnarvon.  (She has only been married once, in 1956).

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Said Earl lives at Highclere Castle, where Downton Abbey is filmed.  So, I'm related to Lord Grantham -  I mean Lord Carnarvon - by marriage...and divorce...sort of.  He was born - as it happens - the same year as I was. 

I've not yet added all these people to my family tree, mind.  I thought I'd wait until Bill and I were invited round for a weekend in the country and all that. 



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I'm sure the invitation will be in the post just as soon as he and his lovely wife read this post.  When we go, I'll be sure to take loads of pictures to share with you, OK?