TRAVELS and VISITS
After the Chicago bridge nationals this past summer we visited our friends
Tom and Carolyn Peters and then went to MD Anderson, where Steve was enrolled in a
prostate cancer trial. His doctor promised him that this cancer will not kill him.
While in Houston we got to see what a true downpour of rain looks like! We also
had a pleasant meal with old friends Sally and Buddy, as well as new friends Bruce and Susan.
Kitty stayed with our friends Art and Rochelle twice this year when in Salt Lake City
to visit her Dad. On one of those visits she was joined by Paul for the weekend,
another trip he intends to do yearly while his grandad is still with us.
|
 |
 |
 |
| Grampa Munson with Paul, Salt Lake City |
Kitty with Green Eggs and Ham, photo by Trish |
Steve with his morning coffee, photo by Trish |
TECHNOLOGY
After borrowing Steve's Android phone a few too many times, Kitty broke down
and replaced her Blackberry with a very oversized Android. Now she is just as
annoying as the next person; she has her face in her phone far too often.
How did we all manage before we had phones that could guide us to our destinations via GPS,
answer our voiced questions, and take great photos like most of the ones on this page?
One way Steve can tell when Kitty is really sick is that she leaves her phone alone.
Steve has stuck with Windows 8 while Kitty moved on to 10. Although she really likes 10,
she has not figured out how to keep it from updating her software automatically when we are travelling
and thus using a phone as a hotspot. We do not have an unlimited data plan so this can get expensive.
In fact, Kitty got windows 10 inadvertently over our cell network and we immediately blew away
our ten gig allowance for the month!
GENEALOGY, DNA, and BLOGGING
Kitty's new career continues successfully. She was voted into the top ten
list (number 10)
for rockstar genetic genealogists, her first time on that list. Her blog is now getting several thousand unique visitors a day and is often
cited by others in various DNA groups on Facebook.
She did six genealogy and DNA presentations this year, of which two were at
important
conventions: Rootstech (organized by
her brother, Shipley) and DNA day at the
SCGS jamboree.
The rest were for local groups.
What Kitty likes best though, is writing tools for the DNA adoption community and other genetic genealogists.
A recent project was to crowdfund the writing of a new tool, which went well, and more
importantly restored her confidence in her damaged brain, that she can still do tricky programming.
|
 |
 |
 |
| 4th Cousin Rønnaug and Kitty
by the Drammenfjord at her house in Svelvik |
3rd cousin 1R Jarle
at farm Skjold |
4th cousin Corinne, my travel companion, on the trek to
Tørjevollen |
BRIDGE
We had one of our worst years yet in bridge. No high overalls at the Nationals, although we were second after
the qualifying in the Fall Mixed Swiss Teams. We were still in contention at the start of the seventh out of eight
matches in the finals, when we lost to the ultimate winners. We ended up 20th. At least we finished the year
on a high note by winning the last event we played, the Sunday Swiss at the tough Palm Springs regional with
our good friends the Woolseys, Kate McCallum, and Cenk Tuncok.
SAD NEWS
As I prepared to send out this newsletter, I learned that my beloved Aunt Trudi had passed away.
Although this was not unexpected, one is never ready for a loved one to die. I have put
a tribute on Facebook and am adding photos and more to this page on the family web site:
http://kittymunson.com/index.php?page=trudi-t-beyer-1921-2015
NORWAY
This past June, the European
bridge championships were in Tromso, Norway.
So when good friends Dave Caprera and Anne Brenner said they were going and
needed teammates it was irresistable for Kitty. She really wanted to visit her
family's ancestral places and meet her cousins in Norway, whom she has found with
DNA and genealogy work. So off she went. Her California fourth cousin Corinne Murphy,
found via DNA, agreed to be her travel companion and they took a whirlwind tour of family places.
|
 |
 |
 |
| 2nd cousin Karin Karlsen and her home, bought by her grandad Oscar Bie, in Grimstad, Norway |
5th cousin Lars Ingamund Gjerde
with the Fatland apple tree |
Wold descendants in front of Rønnehue farmhouse,
Torgier, his daughter Annea, Kitty, guide Hans, Skjold side cousin Corinne |
Kitty's Dad is descended from three different Norwegian families. 1) His maternal grandfather H.H.Lee was a Skjold from Etne, Hordaland -
a few hours south of Bergen. 2) His maternal grandmother Maren Wold came from Skoger near Drammen - just south of Oslo.
3) His father Lawrence J. Munson was born in Kristiansand, the southernmost city in Norway.
So Kitty and Corinne went to all those places and also visited with many cousins still living in Norway.
If you are interested in the details, see
Kitty's online photo albums and
read these four blog posts:
After the genealogy tour was over, we flew from Kristiansand to Tromsø where Kitty spent
a week playing bridge with Alex Kolesnick and teammates Anne Brenner and Dave Caprera. Truly
the trip of a lifetime.
|
 |
 |
 |
| 3rd cousin Ottar Skjold and grand daughter on the porch at Øyno |
Bridge friends at dinner in Tromsø: Anne, Dave, Sharon, Emma, Kitty, Alex |
4th Cousin Magne loves vintage cars
|
