Porphyria Awareness Week

Today is my birthday...but more importantly this week is Porphyria Awareness Week.  If I were to have one birthday wish, it would be for a  cure to be developed for porphyria.

Click on photo to enlarge so that you can read more.

In the Nest

Tiny quail eggs, snug in a nest.

May you all be having a peaceful day with those you cherish.

DNA

 

Decades ago, my college biology professor stated to the class, "Just remember that there is something called DNA.  In the future, you will hear more about DNA, exciting and astounding things."  She was right.  This week I learned something really exciting about DNA from Tall Husband.  He had been watching a PBS documentary and told me that there was a company featured on the show that does DNA testing for individuals...at a reasonable cost and without a physician's order!  The company is 23andMe.

I immediately went on line and perused their interesting website, then ordered their DNA kit and a years membership for $207.00 USD, which is cheaper than the DNA testing for our dog Skipper.  Will I find a long-lost family member?  Find out why my joints have dislocated all my life?  Learn that I'm a carrier of some disorder?  Learn my drug responses based on my DNA?  Perhaps I'll even find out why I'm the only real blond in a large family.

Stay tuned, we may be related!

Little Russian Princess so Far Away

Photographs of people you love are double edged...they simultaneously bring a smile and a jab at the heart.  Poignancy is painful.  This is my granddaughter, Cecilia, in her Russian costume.  She is at once physically so far away and digitally near...via her mother's smart phone.


Her mother sends e-mail too: Here is a quote that accompanied the above photo:


David asked me last night what I would have done if I had lived during WWII (they are studying this period in school), and I found a half-dead Nazi on the ground, but had the possibility to save his life? Then we began to talk about the Buddhist notion of karma, etc. Cecilia said she knew what karma meant and would "show" us! So she slapped me on the cheek (she got a scolding!!) and said "See? Karma! I slap you really hard, then my hand hurts! I was pretty stunned...physically and intellectually!