• Passed ONLY from mother to child during fertilization (fathers do not contribute)
• They are REPLICATED and almost never mutate for perhaps thousands of years.

(The marriage of Antonino Longo to Blandonia Maurici, 30 March 1572)

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Now for fun I decided I would try and find the farthest back Maternal line ancestor for my two sons (obviously through their mother and her mother and her mother etc.) and WHAT did I discover?? They descend directly in the matrilineal line from THIS notorious woman:

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Gillette Banne (born 1632 died 1672) who, with her 2nd husband Jacques Bertault were hanged on June 9th, 1672 at Quebec City, Nouvelle France (modern day Quebec) for the brutal murder of their son in law Latouche. Apparently Gillette first tried to poison him, when that didn't work her husband stabbed him with a pitchfork, but their young victim still stood strong, yet sadly in the end was no match for a crude shovel to the head. The couple then proceeded to dismember his body and dump it in pieces into the St. Lawrence River. Gillette gave a full confession against her husband and the two were found guilty (naturally), tied to a Giant Wheel (old French Medieval tradition) and suffocated by pulling the ropes around their neck tight. When they were found to be breathing no longer, the magistrate ordered the wheel spun breaking all four of their limbs before the bodies were removed and buried. Apparently in older times this would have been enacted while they were alive, but you see The French had grown civilized by 1672. It still amazes me that the mtDNA of this woman resides in every cell of not only my ex-wife, but my two sons. They fortunately will not pass it on to their children :) (should you care to read more on Gillette, here is a detailed PDF summary of her life, fascinating stuff)

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Y'all go out and have a Margherita for me ok? I thought in celebration of this special day I would upload a clip from a Mexican group which I have been listening to since I can remember (when the mood strikes) they are Trio Los Panchos and this is one of my favorites....

La Malageña

(right-click open in new window to play, right-click to save)

lyrics:

Que bonitos ojos tienes
Debajo de esas dos cejas,
Debajo de esas dos cejas
Que bonitos ojos tienes.
Ellos me quieren mirar
Pero si tu no los dejas,
Pero si tu no los dejas
Ni siquiera parpadear.
Malagena salerosa,
Besar tus labios quisiera,
A tus labios quisiera
Malagena salerosa,
Y decirte, nina hermosa;
Eres linda y hechicera,
Eres linda y hechicera
Como el candor de una rosa.
Y decir de nina hermosa
Eres linda y hechicera,
Eres linda y hechicera
Como el candor de una rosa.

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Laters :)

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