Dear Friends, Family, and Followers,

I cannot believe that another year has passed so quickly. Every year seems to fly past faster than the previous one. It seems like only yesterday that I was counting down the final moments of 2012 and cheering for the optimism and hope of 2013. Now it is Christmas again, and as always I enjoy reconnecting with old friends and family, and making new ones. It is a joyous time, and I hope everyone is able to celebrate it and enjoy some much deserved holidays.

In the spring I met new cousins in the Frazer family (my maternal grandfather's family) who helped me to trace my family history back further than I ever could have imagined. Although I have traced some of my ancestral lines back to the 1700s, and one line back to the 1530s, I have never had success with my Irish ancestors. When my 3x great grandfather emigrated to Canada, he apparently left no information on where he had come from. Worse yet, the family records in the part of Ireland that he was rumoured to be from had all been destroyed in the time of trouble, and it looked hopeless. But to my surprise, a third cousin of mine contacted me to let me know that in fact my great-great uncle had talked to his father (my 3x great grandfather) and had recorded the family's origins. As a result, I have had an amazing year of research tracing the Frazer family back through Roscommon, Ireland where they were land owners, then back to Ayrshire, Scotland in the 1600s where they were lesser nobles escaping persecution, and ultimately back through all of the major royal families of Britain and Continental Europe. I now have a documented ancestry that includes King Robert Bruce of Scotland, Lady MacBeth, King Richard 1 of England, Charlemagne the Holy Roman Emperor, and even a couple of senators in the Roman Empire. (For a list of all my newly discovered famous cousins, see this page). History is always a little more fascinating through the imagined eyes of one's own ancestors.

Otherwise my genealogical research this year has been fairly minor. I am trying to compile it into a family history book, and I will release it on my website when it is complete. For now, let me thank all the family and acquaintance over the years who have helped me with my research. Your contributions are invaluable to me, and I sincerely thank each and every one of you.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!