The beginning of the story …
In 2003, I was chagrined to find that one of the Asterix et Obelix comic books I had purchased in 1960’s Paris was missing. Priding myself on having a complete collection of original Asterix et Obelix comic books purchased during my stay in Paris (1967 and 1968), I went on French eBay to search for another copy,
I noted a seller with just the book I needed and made a bid. I won it, but then found that the seller was surprised that I was not in France, but in California near San Francisco. Thus began email negotiations on how to pay for it, during which the seller asked me who my grandmother had been since the town of Pontacq was near his hometown of Tarbes. From such questions are complex genealogical efforts built.