"Welcome to the Weekend Chat!" All Members Invited!! July 9th - 11th, 2021 [closed]

Question

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Members Checking in via "All About the Weekend Chat"

Click here if Interested in Hosting the Weekend Chat and earning a Guest Host Sticker? 

CHANGE TO BEST ANSWER PROCESS:  After much discussion we have come to the conclusion that all answers in the Weekend Chat are of equal importance and weight.  So we are going to discontinue the Best Answer portion as it adds points and then takes them away from posters and is causing some hurt feelings.  So in the interest of everyone is equal and valued we will delete any best answers given which will deduct those points because it has been pointed out that to give everyone best answer is also not a viable option. 

Weekend Chat is for everyone. It's a place to catch up on what people are up to and to share what you've been doing.  New members can say hello, introduce themselves, ask questions, and meet each other.  Our seasoned members can share progress or successes from their projects, give tips and advice, or chime in on hot topics.

Post as many answers and comments as you wish. It doesn't hurt anyone to post a lot and enjoy the multitude of topics.

Enjoy yourselves and spread the love!

Comments

Where did the week go? It’s time for another Weekend Chat, my fellow Chatterboxes! And greetings from Cathey’s Creek where temps are the 80s with lots of sunshine. Foxglove, daylilies, and gladiolas are in full and magnificent bloom. Coming up next are our lilies with the stalks of small, orange flowers. They spread like wildfire, so I need to split some of the clusters to plant elsewhere.

On the Home Front: I found out that I missed four of Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe series, all chronologically together, so I backtracked to read them before continuing the series. I completed three of them this week with one more to go. They cover the time period from 1807 to 1811 during the Peninsula Campaign. Once done with these “stragglers,” I’ll go back to the one that starts in 1814. There must be about 20+ volumes in this series. It’s been an enjoyable read.

I also received a book that was recommended to me by our very own Professor Eckstädt (Jelena), a biography by Lyndal Roper of Martin Luther. I’ll start that one when Sharpe has finished his adventures.

Things are beginning to start up locally. Brevard is holding their Tuesday night street dances again, with live music, mostly country and mountain music to accompany folks. It runs from 7 – 9 p.m. And, our community center here in Cathey’s Creek has started up their Thursday night Mountain Music Jams with bands playing and refreshments served.

Here at the very end of the lightning bug season (they were glorious this year), I noticed at dusk that the first of our dragon flies have appeared. Though I do not like to touch bugs not want them in the house, I think that dragon fly swarms are wonderful to watch as they dive after prey over our back field.

If you still be reading: If Carl Linnaeus had been a Scot, he would have said, “The new taxonomic classification system is as follows: Birdies, Beasties, Floo’rs, Mannies and Wifies, Creepy-crawlies.”

On the genealogy front: I did my first batch of edits on my second PIP (not me) Voyage profile. I was embarrassed to see on that profile that it was adopted for the Voyage on April 8^th last, FOUR months ago. The second round of edits starts TODAY, I promise! (Robin Shaules is SOOO patient!)

Most of my nearly 600 contributions this month have come from greeting new members. It seems that we have been given a higher profile online with various other genealogists. Maybe that’s why it appears that we’ve had more people joining WikiTree lately.

Would you believe that one of the smaller surges in membership comes a month or so after Christmas? It’s all those DNA gifts, I suppose. Another happens during and right after a Rootstech conference (which, by the way, I have already received an email concerning the conference in 2022).

Discovered this week: Dad’s WW II shoulder patch (in bad condition) and his later ROTC patch.

Lots of reasons to do what you need to do to stay vigilant and safe! Here’s hoping you have a most blessed of weekends!

Enjoy the Chat!

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Hi Pip, I left a little present for you in the form of a URL in my post. I think I will have to shut down for a while. My monitor keeps 'blacking out'. I think there is a cable disconnect, or my monitor is dying. I hope to be back (on and off) later. The monitor my look the way I feel. I did not sleep at all well last night and have been fatigued since I started that new anti-stroke medication about two months ago. I wish I could get off some of this stuff. Monitor is blanking out again. Later!

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Ok, gotcha, Carol!

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HI, Carol, sorry to hear about the sleep/tiredness and monitor troubles.  If you need a new one, I have a couple that Phil used that could go really cheap, free trial even!

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Carol, it sounds like your monitor is fried. You will need a new one. Good luck and sorry to hear about the tiredness.

Tuesday night street dances, Pip? Like a Michael Jackson video? Hmm. That'd be kinda funny. =)

Have a great time and show off your fresh dance moves!

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Hi Cindy, the one I have (the geezer that is blacking out) belongs to the university. I have to drive to Phoenix on Monday and will likely take this one along and get another monitor that isn't quite ready for social security.

However, the monitor I use is a Dell that has an overlap on the back such that cords from the old Dell docking station to the underside of this monitor. Is this the type that Phil used? If so, we might be able to deal. Thanks!

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Hi G2G'ers! Thanks Pip for hosting!

This is just a general comment to thank everyone who has already been such a big help and so kind! What a cool group of humans! I'm fairly new to this, but I'm definitely hooked! I can't wait to see what else this journey has in store! I am definitely interested in getting a DNA test, so any tips there are appreciated!

One of my most fascinating early discoveries was my paternal GM's mother, who came to USA with her family at the age of three. We have always just known her as Anna Amy Lindquist, and my grandmother, Emma, used to tell me stories about her that were great. I actually have a first cousin named after her, "Amy", and her being so recently from Sweden was very exotic to me as a child. In my search to find out more about her, I discovered a different Anna Peterson, and several of their facts and sources had been intertwined. While trying to untangle these, I discovered that her last name was originally "Isaksdotter", which made perfect sense since she was born in Sweden in 1880 and the patronymic naming convention was still being used. Her father was Isak/Isaac Peterson, so it was kind of strange that her last name, (and the last names of her brothers and sisters who came here at the same time in 1883) had been changed to "Peterson". I found out that the first law concerning fixed surnames was passed in Sweden in 1901, but the immigration documents list their names as Peterson prior to that, and they were already here...

Aside from that, one of the reasons she was being confused with the other Anna was her middle name. It is shown to be "Naemi" in Swedish church records and home examination docs, and she signed it that way on her marriage license. The only theories I have about both of these anomalies are that US customs officials recorded all of their names as Peterson after Isak Peterson stated his full name, and that "Naemi" must have been heard and recorded as "Amy".

I'm interested to know if any of you think I could be close, or if maybe there's another explanation.

Either way, thank you all for such a warm welcome! Happy hunting, and have a wonderful weekend!  ~Cathy

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Hi Cathy, You are probably quite right. For other emigrants from Sweden to the US it seems they felt a need (or perhaps it was preferred) to start using the same name in the family as a whole. Then most often the children change to the father's patronymic, in the -sson form. With that they became "modern" and stopped using the old ways of naming.

I also have Swedish relatives from the end of the 1800s with the second name Naemi. I guess it was just easier to write it Amy for the person registering her.

Many immigrants from other countries can be found in the US with more or less mangled spellings or "translations" of their names.

Get in touch if you want any help with your Swedish branch(es).

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Hi Maria, I'd love to get in touch! Thank you!

Answer 1

Thank You for hosting the Chat Pip,

This week. Monday, I went to the eye doctor and as expected I need new glasses. They were ordered and I should have them by the 19th of July. After that the grandson came over to cut our grass, another grandson came over to drop of some stuff for his work lunches, he stops on his way to work for breakfast and to pack his lunch and one granddaughter dropped of her daughter. The one son and his wife stopped over to pick up the baby. The baby is starting to form words and when Diane got close to the baby's grandfather, her son, the baby said "Papa" and the look on the baby's mothers face was priceless. It was not as much of a shock to me because just prior to that I saw the baby practicing that word while sitting on my lap.

Tuesday, After the grandson left for work we had to pick up the baby, mommy and daddy wanted to pick her up from our house and the adults at the baby's grandparents house all had to go to work, so we had her for most of the day until her parents came over to get her. With the weather being very hot for our area, 94 degrees, I did not venture out much except to check the mail, all good news, dividend checks and Jury duty cancelled, so that was a plus. Unfortunately with the little one working on WikiTree was not an option.

Wednesday, Laundry day then we went to the big computer store near us. I wanted to buy a new computer but they did not have what I wanted so I came home empty handed. We had a thunder storm in the evening. The highlight was when I got up to get some ice cream and my foot let out a big crack. Diane thought I broke something else on the recliner but I said that it was my foot. The recliner has a warranty but my foot does not.

Thursday, I am beginning to feel like I live in Grand Central Station. The grandson stopped over as he normally does then we got a call from the granddaughter. she dropped of her daughter, our great granddaughter while she did her laundry. The next thing I know there was a back hoe digging up next door, they are prepping a pad for the neighbors shed. After they left the HVAC people came to install their AC. The grandson got off early because the job site he was at flooded due to heavy rain. That meant he stopped at our house again. He left and went home and the neighbors got their AC installed with a short break due to thunderstorms, not by the company the grandson works for. We had a quiet dinner, just the two of us but shortly after that the grandson called to say he was coming over for the third time. I did manage to squeeze in some genealogy by creating a couple of profiles, one for a Notable and another to start to connect her to the big tree but nothing to brag about yet.

As for today who knows but I am sure I will not be bored

Comments

The weather is cool and dry today so we have every window in the house open. Tomorrow may be another story however.

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Dale, my next eye appointment will require the same, a new prescription. I've noticed it particularly when transitioning from ready to other things where it takes my eyes a bit to adjust. Not happy about this.

If you only had mentioned the family stuff, stopping by, dropping off, I'd have thought your week was pretty full. Nice happenings to keep you busy. Also, my wife regularly comments on the parts of me that crack and pop. The frequency of these still surprise her.

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Pip, eating Rice Krispies as a youth is the source of the joint noises. They settle into your joints making you go Snap Crackle and Pop when you move at our age.

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Hahahaha!!! So, that's why! And all this time I thought it was having less cartilage in my joints for abusing them all these years.

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I made an error above, the neighbors did not get their AC installed. Most of work was done but they came back this morning to complete the job. They may need the AC yet this summer but today it is only 66 F and not expected to get much above 70 so I doubt that they will use it today.

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Not so much heat in the Arctic, huh Dale? 85° here today, and the AC is already on.

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Dale, you sound like Grand Central Station at your house!  How nice that you can see your family and also have and give help to each other.

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Not quite the Arctic but we are the North Coast.

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Dale, your saying you will surely not be bored today, given how the week passed went ... wow? 

How is your foot today?? 

  

Answer 2

Today is.....

      

NATIONAL SUGAR COOKIE DAY

Observed each year on July 9th, National Sugar Cookie Day honors the ever-popular and delicious sugar cookie.

A holiday favorite and very easy to make, sugar cookies disappear quickly once they come out of the oven. Most sugar cookies include sugar, flour, butter, eggs, vanilla, and either baking powder or baking soda. While most people have the ingredients on hand at all times, some of the ingredients should be fresh for the best outcome. Children enjoy baking and decorating anytime someone makes a batch of sugar cookies.

The sugar cookie is believed to have originated in the mid-1700s in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. German Protestant settlers created a round, crumbly and buttery cookie that came to be known as the Nazareth Cookie.

Today, sugar cookie making and decorating has become an art form for kids and adults alike. Starting with the shape of the cookie, the dough is formed with either a cookie cutter or other methods of cutting and shaping the dough. Once the cookie is baked, the cookie artist adds colored frosting or icing. Sprinkles, edible glitter, colored sugars, and additional details may be added. Some cookies receive so much detail, it’s almost a shame to eat them. 

HOW TO OBSERVE National Sugar Cookie Day:

While making some delicious and beautiful sugar cookies, marvel at the skill of bakers who have mastered the skill. Learn some of their tips and tricks, or share your own. We even have a delicious sugar cookie recipe for you to try. For more recipes, be sure to visit the National Day Calendar® recipe pages or share one of your own. Don’t forget to give a shout-out to your favorite baker and let them know you appreciate their delicious cookies.

Comments

You had me at Cookie.

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My favorite baker, who makes the most wonderful cookies is an elderly lady at church. Every Sunday, she brings in a plate of the kind of stuff that kills diets, including her tasty sugar cookies, among others. She can also do pies on request. (And I request...)

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One of my favorites, Dorothy! I'm not fond of baking them, but I do love eating them!

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On how to observe National Sugar cookie day, they left out the most important thing!  Stuff yourself with sugar cookies!

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Sugar cookies are one of my very favorites! I will have to try the recipe you included - thanks Dorothy!!

Answer 3

¡Buenos días a todos from the Old Pueblo! It is 7am in Tucson and 85F (29.4C) with an expected high of 105F (40.6C). It is a bit humid and I am happy to report that we have had 2 to 3 down pours lasting about ½ hour. I am keeping up with my rain dances and for those who experience extra rain, continue to send it our way. I’m up very early because I just cannot seem to sleep. Not feeling my best, either, so might as well chat!

Pip, thanks for wrangling the Chat and Chatters! Oh! I saw an old clip of Ewen McGregor (who I love) on Graham Norton on FB the other day and thought of you. He received an OBE a while back and was being teased about the headline, ‘OBE Wan Kenobi.’ They had a lovely photo of him in his kilt! I suppose now you’ll have to purchase a McGregor kilt. See if you can ‘dial up’ that clip on FB. Oh, wait... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FoVmDI8AsE You’re welcome!

I completed my PPT presentation on short sleep/sleep deprivation and their associations with chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and mood disorders for the global health certificate course. I will be driving up to Phoenix on Monday and will record the PPT on Tuesday. Then I will be done with all my recordings and will only have to complete learning objectives, multiple-choice questions and such for six of the eight modules. The majority of the demands are done, though.

My travel to Milwaukee (and State Fair) is a bit over a month away. I have been thinking about taking another trip in September, perhaps to the Florida Keys for a few days. I would like to tour Hemingway’s home in the Keys. I am curious to see similarities and differences compared to his home in the outskirts of Havana, Cuba, which I toured in 2018. We are 9^th cousins through MRCA Marie (Lawrence) Burnham. I met his grandson, Patrick, when I was in Cuba. It was serendipity. His first wife, Hadley Richardson and I are 8^th cousins through MRCA Ezekiel Richardson, who came to Massachusetts with Winthrop’s fleet. I spent last April and May during the pandemic connecting her to her various ancestors, including Ezekiel.

Earlier this week, I agreed to be a G2G PGM responder. It was an honor to be asked by Brad Stauf and team. I have been hesitant because I question my skill and confidence in doing this, but the team has been supportive and I can learn by doing. Plus, I feel the need to give back a bit to Wikitree because they have given me so much in terms of connecting with ancestors as well as the WikiTree family.

This Saturday is our monthly genealogical society DNA SIG zoom meeting. The first hour will cover the first in a series of four presentations covering the “Big 4” (Ancestry, 23andMe, My Heritage and Family Tree DNA). They have recently made several changes and introduced new features. The second hour will cover reasons for using GEDmatch and how it can help with genetic genealogy research.  They have also recently revamped their website. As to Wikitree, I have been slowly, but surely cleaning up the Lister and Bolling aisles and returning to some of my early profiles and cleaning them up a bit. This weekend, I’ll be working on reviewing some of my earlier profiles, the ones I started with on WikiTree and bring them up to snuff by making sure the biographies are done properly with inline sourcing. I found a couple of profiles on my mum’s paternal side that needed work and will now check to see if there are others that could benefit from review.

I hope everyone has a wonderful and relaxing weekend. Stay safe!

Comments

Howdy, Cousin Carol! (19th and 131 other descents)

I'm not a Macgregor, but I DO have two kilts in the hopper at my kiltmaker's shop. Douglas and Shepherd. I really don't like the Shepherd tartan, but after hearing (on my kiltmaker's YouTube channel) workers complaining about having to make them because it's so hard on the eyes, I ordered one of those. It'll look nice with a Prince Charlie.

You still have a lot on you plate, but at least several items are things YOU enjoy doing. I, for one, am glad to hear you are doing something for yourself.

I can hear it now: "Clean up on Aisle Bolling, Clean up on Aisle Bolling."

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Or 'Bolling Lane'? Or 'Bolling Alley'? I must tell you that these Bolling profiles are a true mess. I contacted Jo from the England Team to see if they would help take this family on as several Bolling profiles need two and three merges! Plus, I met a Lister cousin regarding one merge and we will be working together on some of these Bolling/Lister aisles together. I think it important to clean up these messes and write proper biographies with sourcing because one of the Bolling descendants migrated to Virginia and his son married Jane Rolfe, the granddaughter of John Rolfe and Amonute Matoake (Powhatan) Rolfe (alias Pocahontas). It would nice nice to have proper biographies for all concerned.

Answer 4

Good morning Pip and all the weekend chatters!

Weather:

• Rain

Genealogy:

• It’s Friday Date Night. (Research so far has the father working on Main Street at the Jeff Davis Bakery back in the 1940s. That’s the Street my business is located on today.)

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edited on 10 Jul 2021:

Genealogy:

• Ancestry.com: I received a new feature for DNA matches.  When I recognize a DNA match, now I am able to label which side of the family they are on and add their relationship to me.  This can help me determine how I may be related to other matches. 

Comments

And more rain, right Tommy? Sounds like November to May two years ago for us.

I'm hoping I remember Friday Date Night! 4 p.m. here, I think.

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Please keep pushing rain to our desert southwest. Most grateful for the help!

Answer 5

Good morning, Pip and all.  My big news this week is that I walked almost a mile on a dirt trail!  Working towards hiking again and it felt good to be on an actual trail.  I also sold Phil's car and am coming to terms with that empty spot in the garage.

I've had lots of time this week for WikiTree, still ploughing through the parish register for Isle Saint Jean (now PEI).  Up to 1757.  It ended in 1758 when the British overtook the land and began to force the Acadians out, many of whom arrived there to escape the British in Nova Scotia.

Comments

Wow, Cindy, you are making great progress in your recovery!!!! I'm thrilled!

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Hi Cindy, I left a message above about potential monitor purchase. I am so very please to hear of your nice long walk and coming to terms with the significant change in your life.

I don't know if you saw it, but I posted a G2G message that AmericanAncestors is offering a 3-week-long online course "researching Acadian Ancestors." The cost was $85. Although the first class was 2 days ago, you might want to see if they will make the recordings available at a later date, or if you might still be able to enroll and see about watching the first recording.

Most importantly, I totally concur with PiP as to your great strides! Take care and know that I continue to send positive healing intention.

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Ah, it's YOU I need to thank for that course recommendation.  I did indeed sign up.  The first class was history of the area, and it confirmed what I already knew plus provided some nice maps and counts of deportees to various places that I didn't know.  The next two sessions are going to be about sources.  I'll send an email about the monitor.

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Cindy, great to know you signed up and are benefitting from the course. I have generally been pleased with the AmericanAncestor programs, but I sign up for the freebies.

Answer 6

On this day:

1766: The German writer Johanna Schopenhauer is born

1790: During the Russian-Swedish War, the Battle of Svensksund is fought

1913: During the Second Balkan War, the Battle of Bregalnica is fought

Comments

Picking two today, Professor. 1790 and 1913. Since it's raining, I have the time! 

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A remarkable woman  -- have to say I have never heard of her son 

 Johanna Schopenhauer (née Trosiener; July 9, 1766 – April 17, 1838) was mother of the famous german philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer. She was the first German woman to publish books without a pseudonym, an influential literary salon host, and in the 1820s a female author in Germany.

Answer 7

Thanks for hosting, Pip.  It seems I've had military history on my mind lately.  It began recently with me starting to reread Fred Anderson's Crucible of War, which covers the French and Indian War and its immediate aftermath in the 1760s.  That got me wondering about the Coulon de Villiers family, which includes two brothers, Joseph and Louis, who played crucial roles at the outset of the conflict.  I haven't had a chance to improve their profiles just yet, but I have started adding family connections, including both of their respective spouses.

We've also been asked to offer suggestions for next week's theme, which will be the French Revolution.  I decided to offer François Christophe Kellermann as a suggestion.  This was mostly on the merits of his important victory at Valmy, but the fact that he had a French Canadian son-in-law also influenced my decision.  I was impressed with the other suggestions made, so I should be happy regardless of the specific choices included in the Connection Finder.

Comments

Ooo... another book for me to order. the Anderson book. I gotta say, Greg, that WikiTree keeps me on Amazon a lot, looking for new books to read, especially military history.

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Ordered it! Now the wait.... Thanks for the suggestion, Greg.

Answer 8

This week I virtually attended MAAGI (Midwest African American Genealogy Institute) for the African American Native American track. I learned a great deal on new sources and had reminders on sources I already use. This will help at work for we have many researchers with requests on this topic since we are so close to Oklahoma. It also gave me a few ideas on new genealogy projects. MAAGI was a great institute and I recommend attending.

It is full summer here with warm to hottish days and sunny skies. The lillies are all blooming and the garden looks great. Too bad I am not that fond of the lillies' smell.

Comments

Sounds like a great conference, Michelle. I really need to get busy and start on some of those so available these days.

I'm not a lily-sniffer either, but they sure do look beautiful n bloom.

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Sometimes co-workers receive flowers and they have lillies. Their smell is so strong it can travel down the hallway, though the blooms are very pretty.

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I can sympathize with you.  The smell of a crushed geranium leaf, or even brushed up on sometimes, gives off a smell that gives me the dry heaves and I go around sounding like I am throwing up.   I avoid plant sale places around Memorial Day for this reason.

Answer 9

Memories of Lytton, B.C. ..........I first travelled to the central interior city of Kamloops, through Lytton, on a Canadian Pacific Railway steam train, in late August !950, at age 4 1/2.  Since then, trips, by rail, Greyhound bus and own vehicles, including motorcycle, car and truck have been a routine, enjoyable, occurrence...........I am confident Lytton will rise from the ashes.

Comments

I surely hope so, John. What a terrible loss for those folks.

Are YOU doing well?

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Thanks, Pip.  We're doing reasonably well.......no end of sun in sight, no smoke coming our way...yet, and, after the heat wave...hot days are now warm and warm days are now cool.   The extra river 'spring melt' runoff is still under the high water mark, however, the high water table under the blueberry patch, coupled to the hot spell, has me about to get the wheelbarrow to bring each blueberry to the kitchen.  I checked with one of our daughters, who has a position at an animal supply distribution center and they have setup help for the Lytton area pets and livestock.....we're watching to see what else might be needed.

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Yeah, I heard there wasn't much snow melt, not enough to keep the lakes and rivers up. I didn't know you had that problem so far north.

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Pip,  We're about 55 miles up the Fraser River, 33 feet above sea level and about 15 miles above high tide on the river at Mission, B.C.

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Hi John, Lytton has been on my mind since the fire. I have kept all involved in my positive intentions and hope for resilience for all to rise like the phoenix from the ashes and become even better and stronger.

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Is there something like the Red Cross there in Canada that can help the refugee residents find temporary housing, meals, clothing and such?

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Thankyou, Carol.  It happened so fast, and many people were prepared, that people mostly departed northeast 140 miles to Kamloops, or east 60 miles to Merritt and some south 100 miles to Chilliwack where they are being looked after.  With the world watching, the provincial and federal governments are getting organized to sort it out and we're watching to make sure they get more than day to day or week to week security of mind.......in my day and time 200 miles was fairly easy driving and all part of the community.

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Susan,  I understand the Red Cross has organized a family reconnection program and the municipal and provincial governments have provided for immediate needs, while the federal government has offered additional assistance......and, I now understand, an investigation is underway to verify the cause of the fire.  Also, community centers have set up to take and forward donations.

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Today, when out and about, I looked up the lower Fraser Valley and saw smoke, from the central interior wildfires, settling in against the breeze blowing up valley......when I got back, I noticed some of the trees had apples with distinct, dark, dried patches on the side facing up at the sun during the recent heat wave.   

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Hi John, speaking of dried patches on trees, I have to tell you of a story I read on FB earlier this morning. There are a number of beaches all along the California coast that are reeking from the stench of crustaceans that died from the heat. They were literally 'cooked' on the sand. The story showed a section of beach that was rife with these dead crustaceans.

And oddly enough, I was returning from Best Buy last night and listening to 'Science Friday' a talk radio on our Public Radio Station. the topic was on crustaceans, how they develop, and the role that they play even in some of our U.S. buildings like the Empire State Building. Then to read of these creatures dead from the heat was rather shattering for me. It's almost like science fiction for real, no longer fiction.

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Carol,  I hadn't heard about it in the news, but looked it up and, sure enough, huge amounts of shellfish, including beds of mussels, have died in the heat on our local shores......I'll be watching for any long term effects.

Answer 10

Hello from moderately sunny London! The weather has been somewhat plain this week but very nice (apart for some rather strange hail spells on Tuesday).

Since I last wrote on the Friday previous I've done a lot of work on the Alston family of Surrey and in doing so I made some great connections to the main tree which is what I had been hoping for since they're my gateway to any potential 'aristocratic' ancestors including people like William the Conqueror.

Over the week I've done basically nothing and haven't even managed to get a photo and profile of the week up yet, but I'm certainly going to get that done soon.

I certainly wasn't able to do much on Thursday after the England result. Hopefully, we'll be able to win in the final on Sunday!

Comments

Moderately rainy here, David. One of those afternoon pop-ups, as we call them.

I watched the England-Denmark match. Seems there some investigating going on about a laser being pointed at Denmark's goalie. We'll see how that turns out.

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That won't change anything about the actual result. It's highly possible though that the laser was used as one of the Danish defenders said after the match: "I didn't see the laser in the penalty situation, but I saw it earlier in the match." Maybe the UEFA will ban some spectators in a later England match as penalty and give the FA a fine. But that will be all.

Answer 11

Eh. I would say "Gah" but that might be a tad too .... whatever ... to describe my week (passed, gone, thankfully) -- some of which I won't mention 

Wrassled once again (over the last two days) with a Maynard PM and with the same result. HE ain't gonna see no proofs put on those profiles. Nope. Not.  PM did say he was sorry he bothered me.  (So am I).  I take it to mean he won't do so a 3rd time?  My message will remain the same.  He has emailed me twice about the error others commit on his family tree, see?  He can fix that problem by putting the b.d. proofs on the b.d. profiles, but nope, he ain't gonna do that.  And he most certainly has NOT said I could do so. 

Did a 1,000 profiles, sourcing them. Not really 1,000, of course not. Not in a week's time, heheheh. Different surnames. But satisfying as an achievement

Watched the HVAC company show up across the street, one house down. Hmm. Two days of him on that roof, and ... he disappeared amid the sound of metallic things hitting the concrete down below. 4th day a crane showed up and we had a heart-stopping 10 minutes of watch it emplace a new HVAC unit on the roof. (I kept thinking if the crane loses control of that thing, how much will it cost to repair the house?)  The HVAC company is back again today ... final bits of fiddling with this and that I guess.   These units are at a once in a great while at a minimum of $7000 and usually over $10,000 .... 

Weather is arid. North of us and east of us and even west of us in Central Valley everyone is cooking in their own sweat. 

QUAKE -- At 3:52 PM yesterday, the 8th, my world starting wobbling back and forth sideways and I started getting motion sickness and had vertigo -- and then the wobbling stopped. So I looked up the california earthquakes page online and, oh, yeah, a nice tight 4.8 quake had nearly caused me to toss my cookies ... followed they said by a 5.9 or 6.0 LESS THAN A MINUTE LATER in "nearby" Central Valley 

Sig O, on the other side of the house, did not notice the quake, go figure 

Today is Friday and we have our usual Tension about whether we will have delivery of meals today. 2021 has been a tad erratic. 

 On Tuesdays, there's always the tension of whether the trash truck will come by to collect the trash, and whether the truck will fall apart, and whether the driver on that day is in a foul mood ...There are times when it sounds like the driver is set to destroy the trash cart, slamming the trash carts on his way from one house to the next 

Entertainment in the sight of a woman in summer wear being walked by her large dalmation-looking beefy dog ... think he was working on making her run  Think he succeeded last I saw of her being hauled along ... 

Weather has been "mild" here compared to Oregon and Washington and southern California etc ...  just a few days up in  the 100+F range - we have the HVAC set at 79 inside and we pretty much stay inside 

Comments

How did Sig O not feel that strong a quake?!? 

Tuesday is out trash day, too, and I have to put a reminder in my phone or the bag just sits in the garage stinking up the place for another week.

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Sig O has no explanation for that lack. None.  Nothing inside the house fell nor did the wall fracture (seen that happen 3x in San Jose) etc and so forth, no trees fell, just a big ho-hum, and no one ran out into the street, no sirens, nothing ... except that I nearly barfed from vertigo / motion sickness 

He also spend the next 2 hours updating me on the 6.0 OTHER quake ELSEWHERE that followed on the heels of the one I felt (my son also felt it) ... LOCAL TV stations (Central Valley) went bananas and spent the next 4 hours discussing it with film clips from other areas that did have things falling and breaking ... he did not feel that one either (neither did I)

I judge that the 4.8 quake was a non-event in his world ... it was not a non-event in MY world, I can still recall how nauseous I felt 

 

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Wow, that's enough of a quake to get your attention.  Glad it wasn't any bigger.  (I lived in SoCal when the Landers-Big Bear and Northridge quakes hit, among others.  Not something I'd like to repeat.)

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 Oh, Lisa, it REALLY got my attention ... there is something about being motion sick, and having vertigo, 

BUT you KNOW you are firmly seated 

BUT you & your chair and the desk are all going rapidly back and forth sideways ... 

no words will adequately express what that feels like 

Answer 12

Aside from all that of the last passed (Hallelujah) week, I've been trying to find out what a gluen-free chicken is ... well, a chicken in and of itself has no gluten. Gluten depends on how you prepare the chicken as a menu item ... okay. I don't know how many articles I skimmed to find this out ... jeepers .... 

Plain, fresh cuts of meat, including beef, poultry (chicken, turkey, etc), rabbit, lamb and fish/seafood meat, are all gluten-free. However, be careful with breaded or floured meats, which typically contain wheat and therefore gluten.

So, Sig O and I are eating gluten free chicken since what is delivered by the 40 pounds is raw naked chicken ... granted, the occasional rotisserie chicken probably is dangerous, and must be subdued while in its container ... 

Been a very educational exploration I will say that   

Comments

Yep, all in the prep. Can you imagine if someone was able to genetically alter a chicken to be gluten free?  (I think I'd avoid that!)

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Ah, well CHICKENS are -- in the flesh -- free of gluten.  

"Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and triticale (a cross between wheat and rye)." Gluten-free diet - Mayo Clinic

Only when you cook them coated with or mixed with one of these grains do you get the gluten -- 

Eat roasted chicken with no coating of this or that on it, slow roasted to melt off 80+% of the body fat, discard the skin which will still have fat and voila, low fat roasted tasty chicken without any gluten 

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I'm definitely one to peel off the skin. I get "looks" for this.

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Well, for women at least, "diets high in" animal fats and dairy products are not recommended -- mostly because of the association with breast cancer -- there's cancer on both sides of my ancestry -- 

"Diets high in animal fats increase risk of breast cancer, while painkillers lower risk, studies say > A diet that is rich in animal fats from red meat and high fat dairy products increases the risk of breast cancer, say studies from the United States and the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, a third study says that regular, long term use of aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs reduces the risk of breast cancer."

Although there are men who get breast cancer ... 

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  Pip, A large amount of research in "eating to stay alive" might be of benefit to you, the ideas about cholesterol, animal fats, fiber, nutritional balance ... it isn't so much you "give up" foods but that you sub other foods which are more nourishing and just as tasty if prepared properly 

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Pip and others -- it has been scads of months? years? since I had a KFC ... hmm ... and the last rotisserie chicken, my share, was fed to the cats who DID CLIMB up me to get some, which climbing was painful -- consequence is that I don't get a lot of that kind of chicken ... it had gluten, I think.  

I note that there are NOW gluten free rotisserie chickens, I kid you not, they have a sticker on the container ... really!!  I find that truly mind-boggling. 

And there's one of us at Chat is raising chickens and paying the butcher $3/chicken to provide them with free range gluten free raw chicken ... plus of course the cost of feed etc and the labor however much is involved in herding free range chickens ... and of course being on the alert for chicken hunting predators .... 

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Is gluten free chicken like kosher ham? I honestly saw a canned kosher ham in a grocery store 9yrs ago.

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Ah, Paul, animal flesh is gluten free and only when it is prepared with grains will it have gluten -- gluten is in the grains used 

Kosher refers to the method by which the animal is slaughtered. 

> Keep It Kosher – What Does That Mean? | Touchpoint Israel

> SymptomFind's Guide to Creating a Gluten-Free Diet Plan

Answer 13

Greetings from Everett, Washington. It has not rained for 24 days but temperatures are normal.

Tuesday--my daughter's friend has the worst luck getting a Dungeons & Dragons group together. Technicians came to mend his dishwasher so the group was cancelled.  Daughter and I consoled him by taking him out to dinner. Afterward I sat and wrote in my journal, skimmed G2G while they discussed maps and the attributes of characters.

Wednesday: we were at a meet and greet party for a former mayor of Mukilteo who is running again for that office. Food and drink was delicious.  I had good conversation with a former president of the historical society.

Yesterday: the Mukilteo Minute at the historical society Zoom meeting was done by husband, about glaciation in Puget Sound and why the water level drops to 600 feet just beyond the shore where the lighthouse is. The main speaker was a paleontologist who spoke on fossilized clamshells of the genus Buchia that he found in sandstone on a local beach and that he traced back to formations near Harrison Lake in southern British Columbia. Fascinating stuff.

Today is a slow day for me.  I am using the cane again today. I take the car for an oil change (I hope that's all it is) at noon. I had to make an appointment, for the first time at this particular gas station where we've been customers for years.  They are just so busy right now. Daughter needs to be at work at 1 p.m. so I am going to request a ride home. Walking would be exhausting and somewhat dangerous as the gas station is near the corner where all kinds of shady people hang out.  I mean drug addicts raving in the street. After I get home I will use the other car to take her to work. She works until 9 so I will also be making dinner for her to bring as the mall has no fish restaurants. Then husband will take me to the gas station to pick up the car when he gets home around 5.

Tonight is busy at the movie theater because Black Widow is coming out. My daughter has ceased to care for the Marvel Comics Universe since Stan Lee died. But she is glad for the work and the seniority as a concessionaire that can help solve problems. A busted water pipe under the soda dispenser was mended by a manager with duct tape over the previous duct tape, which my daughter held for the manager.

I have begun reading more Evelyn Waugh.  My daughter thought I had already read "Put Out More Flags" when I bought a copy in Port Townsend on the 25th but I had not and am enjoying it now. I am also reading poetry by George Herbert, the 17th Century Anglican.

I have been asked to help daughter plan something so I must close.  God bless you all through next week.

Comments

Glad to see you keeping so busy with things you like to do, Margaret. I'm surprised at the lack of rain in your area.

George Herbert was a great poet. His stuff is not light and breezy. It takes some concentration to really get into his work.

Answer 14

Hails and horns, Wikipeeps!

Sorry I am a little late with posting. My brother and his fam are visiting and right now the kids are watching Avengers: Endgame. Got them hooked on the Marvel movies. Will have to show them Wandavision and Falcon and the Winter Soldier at some point. And then Loki. Not all at once of course.

Onto the genealogy front!

My latest blog for #52Ancestors has gained a lot of traction. The topic was "free" and I thought it was the best time to talk about a certain year-long event that a certain free website has been doing. Check it out here: https://allroadhaverhill.blogspot.com/2021/07/52-ancestors-week-27-free.html

It's been raining pretty hard here as NH has been getting the remnants of tropical storm Elsa. She should really just let it go. (BOOOOO!) Oh, calm down. Your "boos" give me strength.

Hope everyone has a great weekend! Enjoy the blog!

Comments

Well Chris F, you are doing swimmingly well ... 

California still dry bones, dry dust, dry air 

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Chris, when Elsa came up through SC we thought we'd get lots of rain. Nope, just a few afternoon showers. It's the ones that come up from the western Gulf where we get all that rain. Hope your garden survives.

Really great job with the blog this week. Of course, this is usual for you! 

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@ Susan: Thank you! Though, I do hope you get relief soon. Droughts are awful. And so are days of constant rain.

@ Pip: Thank you for the signal boost! We got a ton of rain here. The garden seems to be doing okay. Though, the flowers on the eggplants were ripped off by wind. I am sure they can grow back. I hope.

We have fresh basil on our caprese salad for dinner tonight so the basil's fine.

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We are watching "Black Widow" right now.  Sorry - I post no spoilers!

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Enjoy!

Answer 15

Greetings to my fellow WikiTreers!

Well, my groundhog troubles - the saga continues!

I contacted my exterminator, and unfortunately she never returned my call. I got her supervisor yesterday and wanted to know what was happening, and I got an apology and "we don't do groundhogs". *sigh* So I tried some home remedy stuff - the internet is sometimes helpful, and sometimes a waste of time. Or I have a special groundhog - who knows? But supposedly ammonia deters them - I guess they think a lion came by and peed in their den - so I dumped several gallons in on him, and he left. For a few days. Then he came back yesterday. So I also had some chemical granules that are supposedly a deterrent as well, so I dumped another 3 gallons of ammonia in his hole and some granules. Filled in his hole for the 2nd time and I'm waiting. I also contacted a Wildlife Trapper, and he was happy to hear I had one with a single den hole entry, until he heard I had already evicted him. He recommended NOT to try to scare him off if I want him trapped and removed. Apparently that defeats the purpose. So now I have to wait for him to return and call the Trapper back, and then he can bring a trap by and shove it in his hole. At this stage, I'm half tempted to go get my own trap and just bypass the process. $300 for the trapping. $100 for each additional animal he catches. And a single trap (priced at Menards the other day) is less than $100. And I've got the perfect place to release the beastie, so other than him being a chunky beast (and heavy), I'm certain I can handle him once he's in the trap.

From a genealogical perspective, I've been busy releasing the living Notables from their chains of black privacy, and have gone through most of the A-L's now and am starting the M's. It's close to the mid-way point, so it looks like a couple more weeks of this and maybe we'll have most of the ones that need to be opened up done.

I ran across a member who had created QB Terry Bradshaw's profile as she's reasonably closely related to him through marriage. I had noticed the profile was not a part of Notables and made a mental note to go back and check when I had more time. Surprised me when she reached out about 2 days later and we've been working on opening his profile, updating his tree, and I've made another mental note to go back later and update his biography. Coincidence? I don't believe in those things, but I'm sure glad it worked out nicely like that. Traffic is starting to pick up on a few of the living Notables since they started opening up, so I'm only expecting that to increase as people become aware of them. I'm hoping to keep the fanboys/girls down to dull roar, as we can only add people to the profiles who have a genealogical reason or are 1st cousin or closer, so it has made it easier to deflect the "add me I love him/her!" requests. However, if someone truly wants to improve a biography, add family, or connect them to the global tree, then I'm extremely happy to work with others to make that happen.

Sad to say that I'm hearing news now of Covid surges occurring in most states, now that the restrictions are being lifted. As many had warned, the variant is beginning to march through and it's much more contagious than the first version, but on a bright note, the vaccines are showing resistance even to the variant, so it's possible that up to 50% of the country might be in a position to fight it off easily enough. Sadly, I'm still seeing many deaths occurring that's being overshadowed by those celebrating the end of the masks. I'm normally a very optimistic person, but I worry a bit that we're moving a bit too fast and that we're beginning to pay for it. Hope everyone does their best to stay safe, watch that hygiene, and run away from those coughing or sneezing. On a lighter note, my wife and I were in the grocery store last Saturday and it was a little crowded. Now my wife doesn't like crowds, so she asked me what I thought might happen if she started sneezing and hacking up a bit. Knowing the locals, I figured it would give you space for all of 10-15 seconds, then they'd think it was safe again and close in. So you'd have to repeat the performance over and over again. Or maybe you could carry a pouch of that fake vampire blood from Halloween and drip a bit around after you fake sneeze. Hmm...

Comments

Scott, I am enjoying hearing about your woodchuck wars after a 50 year off and on fight to protect a vegetable garden in the back yard.  My hunter husband always kept them under control but now it's just me and the 22.  I literally gave up and don't try to grow in the ground any more since it's just me.  This year I planted some beans and lettuce in our old milking machine sinks and think I'm safe unless the deer appreciate it being up on their level.
You may have to give up.  We had a tree  fall on an old building and my husband, who had alzheimers, spent hours throwing boards back and forth on two piles.  Since we had shot the spring woodchuck crop I dumped all of the broken window glass down a woodchuck hole and covered it up.  Two years later a woodchuck reopened the hole, glass shards were mixed with the dirt in the two foot square pile
of dirt beside the entrance.  My son -in- law asked if I had seen any chucks limping around with bandages on his paws.  They used the hole all summer.  It is in a weed bed and hard to shoot them once the weeds are fully grown up.
My s-i-l's father caught a big fat one in a cage trap baited with carrots.  An agricultural store can also sell you bombs
to put down the holes but you have to be able to close up all of the openings.  Try calling the DEC and see if they will loan you a trap.  We did one year to catch a coon who got under the house.  An large enough animal trap should cost around $30.  With a single hole, you can also run a car exhaust hose down it for 20 minutes if you can close up the hole.  Carbon monoxide will do him in.

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Thanks, Beulah! I'm afraid I might be able to shoot the groundhog, but I'm an old softie at heart and am going to try some humane methods before I go all Elmer Fudd on him. Plus while I do have a gun license, I haven't made it out to buy a gun, and I'm within the city limits, so they get a bit excited out here when shooting starts.

I'll try to pick up a trap this weekend and see if I can get his attention. We do feed the birds and squirrels, so Phil sort of moseys out when he wants a bite and since the bowls have no names on them, helps himself. I was never upset with him till he decided to claim my brand new concrete porch, where he excavated right next to my front door. Unfortunately that was a line he shouldn't have crossed, so he has to go - one way or another.

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If you are within a city limits or heavily populated area I totally agree guns are out.  I own 350 acres with the next door neighbors 1/4 mile away, one a more viscious  hunter than me and grandson hunter up the other way.

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Hi Scott...but ground hogs are so cute! And they tell us if we will have more winter or not. Just kidding (not that they aren't cute), but they do cause damage.

You do such stellar work on the Notables and please know your work is much appreciated. What is frustrating for me is persons who comment on the Notables listing their relationship to the person and those comments go on and on when they should be for other messages. I am hoping that Jo's sticker idea goes through so that people can use the sticker on their own profile.

As to the Covid surges, the big concern here now is the Delta variant. And while folks who have been double vaccinated are pretty safe (I still wear a mask and distance), the big concern is in the southern states where people are anti-Covid vaccinations. While persons are vaccinated may get sick, the persons who decry vaccinations are putting their lives on the line.

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I don't get it, Scott. Our groundhogs stay far away from our home and don't even dig holes in our field in back. They just come to forage and then return to the forest to our east where, apparently, their burrows are. I feel for you. Like you, I look for less lethal ways to deal with critters.

I'm not sure the variant has reached us yet. The weekly reports from our health department show very few new cases, but then lots of people here go the shots, I suppose because we have a more elderly population. We're still a little gun-shy and avoid crowded places.

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Pip, do you, or very near neighbors, have resident dogs who patrol the property lines?  They are great woodchuck deterrents.

Answer 16

Greetings from Brightlingsea, Essex, England

Big thank you to Pip for starting this off on Fridays. Thought I would look in Weekly Chat and see what is being reported. The weather on the Essex Sunshine Coast - has been a bit variable, have not been rushing to the beach hut. Though the tides have not been right for an afternoon swim this week. They will be good for most of next week but the forecast is not looking too great.

Keeping busy - Monday evening the Foresters meeting - by conference call. Normally I would have reported on the High Court Meeting I attended, (Virtually) but I had sent out a report by email a few days after the meeting. So that saved time. Discussed our upcoming social events , which look like they will be able to go ahead.  

Tuesday - Evening and Brightlingsea Branch of the Royal Naval Association met (in person) for the first time this year. We meet at the Royal British Legion Club in Brightlingsea.  Though keeping to the "rules" we had a good evening, had the business part of the meeting and then enjoyed some "Pussers Rum" given by the family of Don Stockley, one of our members who had died last year. We  shared a drink to Don's memory and remembered him well.                             As well we remembered the Duke of Edinburgh and some members had come across him in their naval careers and gave account of their meetings with the Duke.                       As things improve it is hoped we can arrange some social events - a lunch at the Yachtsman's Arm will be looked into.

Today - Friday, met up with one of my former colleagues from the Civil Service and we went to lunch to a Tapas Bar, this is in Frinton, Essex. Frinton is not the place you would expect to find a Tapas Bar, but it seemed to be doing good business. Enjoyed the food and 2 glasses of wine.  Certainly was something different.

Brightlingsea should be busy tomorrow for the Regatta, things on afloat and ashore, hope the weather stays dry. Then there is a Car Boot Sale on the prom on Sunday morning.

As far as Wikitree goes am still looking at Brightlingsea Connections and adding to them. Not short of things to do on Wikitree

Wish everyone a good weekend - more next time.

Comments

I googled "tapas bar" and see it is a place where you get "light snacks or appetizers" especially with your drinks -- says this is in Spanish cuisine ... should be a cinch sales in California -  "may be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or warm (such as chopitos, which are battered, fried baby squid) to a recipe of shrimp and garlic or a slow-cooked beef dish ...  In pre-19th-century Spain tapas were served by posadas, albergues or bodegas, offering meals and rooms for travellers.

Go to the "right one" (bar) and you could maybe make a meal of it, or go to two of them in succession ... I guess, just guess, if you can't get a good tea in the afternoon with a lot of food then a tapas is the next best thing ?? 

Let's see, if I were to make the menu, I'd have minced black olives, mixed with minced onion, minced hard boiled egg, minced sweet peppers, and some saltines, some mixed mayo & mustard sauce, some light ale, some sourdough bread cut into 2 in squares, a bit of ranch dressing in a bowl, a side of fruits (grapes & tangerines, mostly)    ... woohoo ... 

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Chris, it sounds like you are finally getting the chance to do all those things you couldn't last year during the pandemic, and I'm glad of it for you. At least for me, you have so many unique activities in which to participate. Keep on reporting. We love hearing what you are up to.

Answer 17

Still hot around here ... pushing 100 degrees day after day.  Bit of a break this week end when it goes back to the mid 80's for a couple of days.  Saving grace is the low humidity here ... usually 15-20%, makes it bearable.

Had a good fourth of July.  Daughter and family came down from Laramie.  Always a good time with my 9 year old grand daughter ... she's a kick.

Fixing up profiles ... adding sources ... I like the sources to be in chronological order if it makes sense so I do that too.  Ran across a Find A Grave entry that's a bit of a shocker.  Not sure if it's a permanent addition to the plot but it got my attention ... https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/58633328/sarah-woods

Comments

She had a son Jewett Boynton, looks like, and no doubt that would get your attention -- Sarah's mama was a Jewett ... hmm ...

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Yep, she's some kind of relation ... probably a second cousin 7 times removed ... ???  There's more going on here ... there are a couple of birth sources ... one in Rowley and one in Lunenburg, Massachusetts and they're 50+ miles apart.  The family did move when she was six or so ...

Anyway, I pointed to the FAG page because there's a bony arm and hand coming out of the ground ... yikes!

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Bob, looking at that FindAGrave memorial photo, I cannot for the life of me figure out what the thing is in front of the gravestone. Any ideas?

Saw another heat dome coming for the southwest. Hope you aren't going to be too hot.

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Bob, you may have discovered by now what that symbolizes -- I'd say, generally speaking, it is for the concept of the  "Resurrection" but others may have other ideas 

Cemetery Headstone Symbols: Finger Pointing Up – Funeral Help Center

Answer 18

Happy Weekend from hot Texas! It is summer so hot is usually the weather of the day. We have had more rain but not flooding rain so that is a plus!

Speaking of flooding, the contractor finally came to outline the repair process  - the result of the washer overflowing. It appears we will be packed up and moved out in about three weeks for the repairs to begin. Once we get a firm date, we will find a place to live for the 4 to 6 weeks of displacement.

Meanwhile, I finished the DNA workshop and began a three week Acadian Ancestors class from the NEHGS. The first class was Wednesday evening - it covered much of the history of the Acadians prior to and including the displacement. I had no idea that Acadia changed hands between the British and French ten times!

Genealogically speaking, I have been listing and organizing families needing additions for the upcoming Thon. Quite a few are my  husband's Acadian families - if I can find sources without visiting a research facility. I am also working a bit on the July Sourcerers project which I always enjoy!

I hope everyone has a great weekend - see you all next week!

Comments

Being displaced for four to six weeks ... you have my utmost sympathy ...

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At least you have contractors who are in communication with you. I called three (two for us, one for the church) earlier this week and have heard back from nary a one! Frustrating, but probably not as frustrating as you having to move out of your home for several weeks.

I've not even prepped for the thon yet. I'd better get busy. I'll be returning from a conference the day before the thon starts.

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Fortunately, our issue is covered by insurance and we have a super insurance company. So, the contractors answer to them and want to stay on their "good" list. It has been slow because of the winter damage to so many houses. In fact, we asked if they could remodel our master bath at our cost while everything was going to be torn up. They can't because of being so backed up. Guess that will come at some later date!

Answer 19

Hello from North Georgia!

Pip, thanks for starting the Chat. Our weather has been mostly not sunny this week with at least some rain almost every day and quite a bit of rain on some of those days (like today.) I was surprised to see your "sunny" report because our weather is usually so similar to yours.

Renovation of my bathroom is well underway. When the demolition was done, it was discovered the damage done by the leaks was a little worse than what anyone had thought. The subfloor which needed replacing and some other carpentry type work was done on Tuesday. The plumber was here over ten hours on Wednesday doing what he called "roughing-in." By the end of the day, he had set the bathtub. Yesterday, the plumber was back, but only for a few minutes to cover something. It was nice to have a break from all the noise yesterday. The electrician and the general contractor were here this morning putting in can lights, moving outlets, and changing the wiring for the vanity lights since there will now be two fixtures instead of one. That was completed shortly after lunch today. The carpenter has to come back now to replace some tongue-and-groove and do some other stuff, but I don't know when. The general contractor said he will let me know and he will also let me know when the tile guy is coming, hopefully next week. Then, I think, the final plumbing work and other finishing work will be done. It all seems chaotic to me, but the general contractor assures me everything is going quickly and very well.

My husband had a great check-up with our family doctor on Tuesday. The flagged result on one of his types of white blood cells is, according to the doctor, probably due to allergies, so they told him to take an OTC pill for that and prescribed a nasal spray.

I have been working on WikiTree, though it has been hard to concentrate in my environment. Today I was working on the bio for one of my 2nd cousins, 2x removed who has a birthday today. When I read the obituary for his wife, I realized that I used to go to the same church with their son (my 3rd cousin, 1x removed) and his wife and that I taught the son of that couple (my 4th cousin) in one of my biology classes.

A cousin has contacted me and wants me to call him. He says he has a family story passed down to him to share with me which might shed light on a mystery. I am intrigued.

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend! Take care!

Nelda

Comments

Nelda, bathroom remodels are almost a never-ending process, unless you get a good contractor who gets in, gets it done, and you can stay out of their way. My family has several contractors and I ask them for a bit of help now and then, so my bathroom remodel is being done slow and over several years, which frustrates my wife to no end. However, I'm finally finding some time to get back to it now and maybe this year is THE year to get it finished. Tile work is done. Need to grout a bit, then patch, sand, and paint the walls, and put up some baseboards - possibly a bit of caulking, and I think it will be done. I won't embarrass myself by mentioning how many years ago we started this little expedition, but just glad you've got a professional on the job and not the family amateur (like me).

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Isn't it always the case, Nelda, when a repair start in a home that something else is discovered that needs fixing? When I watch Mike Holmes' shows on HGTV, he always finds things worse after he gets started on a house repair.

Really glad to hear your husband's check up went well. Allergies are no fun and cause so many other problems. Hope the prescriptions do their job!

Can't wait to hear about the call! There are a few mysteries I'd love to solve in that manner.

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Scott, my husband used to do all our "remodeling" but he is no longer able. I was actually okay with my bathroom as it was, but we had some problems with it leaking earlier this year. The damage from one leak around the toilet was not as bad as it could have been, but bad enough to weaken the subflooring. The other known leak required a total re-build of the walk-in shower. I decided if I was going to have to tear up and rebuild one side of the bathroom, I may as well do the entire room. I'm glad now that I made that decision since the plumber found several other issues which could have given problems down the line (joints not glued correctly, for example.)

Pip, so far, the only new problems discovered in the bathroom have been minor and not added significantly to the cost of the project. I was just talking to my cousin--one I didn't previously know about but I haven't researched the line he is in very thoroughly. He had a very interesting story to tell me. Our mutual great-great-grandmother was the mother of three children born after her husband died. So far as we know, she never remarried. All three boys were given the surname of her deceased husband. I have always wondered who actually fathered those three boys. My cousin told me that the family story he was told is that our great-great-grandmother had an on-going relationship with someone she did not marry and that together they were the parents of two of the boys. He had a possible surname for this man but says he has not been able to find anyone to match. My cousin is descended from one of these two boys. The other family story he relayed to me is that the third boy was the result of a rape. I don't think anyone will ever find any records to corroborate or refute any of this but DNA may eventually yield some answers. My cousin was very interesting to chat with--he lives in the area where all these people lived and, because of his job, knows the area very well. Unfortunately, he got into an area where his cell service was bad and our call was abruptly terminated, but I hope to speak with him again. My dad always told me to not be surprised with what I might find in the family history on his side. If he had ever heard this family story, he never told it to me.

Answer 20

Good evening from good ol' Germany

the weather is changing from nice to rainy to (not so stormy) to sunny this week literally all the time. When we were in the restaurant today, because of mum's birthday, the sun umbrella changed into a rain umbrella within seconds.

The Covid-numbers are, still slowly, rising again. Delta has taken the lead. I went to my social sister this week again for two nights to get the second shot. One day was the birthday of one of her stepsons and both of them came that day to have a nice day together. One of them (not the birthday child) had to work though, he only announced at work he'll do a day of home office. Yeah, home office at dad.

Personally... well, my shot and mum's birthday, that's nearly all that went on. We had to clean one room though, tomorrow comes the man that collects the numbers how much we used the heating and how much water we used. Don't ask me how many boxes I brought down into the garage.

Genealogy-wise, I didn't do that much. I'm writing a biography for Thomas Mann though, will use him for the 52 weeks.

Edit: Reading of Florida Keys at Carol I remembered we called my aunt on Bermudas for her birthday. And who went on the phone as first? Her son, who we didn't chat to for decades literally... He usually lives at Florida Keys. It was nice to hear him though and to catch up a bit on his family.
Take care, stay safe, wear masks and keep the distance

Comments

Hi Jelena, I just posted a message above to Scott as we are seeing Delta surges in the southern states where many are anti-Covid vaccinations. Persons who have been double vaccinated may get sick a bit from the Delta strain, but people who don't get vaccinated at all could cost them their lives. And hospital admissions are increasing for the Delta strain in these southern states. I hears someone make a comment that here in the U.S. people can get vaccinated for free, but don't do it, while people in developing countries are begging to get vaccinated.

Congratulations to you on your vaccine and to your mum on her birthday! And what a coincidence that you spoke with your cousin from the Florida Keys on your aunt's birthday!

Your final message is the important one, we still should wear masks and distance, especially when out and about! Wish your mum a happy birthday for me!

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Happy birthday to your mum, Jelena! Glad you were able to celebrate at least a little.

I know exactly how the weather can change in an instant. Your description of the umbrella being a sun one and then instantly a rain one... we have those, too! There are times when we see it raining at the back of our lot, but nary a drop on the house. I can't tell you how many times I have been in town four miles away where the sun is shining, only to arrive home and everything is wet!