"Welcome to the Weekend Chat!" All Members Invited!! February 24th - 26th, 2023 [closed]

Question

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Members Checking in via "All About the Weekend Chat"

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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

Actually, my should is doing much better, Doug. Thanks for asking. I have been taking it easier the past couple of weeks, so that is probably the biggest thing that is helping. 

How's the garden prep going?

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Hi Pip, 
I highly recommend Phillip Cary's course, Luther: Gospel, Law, and Reformation. The streaming versions are currently discounted to $30 (Lenten Sale?). He is fun to listen to. At one point, he points out that Martin Luther was so fond of Galations that he referred to the Epistle as, "my Katie." 
https://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/luther-gospel-law-and-reformation

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Pip, I will see if I can 'download' a handout!

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Thanks for this link, A. Just the thing I'd go for!

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Thanks, Carol!

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Pip, you've been doing so much academic heavy lifting that you might find this course a bit introductory level but Prof. Cary gives a solid review of the social context of Luther's thought and the German Reformation. I listen to these Great Courses in my car because I find them good company-particularly this one and Amy-Jill Levine, Old Testament. 
While you are reading Luther, please, grab the Heidelberg Disputation of 1518 and don't let go. The best discussions of the Heidelberg Disputation in English are by Gerhard O. Forde, Where God Meets Man, or On Being a Theologian of the Cross. Forde also wrote the best Good Friday reading ever (imo) Caught in the Act: Reflections on the Work of Christ, which is free to read here  https://wordandworld.luthersem.edu/issues.aspx?article_id=264
 

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Oh, wonderful. Thanks, A!

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Am I one of those greeters in training?

Have a beautiful Lenten season. Galatians is a very beautiful letter. Happy studying of God's word!

Prayers for the family of your classmate and may God console them.

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Pip, thank you once again for the Chat.

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Yep, you are!

Answer 1

Good morning Pip and the weekend chatters!

Weather:

• Currently, it's 71ºF and overcast

WikiTree:

• Connected my 2nd great grandmother, Victoria America (Crossland) Baker (1842-1900), to her parents who were already on WikiTree

Comments

Good morning, Tommy! 58°F and sunny here, Tommy. Going to be near 70 and we are expecting some rain over night,

What are you working on these days?

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This week I have crossed over to the Crossland's.

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Congratulations on the connection Tommy!

Answer 2

     Good morning all! Had to turn the ac on this week, we are on our second or third false spring here and it hit 80-some degrees. (I know that’s mild or pleasant to most but my Meniere’s disease doesn’t tolerate heat well so I have to keep my temp down in the warm months) Hope everyone has had a chance to get outdoors if your weather has allowed it. Made biodegradable bird feeders with my cub scouts for their “into the wild” adventure this week, my scout has been excitedly checking to see if we’ve had visitors yet (we have!) Hoping to catch a few on the feeder so she can try to identify them. I used to LOVE borrowing the Audubon books from the library as a kid and trying to figure out which birds visited our feeders (I was a bit of a nerd even then!)

     Genealogically exciting week! (Aren’t they all?!) Finished up some of my challenges/projects for the month, cataloging Battle of Shiloh Civil War soldiers buried at Shiloh Nat’l Cemetery, added a few last Frontier Nurses after Sandy’s fascinating interview with the doctor in charge of the Frontier Nursing Service, categorized some more Appalachian cemeteries (Washington County MD), and added a few profiles to the Freedmen Bureau Challenge. Also did the never ending “work” on my own watchlist, thank you 15 for 15 for reminding me how much I have grown and learned over the last year and a half with how much those early profiles need work!!

     Had the kiddo’s chorus concert last night, a black history celebration. I really enjoyed the 4th and 5th grader’s rendition of “Man in the Mirror.” In the littler boss’s life, she has just recently grasped “thank you” and “you’re welcome” and it thrills my heart to no end. 

     Hope everyone’s weekends are full of rest, fun, and genealogy (wait, I already said fun!)

Comments

Ha! We had to turn on our A/C this week, too, Erin.

We did exactly the same thing when we retired up here. Put out bird feeders and bought a book so we'd know which birds were visiting. It became one of our favorite pasttimes.

You have been REALLY busy this week, what with the kids AND genealogy.

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Hi Erin, I loved reading about the 'chorus concert' and Man in the Mirror. My 6'3" grandson (now 18 years old) was in the chorus in grade and high school. I recall him doing the same song around 5th or 6th grade during Black History Month. Nice memories. And congratulations to the little one on mastering Thank you and You're welcome! I have run into a number of adults lately (too many) who could take a lesson from your 'littler boss.'

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Your WikiTree work sounds similar to mine except I didn't work on the Frontier Nurses this week. We too had to turn on the AC on Thursday afternoon and woke up Friday morning to cold temps again. I was cold all day Friday; had to make a quick trip to Memphis and just couldn't get warm.

I did complete my CC7 to 5000 this week. I want to keep extending to see if I can get to six thousand. This little (not so little) project has inspired me to work harder moving my genealogy onto the WikiTree Platform.

Today our Historical Society has a fabulous speaker. We are celebrating our 200th Birthday this year, so every month we are trying to cover a community in our County. Today is the County seat regarding the Chambers Family, specifically. Samuel Chambers, the earliest settler, and also a little on Levi Colbert, who was the Chickasaw Chief involved with selling their land and also providing goods to the white settlers as they moved into West Tennessee. I hope to learn more about Samuel so I can improve his profile. I need to get my great-niece connected to him. Time Time Time- so much time is needed to complete all this good work. I have her connected in my big tree, it is just getting it moved to WT.

I am looking forward to starting the new Civil War Project this week, added the Union Dead at Andersonville. I will focus on the Sixth Tennessee Cavalry, USA, which is the Union unit most of my local ancestors, neighbors, and friends served

Going to make the best of a cold misty dreary day. Hope you have a great week!

Answer 3

Good Morning Pip and all who will appear this weekend!

It is rather chilly and now cloudy here in the DFW area of Texas. Our temps have been on a roller coaster ride but now are rather cool - 40's I think. And, we might have more rain later. I am hoping not as our patio is being demolished - the jackhammers are hard at work and very loud. Hopefully, the new patio concrete will be poured tomorrow and no more jarring noises.

Next Wednesday my husband and I will be leaving - traveling down through Louisiana and then eastward to south Mississippi. It is our annual reunion of the aging helicopter pilots. There are eleven of us who we have known for decades, who gather for a fun time each year.

Somehow, I have gathered quite a few contributions this month - mostly by filling in on large blank hours of greeting new members. I have also worked some on adding to my CC7 by adding missing spouses and children. It is a good feeling when a family unit has been completed.

Take care all and I will "see" everyone in two weeks.

Comments

I think I'd go crazy with jackhammers outside my house, Ginny. How do you stand it?!?

I hope you both have a blast on your annual trip. It always sounds like so much fun.

My CC7 has stagnated. Eventually I'll get back to it. Like you, a lot of my contributions have come from greeting this month.

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Virginia, after reading about your reunion, I had to read more about your family, My husband also flew a helicopter in Vietnam, but he was Air Force; and I also have a daughter named Michelle that was born in 1969. It is always interesting to find so much in common with other members.

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@ Alexis  Thanks again for the star-a pleasant surprise! In the last month, I have come across two pilots from WWII. When advising my wife, who could not care any less about my newfound intertest, she reminded me my father-in-law was an Air Force pilot. He died shortly after we were married so I never got to know him well.

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Alexis - Thanks for  your comment; it prompted me to read your profile biography and then your husband's! It inspired me to do more on my husband's bio. To add to our similarities of the Vietnam time frame - you had a son in 1973 and so did I. We did not, however, give them the same names.

That was such an unsettling time in our lives but we all lived through it. My husband went on to enter the corporate flying career starting with flying helicopters in the Gulf of Mexico for 18 or 19 years before moving into management. I love hearing about similar lives that almost crossed paths!

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What a fun gathering, Ginny. Have fun!!

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K, I would certainly be interested in learning more about your father-in-law and his Air Force career. My husband was also a C-141 pilot.

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Virginia, that is so interesting about also a son in 1973. Yes, Vietnam was a trying time, and most marriages did not survive. Both of the other girls that I had for friends got divorced when their husbands came home—even though they had babies.

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Alexis, I haven t started my wife's family yet. I know they took more photos than my family did. I know "Bud" had his own bi-wing for a while. I believe he was stationed stateside during the war, maybe as an instructor. I'm trying to clean up what I already have. Unsourced and unconnected files back where stuff starts getting interesting. I know I'm a few profiles away from connecting to a bunch of history and working on some stuff for mom who is 92. Being a pilot myself, I too have an interest inaviation.

Answer 4

Good morning!  We have a very rainy Friday and Saturday ahead of us in Southern California.  It's a good time to stay indoors and work on WikiTree!

I've been working on 15 for 15 Missions this week.  That includes sourcing 45 Unsourced profiles, adding a couple of photos, and categorizing profiles with cemeteries for the past few days.  I will take advantage of the indoor time to get my 1000 contribution badge this weekend.

Here's to a good weekend and week ahead!

Comments

Karen, I thought y'all were supposed to get some snow there recently. Well, they said the cities wouldn't, but nearby anyway.

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Pip, there was some "white stuff" in the area yesterday.  Mostly hail, but some snow locally.  The mountain areas will be counting their snow in feet by the time the storm is gone.  The ski resorts will be happy.

We have had hail plenty of times in the past but nothing yet from this storm.

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I hope all this precipitation will help with the drought there, Karen!

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It’s been snowy here in Nevada - not heavy, but it keeps coming. 35 degrees right now.

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Not a single flake here all season, Shelley. I'm a little jealous, but my wife certainly isn't. Stay wam!

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This has been a very snowy winter in my area; most snow since 2019.

Answer 5

¡Buenos días a todos from the Old Pueblo! It is 7am and 45F (7.2C) with an expected high of 68F (20C) with partly sunny skies in Tucson. This past week has seen a fair amount of rain and weather that dips to freezing with occasional days of highs in the low 70s.

I heard from the new health insurance broker yesterday that I am now enrolled in UnitedHealth AARP. I am calling Cigna later today to explain why I have left their ‘care’ (I use the term sardonically) and then writing to Medicare. I have been taking medication for high blood pressure for the past week and no longer hear the ringing and buzzing, nor the sensation as though my head is going to explode. 

My daughter, Jennifer, and her husband, Curtis visited from Wisconsin this past Saturday and Sunday. Although it was a short visit, it was big on hugs and chat. I met the kids (they are in their late 40s, but they are still kids to me) at their hotel very late Friday night on their arrival from Milwaukee to Tucson. My townhome is not really large enough to house family or visitors, so they stayed at a hotel nearby. Saturday morning, Jennifer and I met at my local Starbucks and had our ‘Starcrack drugs of choice’ at the table adjacent to where Lydia ‘the Umbrella Lady’ would sit. I pointed out the memorial to Lydia, which is still very much present.

We returned to the hotel and rousted Curtis from bed for breakfast at the hotel, which was quite a generous feast. Sadly, my decaying pancreas kept me from indulging, so the kids ate my fair share. After breakfast, Jennifer and Curtis left for Tombstone, which has been on their ‘Bucket List’ for a very long time. I think everyone who sees Kurt Russell’s version of Tombstone wants to see the real town. After Tombstoning and Boot Hilling, the two returned in the early evening and we dined at El Cisne (I missed you, Pip). On Sunday, we met for breakfast with friends Diana and Stuart at the local Coco’s restaurant. Stuart and I have been colleagues since 1994 when he was Chief of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine. Now we are all family (he is a brother from another mother and Diana is a sister from another mister). After breakfast, the kids and I spent some time at the Rillito Farmer’s Market, then Old Town Artisans in downtown Tucson, then San Xavier del Bac Mission. It was a fun and relaxing visit. I only wish it could have been a bit longer. Curtis is still working on losing those 30 pounds for his next open-heart surgery and whatever he is doing is working.

This Monday, my office redo will be completed. I am removing a ‘murphy bed’ to add more bookcases to house my university books. The new toilets arrived and will be installed on Thursday. I can only hope I have no further expenditures for the year. This Sunday, I must put some serious effort into preparing my taxes. Please, Buddha, do not let happen to my office redo and loo installs what happened with some of M Ross's redo!

As to genealogy, I have been adding to the Canadian Gager/Draper line and discovered a family connection! Nathan Gager (1832-1870) was married to Diana Sprague as his second wife. I am a Sprague descendant (as is Chris F) and it turns out that Diana Sprague is my 6^th cousin 5x removed! 

I work between these Gager/Draper lines and that of the Buckinghamshire Baldwins of the early 16^th century because, frankly, these Baldwins are a crap-tangle! I must work very carefully as several of these profiles are poorly and/or incorrectly sourced. I am finding that even sources can be incorrect! For example, The Visitation of Worcestershire, 1569 has Robert Pakington (London mercer) wed to Alice, daughter of Sir John Baldwin, MP. Robert WAS NOT married to Alice; he was married to Agnes (alias Ann; Katherine Baldwin). Alice Baldwin was the last Abbess of Burnham Abbey (so…never married). I have Sir John’s and Alice’s probate records. They both outlived Agnes, and Alice outlived Sir John, but not by much. After I get these biographies in order (as much as possible), I will beg for help from the England Team (pre-1500 certified) to help clean up the Dormers, a major crap-tangle. Sir John’s wife Agnes was a Dormer.

Pip, thank you as always for wrangling the chat! Your comments are so supportive and are models for, well, ‘role modeling.’ And to all my fellow Chatterers, I hope you enjoy a happy, healthy and productive last weekend in February 2023.

Comments

Hey John , are you related to Hunter S Thompson. Your dad's Harley photo made a connection in my brain for some reason.

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@John Thompson, this is an awesome photo. You would not recognized it now based on this photo. Pure tourist attractions. There are many more buildings, although the wide open street is the same so that tourists can do stage coach rides, make believe they have been hanged, gun fights, etc. The Birdcage is still there and I went in and enjoyed the old ambiance until actors came in to re-enact shootings, etc.

What is really interesting is that Wyatt Earp was still alive in 1926, although he was living in California. He died in 1929.

Hold onto this photo, John! I think it might be worth $$$, although the family value is priceless. BTW, my son-in-law purchased a Harley t-shirt with a Harley/Tombstone logo. Given that the kids are from Wisconsin, home of the Harley, he collects these shirts whenever he travels.

Thank you so much for this time travel, Dr. Who!

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The Doctor: Happy to be of service, ma’am. But, it’s just The Doctor, Cheers!

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K, Hunter is not directly related, being a distant cousin through another branch of the family.....perhaps his book on the Hell's Angels makes the connection.

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Carol, in my father's album are, perhaps, more than a dozen photos documenting the segment from Mt. Shasta, California to Galveston, Texas, of his longer journey.

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@ John- The name and Harley made me wonder if you were related to Hunter. My follow up question would be, is Hunter a surname in the family somewhere?

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K, we are the Clonfin Thompsons from Ireland, there is no known Hunter name in our branch.

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G grandma was a Hunter and I thought I saw where one married a Thompson. Thought I'd try to make a connection the old-fashioned way, w/o connection finder.

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K, we're closest cousins through the Cornwallis family.

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Don't spoil the surprise. I haven't seen that part of the movie yet. Each connection is another NO WAY moment. I feel a bit deprived as most of my WOW moments have been well researched and documented. All the connections have not been made, but a marriage here and there and I should have the Rebels connected to the Yankees and the Loyalist connected to the Patriots.

Answer 6

Hails and horns, Wikipeeps!

How is everyone doing? On the genealogy front, I posted a blog about what it took to identify everyone in a picture I've been known to post in the blog from time to time. Check it out here: https://allroadhaverhill.blogspot.com/2023/02/52-ancestors-week-8-i-can-identify.html

I've added more children for my 5th great-grandparents:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Campisano-3

And my fourth great-grandparents:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Tedesco-107

I've also helped someone on Ancestry find the birth record for her ancestor, Elia Carchidi since I saw she had him on her tree on Ancestry along with some other San Pietro residents. So, I decided to help her out. I may have a connection to her. I'm not 100% sure on that. But, she is a 25 cM match to my great-aunt so who knows? The point is I helped her out and she may offer a hand, too. 

Check this out. Her great-aunt still lives in Haverhill and may have some information. That is pretty amazing. I hope she has info on the Coppolas. She said her family remembers Paolo's kids. That's pretty cool. I haven't heard from her in a couple days. I suspect the winter storm knocked out power in her area.

 I'll try contacting her in a few days because I may have found Elia's grandfather, Bruno. I want to say MAY because you never know, really, without proof and I don't want to send something without proof.

 On the non genealogy front, I've been shaking my head at the users of ebay. Seriously. I put a thing up for 80 bucks and someone offers 50. Yeah? No. I told him I can only go as low as 75. It's in mint condition! I don't want to get ripped off. People vex me.

 I hope everyone has a great weekend! Thanks for hosting, Pip! 

Comments

Chris, I enjoyed reading your blog yesterday. I had to laugh about that last photo, you trying to identify all those people. Is there anyone around who could help you out with that photo?

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Ciao, Cousin Chris! I mentioned you in my post. I found a Sprague descendant, a distant cousin, who married a Canadian in the mid-1800s. I have extended our shared tree.Cousins all over the place!

Stick to your principles (principal) when it comes to bartering! Remember those 'tiny books' from the 1940's that had something to do with 'Air Rangers' or some such thing? The stories came out of WWII and you looked them up and told me how much they were worth. I never put them on Ebay. When my son-in-law Curtis was here last weekend, he fell in love with them. Curtis did 25 years in the Air Force and 4 tours of duty in the Middle East. I made him very happy when I gifted him with them when he was leaving...NOT a gift because he was leaving, but because I love him and who better to get them?

Have a great weekend, cugino! Ciao

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@Pip: I think the bride in the photo can help seeing as I e-mail her quite frequently! My grandparents and Vincenzo I was able to pick out by myself.

@Carol: Off to read the post. And you make a great point. Loads of people try to rip off people on ebay. It's crazy. It'd be different if the figures were loose. But, I have the packaging! Yes they were displayed but the packaging and figures are still in great condition.

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@ Carol  I often posted signs on my office wall in order to let people know what I might be guilty of thinking w/o be accused of saying it. One such sign read, All who enter bring joy to my office, some by coming, some by leaving.

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@chris- good morning, i didn t think to think we were in different time zones this ,morning. your comment on people trying to get over on you, reminds me of one of my friends who was a Jewler. Diamond Jim. He had acquired some low end jewelry that he obtained in a pkg deal. He offered it at below prices just to move it. Probably $20 earrings for sale for $10. An elderly woman, sporting good jewelry, asked he would take $5. Jim pulled his loop up to his eye as to check the value before dropped the earrings to the floor and stomped on em a couple times. He looked at em again and said "i guess so" it probably cost him a buck to train his customer and to have a great story.

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@K...I have seen that sign and love it! I have no doubt there were times the joy came with my leaving!

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@ K: Time zones are weird.  Nice story about the jeweler. This is the second time someone tried to give me a low price for this item. No wait...THIRD time. First time was someone offering twenty-five dollars. Sigh....

Nice story. Collectors can be good or they can be jerks. It depends.

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Same guy, came across an old pocket watch. Paid a little under what the wt of gold was minus his margin. He knew of a collector of watches he knew would want it. He offered the watch for twice what he would have made scrapping the gold. The guy offered about what Jim pd which means he could walk out the door and make$$ that afternoon the same way Jim would have. Jim opened the case, ripped the lid from the wooden case and said he could not accept the original deal and added $25 to the original offer. The guy whined and said that Jim had drastically reduced the value as a collectible. Jim reminded him that was not his problem b/c he wasn't a collector. The guy bought it anyway.

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That is crazy, K.

One time I put up some Marvel collectibles on ebay and this guy won the auction. It was something like 50 bucks for a loose lot of figures from 2002-2005. Not bad, right? Well, he won and never paid me. I ended up having to cancel that and sold the stuff elsewhere for 70.

But, I dunno if it was a real person or a bot. It's easy to tell on ebay when someone has no reviews or a rating.

Some collectors have been decent on places like Facebook. You'll find all types of collectors. But, you should also be wary of scalpers selling stuff waaay higher than they should be. Say there's a Spider-Man figure going for 25 bucks. Scalpers will charge 60 because he's a big name character. Even more if there's a movie!

Gotta be on the look out for shady characters.

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I am more of an auction guy. If it's something I really want I will tell a friend what I am willing to spend, let them bid for me and won't watch it sell. That way I can never get caught up in the competition of it all. Before every sale, I remind myself that even the junk goes to the highest bidder and no matter the cost, it's never a bargain if you don't need it.

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I usually go for the "buy it now" option on ebay if it's something I want. For example, if someone is selling parts of a three pack set individually and there's something I want in it and it's within my price range, I'll take it.

I'll only buy what I need.

Answer 7

Good morning fellow chatters! First to Pip, very sorry to hear of your school friend, that's very sad. My week has been slow at work, but the weather has been glorious here in south central Virginia. Makes me want to get out in the flower bed and start digging. I don't want to have false hope though, we may yet get a snow before it's over. . The genealogy has been a little slow also this week, I did take on a couple of orphaned profiles of distant cousins. I was able to put in some sources and will go back and put up some pictures I found through another cousin. I should get word from the DAR very soon on my acceptance. I had to redo some paperwork that had a watermark on it. I hope to get to that meeting in March. Well, I'm off to grab a sandwich from our new deli. Hope you all have a great Wikiend! Cheers,slainte, skol, huzzah! 

Comments

Yep, we are discounting a snow here yet either, Teresa. My wife has been happy without any this winter, but I miss it.

Keep us posted on the DAR membership!

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Good morning, Pip and all.

Here in the Washington, D.C. area, we had a high temperature of 84 yesterday Tomorrow the high is forecast to be in the low 40s.  It has been a real roller-coaster this year.

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Same here, Bill. Can't make sense of all this weather. You've had much higher temps than we have.

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Bill, same here all weekend plus we are forecast for rain. But it's all good as long as I get up to see it, what ever it may be...LOL

Answer 8

Hi from southern Ontario,

Chez moi/at home: what's happening here? This has been a frustrating and tiring week. First the contractor who is making the new kitchen counter is not well, so delivery of the new counter is delayed by at least a week which means no sink or dishwasher for at least 10 days, probably longer. 

The stove: on Sunday I put dinner to cook in the stove, 45 minutes later it was not cooked, I thought perhaps I had underestimated the time necessary, but the same thing happened on Tuesday, almost no heat. So, we called a repair person, and the mother board is gone/dead. The repair person suggested we repair it vs buy a new stove. Cost difference about $600 to repair it vs at least $1500 to replace it if a suitable replacement could be found. Right now there are so many supply chain problems, that new cars, appliances and many other things have a 6-12 month wait time. My niece ordered a new Prius over a year ago, it was supposed to be delivered last fall, updated delivery date May of this year. 

The window: Last summer we put in a new bay window upstairs, the sliders didn't work right and the windows would not stay open, the wrong parts had been used, yesterday they came to replace the parts, but only had 4 of 6 parts needed, good thing we weren't planning on opening the windows any time soon.

Weather: Today is cold about -10C, but beautifully sunny with bright blue sky. Wednesday night the snow started and then freezing rain, by yesterday morning we had about 20cm of snow with ice on top of it. Shoveling snow on Thursday was a very tiring task. Though the snow looks like a soft white blanket, we have not been out into the back yard so the snow is completely undisturbed.

Alton Cemetery Project: I’m participating in the current Cemeterist Challenge part of which is to upload photos of headstones/Gravestones to WT profiles. I have photos I took at Alton Cemetery dating from 2009 to last year. I have headstone photos for 110 people.  

I made contact with a person who manages multiple memorials on Find a Grave for Alton Cemetery. She has a long family history in Alton, I already have profiles for her GGP. She told me I can use any grave photos she has provided and has offered all family photos she has to be used on WT. 

What else: I’m still planning our British Columbia trip for late summer, unfortunately we have a recently known potentially serious health problem with a family member that could mean we won’t be going anywhere. An old friend died of pancreatic cancer on Tuesday.

Comments

M, your work at the house sounds a lot like ours. Wait on parts, not having all the parts, cost of repairs vs. the cost of new. <sigh>

I don't envy you snow shoveling difficulty. Been there, done that. I usually just wait for the melt, unless I just have to get out for some reason.

Sorry to hear about your old friend. Seems to happen ofterner and ofterner, as we'd say down here.

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Hi M, first I am so terribly sorry to hear of your friend dying of pancreatic cancer. My sincere condolences to you and the friend's family.

It sounds as though the beginning of this year is a frought with problems and mine. I hope this doesn't portend what the rest of this year will be like!!!

I had a similar situation with my AC/heating unit about 5 years ago. I shelled out $500 for a new motherboard and a month later (early December) I had no heat!!! And the creeps said the 1 month warranty was 2 days past! So I contacted a new company and they installed a new Trane AC/heating unit that cost about $8K and is still working great (touch wood). I put a scathing review on the other company's site. Fortunately, this was pre-pandemic and I did not have to deal with supply chain issues like so many people in so many countries.

My gosh, what a week for you! I am so sorry. Sending positive intention...if nothing else to reduce stress levels.

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Our friend probably had the best outcome in some ways, he was diagnosed about 10 days before he died, was about to start chemo when he had a heart attack, was in hospital to get stabilsed after the heart attack when his condition deteriorated very quickly, he decided to go home to die with all of his family there.

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Your story sounds so much like mine.  The doors have been a big problem on my new house.  When I say there are large openings in the sliders, or I can see the outside when this door is closed, they say well these are commercial doors.  Why does that justify a bad fit?  They have been back maybe 10 times "fixing" tiny things and saying it's good.  At least they do keep coming back . . .

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@M Ross...to be quite honest, that death would be my preference, short, sweet and neat. The sudden deaths, though are very difficult for family as they cannot alwasy say their goodbyes.

Answer 9

Hi Pip and everyone!

Not much to report here, just wanted to say hello! I'm in the middle of getting everything ready for our booth at RootsTech. My husband and I are leaving Monday to drive up to Utah for the week sooo...also doing laundry. Looking forward to seeing other WikiTreers there! If you are attending, please be sure to come by and say hi.

Comments

Eowyn, I am so excited that you are going to be there! Can't wait to see any WikiTree videos that come out of Roots tech this year. Have a blast! Wish I was there.

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Hope you have a good time! And like I said before, if you need any help with online stuff during Rootstech, let me know. I'll be at the streams.

Wish I was there too. Have a great time!! Take plenty of pics!

Answer 10

Greetings from Lone Jack Mo, the heart of the "Burnt District" and "Order # 11". I blame Pip for starting off with his Lawing story, even though I should thank him for the Introduction for my recent discovery and fall out. It seems that my 2nd gr aunt married a "Bushwacker" aka Ves Akers. I've heard that her brother, my 2 gr grandfather, rode w/ the Irregulars to patch them up. He was a confederate Dr known to treat his own as well as the enemy.

Comments

Great to see you in the chat, K!

Well, the Hyppocratic Oath says to do no harm. Treat everyone. Friend or foe. Nice to see he did that. Though, some Civil War era doctors were known to be quacks.....

Let's hope he was one of the good ones, huh! Have a great weekend!

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Why do drs and lawyers establish a practice when they engage in their profession of choice. Is it b/c one way or another they can both bury their mistakes? If they walk like a duck and talk like a duck, I tend to call them Dr. My guess is grandpa could stand all the screaming associated with surgery back then and it looked like he stepped forward when everyone else stepped back. There were several Drs before and since him, just not in my direct line.

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Yeah....Anethesia was not common back in those days. My dad is a dentist and I once looked up 19th century dental work. Stuff looked brutal. Here's to medical advancement!

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K, you've got some stories to tell!

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Pip, you have no idea! While I have you on the line, are familiar w/ the name Duncan Hansen. He has written some stuff re the CSA

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No,. I haven't. I'll check on Amazon. Gordon Rhea wrote some fabulous stuff on the last year of the war, Wilderness to Cold Harbor, and then he quit writing.

Answer 11

Howdy folks! Greetings from a chilly central Oklahoma! Wednesday it was 75F. Yesterday and today 25F, and possible severe weather on Sunday. Wintertime in OK....

We are leaving tomorrow for Brook's State Emergency Managers Conference at the big casino in Durant, OK. We'll be there for almost a week, and since I'm not much of a gambler, I'll probably be working on profiles quite a bit. They had the conference there last year, and it was a good time. Casinos are great for people watching. 

I just found out last night that I have been added to the committee for my upcoming HS reunion. Apparently, the usual committee is having problems getting things figured out, and since I've planned, catered and operated all kinds of events in my day, they are calling me out of the bullpen. This will be interesting. 

The hits just keep coming. We went to Wisconsin last month for Brook's grandmother's funeral. Well, sadly, her grandfather had a massive stroke and passed away on Tuesday. Unfortunately, the wake and funeral are smack dab in the middle of Brook's conference and, since she's the secretary, we won't be able to go. Her sister is going to go and represent the OK contingency, so that's helping Brook deal with it all. 

Genealogy wise, I have been plugging along, upgrading profiles and making some headway. I did find a cousin who mustered into the Union Army when he was 18 years old, and was captured and died two years later in Richmond, Virginia. I look forward to investigating his service. 

Thanks Pip for being the host with the most, and I'm sorry for the loss of your classmate. I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Till next time...

John

Comments

Have fun at the casino, John! Always bet on black!

Casinos are good for people watching. You can see the little old ladies hover around the slots like vultures circling a carcass. Then there's the high roller everyone watches. There's the down on his luck guy at the blackjack table downing his fifth scotch....

Yeah, I've seen too many movies. =D

Have a great time.

So sorry about Brook's grandmother. Condolences to you and yours.

And I hope you find info about that young guy!

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So sorry to hear about Brook's grandfather's death. Things come in clusters, so to speak. 

You must have been absent when you were appointed to that committee. I threaten people with that on occasion. Don't show up, and one is sure to land in a committee not of their own choosing! 

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Hey John, as long as you didn't volunteer or enjoy it, it is o.k. One of my favorite people to quote once said, "people who enjoy being on committees, ought not be in charge of anything." Thomas Sowell.

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Thanks Chris! I sometimes hit the machines after those little old ladies leave. Every once in a while I get a jackpot. If you don't here from me again, you know what happened. 

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Thanks Pip. I'm ready for the clusters to go away. As far as the reunion, if they are calling me in, it must be a real s&^t show. Time will tell.

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@K.  I get volunteered for this kind of stuff all the time. 

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I used to. I've cooked for wedding receptions, graduations, birthday parties, you name it. The last 3-4 came w/out as much as thank you. A simple Thank You goes along way, yet some people don't get it. Now I thank them for asking and tell them how terribly upset I am that I'm to busy to help.

Answer 12

It went cold again this week and is currently 6F/-14C but that is warming up compared to a couple hours ago (-6C/-21C). I'm oh, so tired of winter this year.

I finally submitted my Robertson UEL application. We'll see if they take the land grant memorial as proof of father / son relationship. This will be the last one for a while but there is a fifth one that I'll eventually do. These applications can get you to document lines that might not have been complete.  My writing class has me working on the proof arguments for some research that had been done for a while but I've had trouble actually writing up the proof. It is also making me want to work on my brick walls all the more.

Hope everyone had a productive week.

Comments

Doug, I can't make the connection from my Loyalist ancestor to his son. He left his family behind in North Carolina. Hope your application works out well.

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In my case, he married and had his family in New Brunswick but while many marriages were recorded, birth records aren't really available. That land memorial where two brothers state that they are the sons of Duncan Robertson who was a long time resident. Other than my DNA project finding this ancestors parents in Scotland is probably my biggest brickwall.

Perhaps someday your Loyalist will have some record show up to tie the generations together.

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Doug, where are your Robertsons from in Scotland?

My husband has Robertson ancestors from Scotland, Alexander Robertson from  Blair Atholl, Perthshire, Scotland, arrived in Schenectady County, New York sometime after 7 Jul 1800 when his oldest child was born in Scotland and before 1802 when his next known child was born in Schenectady County.

Arrived in Halton County, Upper Canada before 1819 when his youngest child was born. In 1826 a son died and was buried about 10 km from my home.

Too late to be UEL, but could have moved here and received a land grant, just another thing to put on my to do list.

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My Robertsons were from near Aberfeldy, Perthshire approximately 1754. That is really all we know. Blair Atholl is a possibility but more likely Dull or Fortingall parish.  Duncan Robertson in that Perthshire is quite a common name.

There are 4 land grants/leases for an Alexander Robertson in Esquising, Halton County in the right time period.

Answer 13

Good morning from chilly Everett, Washington, where it snowed lightly Tues/Wed. Now skies are clear and sunny but we are shivering, maybe not as much as folks in Portland, but still, it's wrapping up weather.

Last week I was deeply into probing about to find a connection for Redd Foxx https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Sanford-1671 and am happy to say that I did connect him. At his end it was finding a marriage record for his uncle Charles. At the other end it was a birth record in Trimble County, Kentucky--actually two birth records--for two mulatto sons of William P. or T. Morton. In the process I must have created at least 100 profiles.

Tonight I am going to a fancy-dress, though not formal, reception for Black Women's History in Snohomish County. I was invited by an artist known as Terra, who from my research on Madame Luella Boyer of Everett, made a fantastic jigsaw puzzle of her lifeline. I have been fretting all week about what to wear. I decided not to buy a new fancy dress but to wear an Easter dress from 1993 that I still love.

I'm also the person who forgot to put the coffee into the filter basket this morning and now has to clean out all the grounds in there. I'm also the person who forgot the surname of a board member of the Historical Society and put the wrong surname into the minutes when I sent them out last night. I apologized via email to all concerned.

My husband is getting a raise and a $3500 bonus. Boeing can do a bonus like that for part time workers. Full time employees, not so much.

Yesterday daughter and I spent hours in the Verizon store waiting to get help so our phones could talk to each other. That place is made so physically uncomfortable, what with lack of seating and hard, backless chairs, that I stood up to rest my back. Turns out my phone had an error in installation and the whole thing had to be reinstalled. As a reward I bought her a PlayStation controller that allows her to game on her PC.

On Saturday daughter and I are going to a surprise birthday party in Arlington for a friend she's known since both were toddlers. She needed the phone to let the restaurant know we had a special order 48 hrs in advance. All that is now taken care of.  

I am ready for the weekend. Just a little prep work for tonight's early dinner and tomorrow's event.

Stay cool or warm, depending on where you are.

Comments

Ever so busy, Margaret, and that's a good thing. I am envious of all that you do to keep history alive in your area!

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I saw the forecast earlier for Portland in the week. That was a wacky to start off Lent!

It's rare that Portland, OR and Rochester, MN would get snow around the same time. The difference: temperatures.

You've connected Redd Foxx. Congratulations!

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I never did go to the fancy reception last night. I paid my regrets and stayed home. An emergency meeting came up at the same time. The mayor dropped a bombshell on the Historical Society. He wants us to vacate Quarters A at the lighthouse so the Chamber of Commerce can have a Visitor Information Center there. We have until summer to move out all our boxes of archived material, safes, scanners etc. and then move it all into the building 1 1/2 miles away that the Chamber now occupies. Also, he wants Chamber employees to staff the gift shop so the lighthouse can be open more days.

We agree that the Chamber needs to be visible down at the waterfront. But this news just leaves us hanging until we get clarification from the city as to exactly what our volunteers shall be doing.

My skills as a minute taker and writer were never more necessary than at last night's meeting. There was no agenda, just a lot of discussion that I managed to bring into focus. There was no venting either, but a lot of frustration.

We are having another meeting Sunday night to review the letter we are sending in response.

Chris and I are good friends with the mayor and Chris works closely with the Chamber, so we can put out feelers and bugs in people's ears. It just felt like the Historical Society was blindsided and we don't know how much this proposal was an awkward trial balloon and how much it was a fait accompli.

Answer 14

On this day:

1826: The Treaty of Yandabo is signed

1923: The LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman Locomotive starts its service

1955: The entrepreneur and inventor Steve Jobs is born

Comments

I'm going to go way out of my knowledge area and read up on the Locomotive. Of course I'd pick the Flying Scotsman! Thanks, Professor!

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I read that one also Pip, but I do know a bit about Locomotives and have even worked on, small, live steam locomotives.

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Jelena, I actually checked out the last 2. I have always has an interest in trains and computers so.

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Hi Jelena, I am going with the Flying Scotsman Locomotive. I always loved traveling by train. Plus, my dad worked for the Milwaukee Road until his retirement. It would be a crime for me to not select the locomotive given that trains are in the family lore.

Answer 15

Good afternoon Pip and others. This is a departure from my normal post but here goes. the weather is getting to me. It is like a roller coaster, yesterday it was in the upper 60's and today it is below freezing so my body is rebelling. I have been busy, as usual this week but it was mostly of a medical nature. Tuesday we took an elderly neighbor to the hospital for some outpatient surgery and brought her back home afterward then in the afternoon I had a doctors appointment myself. There is nothing major wrong but I did have to get some prescription medication for myself. Then on Thursday we had to take the same neighbor for her followup appointment in the morning. That neighbor's car is in the shop due to an accident so after her appointment we also took her to the grocery store so that she could get some food. That brings me to today, between those trips and the wild weather I did not feel like doing much else, and did not do much else.

Comments

Byers Taxi Service, always ready to roll. That's very kind of you, Dale, to help out your neighbor. Really!

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I hope that you feel better soon!

Answer 16

We have already reached today's high of 25 degrees, and it is cloudy and breezy. Last Sunday, it was warm and sunny and I visited the local animal park. I was lucky to sign up for a sloth experience and I got to pet and feed four sloths that afternoon! I got to ask a lot of questions and learned that they have to keep their rooms at 89 degrees and humid. Not my choice of temps, but they were so cute.

Genealogy-wise, I haven't done much this week, but expect to this weekend since it will be cold and grey outside.

Comments

I'm jealous, Michelle, but glad to hear you were able to have such a great time at the animal park.

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Pip, here are two of the sloths!

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How cool!!!!!

Answer 17

Good evening from Germany,

where the temperatures have been comfy this week. Not as warm as Pip, but also without winterstorms like in other parts of the US. (When I saw pictures from LA in snow, I wondered if my removed cousin has an advantage since she knows from Serbia how to drive on snow.)

Personally, we didn't do that much this week. Some paperology, some research about new cell phones. I need a new one really soon, so some research is needed.

Genealogy-wise, I flipped for two days through parts of an unindexed film of FamilySearch to find more of my surnamesakes. On one page I had really difficulties to decipher the given names of a son of the family. Then I got the idea to go to a German website which has many different things to research, from Online Family Books to list of casualties in WWI to address books and gravestones. There I did a metaseearch for my surname and found in an Onine family book a guy with a certain birth date. Switching to the FS-film, I saw it is the same guy. So now I could decipher the name I wasn't able to read.
The other days I jumped from here to there to do different stuff, but eventually it also led to category work.

When I checked the Rangers mails, I saw that we got some new Rangers as well. The hour after my spot was always empty, but now it isn't anymore. And that is also great.

Have a great weekend and stay safe, dry and warm, especially when you are affected by the winterstorms.

Comments

What is paperology, Jalena?

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Something like bureaucracy, all those things where someone or something wants something of you and you have to answer on time.

I admit, this word is actually a Serbian invention.

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And a very appropriate one, too, Jelena!

Answer 18

Every time this rolls around, I can't ever seem to remember everything I've done during the week.

I worked on someone's DNA case for her father-in-law, which was from a FB group I'm in. Really complex. We got to a very likely candidate, but I wouldn't call it 100% yet without additional testing by closer living relatives. She's going to pursue that. The case was a good testing ground for the skills I've learned. I'd like to think that I passed. But I got some good mentorship and discussions from Sandy Patak. The tree was all in Appalachia, which we're learning has some unique characteristics that pose challenges.

Beyond that, I need to decide on some classes and virtual events to go to that are coming up.

Comments

"Every time this rolls around, I can't ever seem to remember everything I've done during the week." Maybe because I rarely see some as busy as you, Eric, is why I'm breathless after reading all your activities! 

Answer 19

Happy Weekend!
...and good Lent to those who observe. 

Thank you for hosting the Weekend Chat, Pip!

Winter has again blown through this weekend. We have seen snow & mixed precipitation here in Quincy, Massachusetts- no shoveling but I will have to clear off my car.

I first signed on to Wikitree one year ago. The past few weeks I was pushing for 4444 contributions because I think that would have made the coolest screenshot. I "earned my wings" the evening before my anniversary. I enjoy the threads that encourage conversation. It's in those that I have found kindred spirits and have started to intentionally collaborate on research projects.

Have you ever started to research someone and have that research seem to take on a life of its own? That is happening to me now with Rachel Story Bruce, with whom I've chosen to begin my PIP voyage. Rachel was the grandniece of my 2nd gr grandmother. She had ancestors who came to Massachusetts on the Mayflower in 1620. She was born in 1899 and lived most of her life in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, very near where I lived the first 30 years of my own. She never married or had children because she chose to become a teacher. She really threw heart and soul into her calling, taking advantage of every opportunity for professional development, ultimately being appointed Assistant Professor of Education at Fitchburg State Teacher's College and the Board of Directors of The Massachusetts Audubon Society (during her era music and nature study were considered very important to primary and secondary education, and to support physical and emotional well-being).

I've been developing three lines of research: legislation regarding women's rights, developments in the field of education, and the emergence of environmental advocacy. These three themes may seem abstract and distant, but I'm aware of ways in which all three were immediate and present for Miss Bruce. How did these themes shape her life, and how did she advocate for herself and others in response?

I will be spending some time in the city and college archives digging up primary sources to see what I can find. 

Having never had spouse or children myself, I feel an affinity for relatives who have no living descendants. I am pleased that Wikitree offers many ways to hold space for stories to be told - biographies, categories, free space pages, and links.
My friends, we are each a part of the genealogy and history we record. Have fun this week!
 

 

Comments

Good job, on the contributions, Anonymous!  I'm glad your PIP voyage has been so productive.  I have often had a research topic turn into a broad association with someone's family and I'm not even related!  I like helping people with questions and they can turn into projects.

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Thank you Cindy! I chose Rachel intentionally because of the opportunities to find a variety of sources in different offline repositories. I want to take advantage of the opportunity to be coached through using Evidence Explained to write citations without relying on Sourcer. Sourcer is a HUGE help, but it doesn't cover what hasn't yet been digitized. I want to research without limits! I chose Wikitree as the best way to make my research available to distant cousins who have moved away from Northern Worcester County and so might not be aware that there were 3 Ella Maria Flaggs born in Worcester County, Massachusetts between 1866 and 1869- and they aren't closely related! I can more easily retrieve photos from local historical societies. By concentrating on a few towns, I can absorb the local history and write people into their context. I'm excited for the opportunity to have one-on-one coaching through some of the technical bits of Wikitree so I can better contribute towards the goal of it being a way to personalize history.

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Hi Anon! Congratulations on your Wiki-versary and on your PIP voyage. I really like the 'themes' of your research on your ancestor. You have a really great week!

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It's interesting that you mention not using Sourcerer for this PIP.  I have never used it  - maybe I should try it.

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Sourcer works like magic on a number of websites like Family Search and Ancestry. You open the view document, click create -- citation, then click to paste in the appropriate place in your profile. Violà!

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Thanks Carol, I think Miss Bruce is the very model of a modern woman- a major general of the teaching profession. (Ha!)

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"Have you ever started to research someone and have that research seem to take on a life of its own?" Absolutely! I had a three or four month genealogy stay in North Dakota a couple of hears ago on some totally unrelated to me families, and could not get away. It started with just one person and I was stuck!

Answer 20

Hello 

I am in Michigan 

Current Temp: 25 and according to forcast Snow Coming

Snow likely overnight 

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend 

Comments

HI, Carol, where are you in Michigan?  I lived there quite a long time and have a son and his wife there in Grand Rapids.  Sister-in-law and her fam in Greater Detroit.  I am happy to be in Tucson AZ now, though we had snow a week ago here, nothing like you.

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I see that storm headed your way, Carol. Stay safe and stay warm!