The Weekend Chat is here, and I’m glad you are, too! And, greetings from Cathey’s Creek where we broke 90°F a few days ago for only the second time this summer. The past couple of days, it hasn’t broken 80° and the early morning temps have been in the high 50s. We’ve had very little rain, just some sprinkles. This is not your typical Transylvania summer weather!
On the Home Front: Last weekend, my younger daughter went to a wedding and reception. By Monday, she had the symptoms and tested positive for Covid. She went to the doctor, and it was confirmed. This was her third time. She spent the week at home working remotely.
Last weekend, my older daughter and her husband got back from a week-long cruise. My son-in-law first, and then my daughter, felt the symptoms. Both tested positive for Covid (as did many of their friends they went with). This was, for both, their second time having Covid.
Covid is still out there, cousins. Do what you gotta do to be safe!
Twice this week, I left messages at the shoulder doctor’s office telling them that I had the MRI with dye scheduled for this coming Thursday morning. Previously, the doctor told me he wanted to see me the same day. Apparently, the staff feels differently as I have not gotten a call back from them. <sigh> I’ll try again today.
Do you remember my late Church Mom, Lorraine? Well, a 17-year-old student has begun attending our small church. He is a smart fella and eager to learn, so I have found someone else to unload books on (just a few). He sits with me and my wife so he can get the movements of the liturgy. One church member stopped me the other day and said, “You are remembering Lorraine.” I had to think about it for a minute before I realized I now have a Church Son, and I am now a Church Dad. It was rather poignant. I light a candle for Lorraine every Sunday. Her own light has not gone out.
My wife has me entering a new philosophy. She said the other day, “I am old; I don’t care; I’m taking naps.” “She’s right,” I thought and promptly started to feel not guilty at all about taking naps. I need to get out of this mindset that I always must be doing something. Just relax a bit there, old fella!
On the Genealogy Front: I am still working on that Neel/Cathey line, just not as vigorously as before. While working on the Neels in general, I have found that I must be careful about the spelling of the surname. I have seen “Neil” in a document only once, but that didn’t affect the LNaB in that instance. However, somewhere along the line the spelling “Neal” began to show up, so I must look at the earliest document I can find to make sure I am getting it right. The why of it eludes me.
My particular branch moved a few miles north from their original settling but retained the Neel spelling for a few generations. The ones who stayed (and many of whose descendants moved west) pretty much kept the Neel spelling. In any case, this surname (Neal) was one that got passed down as a personal through male and (mostly) female descendants of my grandmother: an aunt, several cousins, and my own daughter who carries it as her middle name.
Usually, the Chat sneaks up on me, but this has been a longer week than usual. I hope all of you had a great week, despite the vicissitudes of life. Just know that your Chat family cares about you!
Enjoy the Chat!