Genealogist's Journal 19 Dec 2009

How wonderful it is to get a message from a private family tree on Ancestry asking if I would like future information on my immigrant Scottish grandmother's line! I always get a Christmas surprise so this must be it. I certainly know more about this family since I met two other researchers. I wonder every day if there are more Aiken's buried at River Bend Cemetery in Westerly.

I haven't been writing as much in this journal due to trying to keep organized and cope with Christmas activities. But, now I am decorated and wrapped and will be ready to roll out of bed Christmas morning and head to breakfast with grandson Anthony.

I will only be actively working from Sunday to Tuesday then I will consider myself on vacation. I hope I can write up my New year's resolutions for the Carnival but it won't be until after next weekend.

Happy Christmas, one and all!

Genealogist's Journal 10 December 2009

Communicator
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

Sometimes reading the "junk" that comes to me via the snail mail can really make me laugh out loud. This one was a real belly slapper.

I took this "doctored up photo" of it with the addition of the one word that comes to mind this week.

Really?

Well, folks this is one "message in the mail", that really hits home. With email, two active blogs, Facebook, GenealogyWise, Twitter and all the other tools at my fingertips, do people really think that I, Midge Frazel need to know more about communication?????

Genealogist's Journal 9 December 2009

With my mother-in-law in the hospital and the snow falling hard here, genealogy takes a back seat to the events. I think it would be a good idea to finish the present wrapping before the weekend. I am so glad I bought "present bags" for our gifts here at home. Everyone says I am the bag lady anyway.

One of the reasons that I remember so much about my family history is because I always carried around "stuff to do" in a bag. Grownups began to forget I was there (in plain sight) and did a lot of talking. I didn't know, at the time, that other kids were not this privileged. I've never been happy I didn't have siblings. I cringe at the thought. I used to wish I had an older brother to wait on my mother and sit adoringly at her feet.

Well, I should go do something since all I did yesterday was back up my genealogy files.

Genealogist's Journal 5 December 2009

After a day of birthday events, I got back to work before the Christmas decorating gets into full swing. As I write my husband, aka Santa's helper, is putting out my mother's Rudolph on the front lawn. He drilled a hole and wired a red light bulb on the nose. My mother would have thought that was "tacky" but it is fine by me. Maybe I can get a photo at dusk tomorrow.

I have decided to flesh out my only living aunt's genealogy as I suspect she had some relation to me besides by marriage. If you do genealogy (and why would you be reading this if you didn't?) you will understand that I am always "felt" connected to her.

I think this is a good December gravestone project as it will be low stress and easy to work on in the next few weeks.

Genealogist's Journal 3 December 2009

I had to do genealogy with a paper chart, pen and my notebook this morning as I was without power until almost lunchtime. Really kills the day living without the Internet.

I got a complaint from a family member of someone related to the Burrows family and they gave me better and more accurate information. First complaint I've had on my blog.

No post tomorrow as it is my birthday but I did figure out another generation in my aunt's family tree and as luck would have it I took a photo of the needed gravestones only because the dates figured correctly and they were nearby. Yipppeeee.

Off to Pjs, bathrobe and chocolate!

Genealogist's Journal 2 December 2009

I began the awful task of trying to manage the storage of my surname notebooks so I can pick up the one I need more easily. I bought several plastic crates with dividers for notebooks but as they no longer manufacture this product, I guess I am going to have to put some tech stuff currently stored in two in cardboard storage boxes to free up the two I need. Bummer. Stuff is so heavy.

Blog posts for the next three days took up the rest of the day but they are done, scheduled and posted. I am currently involved in researching Hoxie, Jenckes, Austin and Burrows surnames and it is getting confusing!

Enough for today! I need to read the manual for the digital voice recorder. CYA

Genealogist's Journal 1 December 2009

Once again, the calendar turns to the longest month of the year. December is my birth month, the month in which my daughter was born [1975] and the month of my parent's marriage [29 Dec 1946]. I often set goals to achieve this month but seldom do I get it all done! Sound familar?

Last night, I pulled out the box that I gave my mother to organize the family snapshots as she wished. I found a very glossy photo of myself in a bouncy seat! I am just a baby so I would say it was summer 1948 and the photo was taken in the backyard at my grandparent's house. I am sure it was cut to fit in my grandfather's pocket watch which my mother sold after he died. She sold a lot of jewelry without asking me. My mother was very fashion conscious and probably spent the money on shoes and pocketbooks. My daughter is so like her. This makes me smile.

I found one and only one photo of me having a birthday party and a cute young teen photo at Christmas. These I will blog about. I have scanned them and will think about what to say.

As I went shopping this morning, I won't get much else one today so I picked out a folder and will file the contents of it. Now, where is the surname notebook that has Austin in it?