Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 12/30/08

The year is about to turn, and I need to try to summarize the best of 2008 and think about 2009 goals. The Internet connection was messed up this morning, and I had to call cox's online help service to get it to work. Unplugging the router and then plugging it back in did the trick, although they had to renew my IP address.

I was on the computer by 9 a.m. and read my email and blogs, then posted the IdentiFinders is Online, and wrote Who Will Tell Dina's Holocaust Story? for later posting. I got cleaned up, helped Tami load the car and the girls, and kissed them all goodbye. I discovered more mail, including my column style guide and my GeneTree DNA kit, so I read those for awhile. I worked on my column some more, then wrote What Do You Want to Know About TGN/Ancestry/FTM? I decided to reward myself with a Footnote annual subscription to see what I've been missing. I worked on finding Best of 2008 Genea-Musing posts for awhile, then Linda wanted the computer, so I went in at 4:30 to watch football. Our neighbor, Kurt, came over for dinner, and by the time I got him home and watched the end of the Holiday Bowl, it was 8:30 p.m.

I read email, blogs and checked in on Facebook, then went to Footnote and found the RevWar Service Records (9 pages) and RevWar Pension File (45 pages) for Martin Carringer, and downloaded all of the pages. That took awhile! I messed around with other names trying to figure out some of the search features on Footnote. What, it's 10:30 p.m.? How can that be - I was having lots of fun! This post and that's it for the night - I still have dishes to wash.

Genealogy today was 8.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 3.5 hours writing and researching blog posts, 1.5 hours on the column, 1.5 hours on footnote, and 0.5 hour on Facebook.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 12/29/08

The geneaholic is back in full-time genealogy action and ready to roll. Tami and her daughters are here today and the next two days, so my genealogy effort will be hampered by the enjoyable task of playing with and caring for Lolo and Audrey.

I was on the computer by 9 a.m., read my email and blogs, then posted Forensic Genealogy Strikes Again after reading the articles and Colleen's and Sharon's web sites. I worked on the post How did I do on 2008 goals? for awhile, and finished it later in the afternoon. After answering several emails, and checking in on Facebook, I worked a bit on my column for January and got it into editable shape. I got cleaned up, and posted some jokes on Randy's Busy Life to clean up my email list, then had lunch at home. I edited the column a bit, and had to take care of Audrey for awhile, which turned into the rest of the afternoon (including a short nap). We went out to dinner at Chick-fil-A with Tami's friends, and didn't get home until 7:30. I helped with Lolo in the bath, and was on the computer by 8:15 p.m. I checked email, blogs, Facebook and then uploaded my Christmas pictures to the computer. Then I worked a bit on my Project L database, inputting data I found previously and information from my friend. After that, this post and I'm going to call it a night.

Genealogy today was 6.5 hours - 1.0 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.5 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 1.5 hours writing my column, and 1.5 hours on Project L.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 12/19/08

Our bags are packed, we're ready to go, the sleigh is flying in tonight to take us off to Monte Rio...oops, wrong dream.

I did absolutely no research or anything useful besides write blog posts today as I had to get ready for our 10-day excursion to three obscure towns in California. They just happen to have our family living there, so we have to go! We want to go to see the little boys on Christmas morning, and the little girls in their snow outfits.

I read email and blogs, then posted Who is really the oldest in the 1880 census? that analyzed the findings from last Saturday's fun. I also worked on the Best of the Genea-Blogs post to go online on Sunday. Then it was off to the pharmacy (they can't order the stuff I need, and I threw the paper away), the bank, the library (got two books), the shopping center (a failure again - Linda will be disappointed), and the drug store (more stocking stuff). When I got home at 2 p.m., I cleaned out the trunk of the car, and stuffed all of the wrapped gifts in it - they barely fit! Then I cut the front lawn, watered the plants, found the Christmas stockings, and came in tired. I typed up several more future blog posts, transferred about 10 gb of data to the laptop using the flash drive, and at 5 p.m. Linda wanted to go to Daphne's for dinner. We were home by 6, but she needed to use the computer.

I wrapped the last presents, packed my suitcase, and cleaned everything up and at 7 p.m. came back to the computer. I wrote several more future blog posts, and checked in on Facebook too. I'm going to go to bed early tonight since we have to be out before 7 a.m. We hope to be on the road at 8:30 a.m. and in Paso Robles by 4 p.m. (about 370 miles up Highway 101).

Genealogy today was 6.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 1.0 hour transferring data to the laptop, and 3.5 hours writing blog posts.

The Geneaholic blog will go dormant for about ten days - it will start back up around New Year's Day.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 12/18/08

One more week until Christmas, one more night to get things done before we leave on our trip to see the in-laws, the kids and the grandkids.

I actually slept in until 7:40 a.m. today, and really enjoyed it. Therefore, I wasn't on the computer until about 8:30 a.m. and read my email and was reading my blogs but then the cable connection went down for awhile. I cleaned up, and then started wrapping gifts for the grandkids, and the cable came back at about 10:30. I resumed reading, then posted "The Forrest Gump Principle of Genealogy Research" strikes again. That was fun. I took off at 11:15 to g to the pharmacy (they couldn't find what I ordered on Tuesday), shopped for Linda there, then to Plaza Bonita to shop some more - had lunch at Panda Express. I stopped by the church office to pick up stuff, put 15 gallons in the gas tank, and was home by 2 p.m.

I no sooner got home than the phone rang and I talked to D. Brenton Simons for about 20 minutes about my rant yesterday on Genea-musings. He apologized for the problem and said they were aware of it and were trying to fix it. I posted an update on my blog post. Then I wrote about the Dick Eastman Holiday Present, and then about Michael John Neill's new blog, Famous People in the Census. I read my news sites, posted some jokes and my NFL Picks on Randy's Busy Life, then checked Facebook, and saw Megan's note and blogged about the news article about Bob Velke and TMG. It was time for the TV news, reading the paper and then dinner. I helped Linda with her stuff as she went out to her church group Christmas party. I came back and read a bit, then reviewed the NGSQ article and participated in the Transitional Genealogists Study Group chat with five others - we had a good discussion tonight, and talked more about our own research challenges. That ended at 8:15, so I went in and finished my gift wrapping in the living room. I wrapped ten packages today - and they all fit in one big box! After that, I wrote several blog posts for the coming two weeks, and then wrote this post.

Genealogy today was 5.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blog posts, 2.5 hours writing blog posts, 1.5 hours on the TGSG chat, 0.5 hour on Facebook,

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 12/17/08

Only two more days before we leave for Christmas. Let's see - blog some more, shop a bit, wrap everything, pack stuff in the car, remember to take the laptop, flash drives, camera, what am I missing?

Oh - today? Just a typical genealogy day here at the Genea-Manor. Me in my genea-cave pecking away on the keyboard, sloshing through the rain to the library, some writing, and not much real research.

After reading email and blogs, I posted Family Photographs - Post 34: Christmas 1954 on Genea-Musings. I reorganized my CVGS computer files, copied them to my flash drive and took them to the library at 12 noon for the Computer Group meeting. There were only 7 there. Gary transferred my files to his laptop, and played with them a bit. I tried to follow along in the group. Gary gave me a CD with the luncheon pictures on it. They're a lot better than my fuzzy pictures! I was home by 2 p.m. - still raining - we've had almost 3 inches this week. Email from Tami with snow pictures in Victorville.

I posted Let's Have some fun today and then wrote more for my column - a new topic to introduce the column to the readers. Are you wondering where the column will be? Can't tell now - soon though. Heh heh. At 5 p.m., I went in to watch TV, read the paper, and we had El Pollo Loco for dinner when Linda got home at 6. I was back on the computer at 7:30, and read email and blogs, checked Facebook, tried to work in the NEHGS database, got frustrated and posted What good is it if it won't work? Rant off...checked Facebook again, read some news sites, wrote this post, and I need to go to bed early tonight - I'm sleepy. But first, I have to finish my TGSG homework reading assignment.

Genealogy today was 9.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 1.5 hours working with CVGS files, 2.0 hours on CVGS activities, 2.0 hours writing the column, and 0.5 hour working with NEHGS site.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 12/16/08

Ah, another day of genealogy work - not much research, some blogging, some thinking, a lot of reading.

After reading email and blogs, I posted Tombstone Tuesday - the Blanchards. I needed to do some research on Ancestry.com to find more details, and I was still a Guest Subscriber. so I called them at 1-800-ANCESTRY and spoke to a very nice lady who fixed me up - I posted about it later. I had to go to a doctor's appointment, and after I got back, Ancestry was available, and I added a bit more to my Blanchards post. I added more information to my database about the family, and searched for descendants. I think the last one died in 1996, unfortunately.

I had lunch at my desk (bologna, cookies, apple), checked Facebook, watched Sheri's Elf dance featuring the ProGen Group D folks (minus two), then blogged about it in I'm an Elf! I quickly posted Another Ancestry.com Trial Subscription about my experiences obtaining access to my paid-for subscription. I recalled that I wanted to put some posts on the CV Genealogy Cafe blog so I wrote November 2008 Program Photo Gallery and CVGS Member and Program Surveys.

The FTM 16 boxes came with historical photos on a DVD along with a photo viewer. I installed the Smart Viewer and it slowed everything down - I never got it to work right. What a time waster - I probably spent 30 minutes waiting for something to happen. Frustrating. I decided I'd better do something useful, so I spent an hour in my database adding sources to facts and deleting the shorthand notes in the place fields. I probably did this for about 200 persons that had a VR page indicator visible in the place field. There are many more to do!

At 5 p.m., I went in and watched TV, read the paper and hoped Linda would come home. She finally did, and we had dinner, and I was back on the computer by 7 p.m. I tried to find information about genealogy advances and printed off a bunch of paper. Linda used the computer for about 30 minutes, so I read my TGSG homework article from NGSQ, and then came back to do more research and write this post.

Genealogy today was 9.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 1.0 hour doing source citations in my database, 2.0 hours reading stuff, 1.0 hour getting Ancestry to work, 1.0 hour on the Blanchard research, and 0.5 hour on the TGSG homework.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Blogging Fool Journal - 12/15/08

I was the blogging fool today - 17 posts at last count. Of course, only 5 of them carry today's date. I wrote an umber of them to post later on when we are away visiting family over the holidays.

I read email and blogs, then worked on the Critical Genealogy Software Reviews - and more post on Genea-Musings. I updated it after I found that Louis K had also written a post about it last night. I spent some time on Facebook, worked on Project L a bit on Ancestry, got cleaned up, posted Christmas Advent Calendar - Days 10 to 5, and started writing advance posts. I had lunch, and went off to the library in the rain for CVGS Table Talk. John and Dearl were there and we straightened up the books, looked for some periodicals, and shot the stuff for awhile. I was home by 2:15 - I found out that I have cracks in the soles of my sneakers (it was raining).

Checked email, blogs, Facebook, and then wrote more blog posts. I posted The Tanzer Cenotaphs at Greenwood Memorial Park, and wrote two other advance posts, on the SSDC Graveyard Rabbit blog. I played a bit with Twitter and Woopra, and then used Ancestry for some research and my subscription had run out (worked fine at 3:30, not at 4). So I tried to apply my new subscription and got a message that I had already used it. I need to phone them tomorrow and get it fixed. More blogging, Facebook, and dinner time. Linda was out looking at Christmas Tree lights on a tour bus, so I had Dinty Moore stew.

After dinner, I wrote some more blog posts, then posted Brothers find each other after 67 years. I wrote more advanced blog posts and checked my photo collection for suitable pictures to give Linda's brother. He called, Lori called, and several others. Linda came home at 9 and I came back to post this and go read my book and watch TV. The blog total today was 17 - 5 posted today, 12 in advance mode. I may do more tomorrow, but I need to go shopping for stocking stuff and write more of my column article. And think up a catchy name for the column, too! Genea-musings isn't going to work, I fear.

Genealogy today was 10.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 0.5 hour on Twitter and Woopra, 1.5 hour on CVGS activities, 0.5 hour dealing with Ancestry, 0.5 hour on Project L, and 6.0 hours researching and writing blog posts.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 12/14/08

Sunday was a day of relative genealogy rest - and a terrible football game that turned out a Chargers win somehow.

I watched MEET THE dePRESSed this morning to see if David Gregory was better than Brokaw (he was) and Russert (he wasn't). Then I read email and blogs, and got dressed to watch the Chargers game at 10 a.m. It was a must win game, and they were behind 21-3 in the 3rd quarter, having played poorly on offense and defense. In the 4th quarter, they scored enough points to win 22-21 in the last 40 seconds. They're still in the hunt - one more loss and they're done, though.

At 1:30, I was ready to blog something, but Linda used the computer for almost an hour. Finally, I posted Best of the Genea-Blogs for the week and went back to watch the end of the Steelers-Ravens game. I helped Linda get ready for her Christmas Party, and after she left I had dinner and watched a bit of the Giants-Cowboys game. At 5:45, came in and searched for BMD data for my Project L work, then started work on my first column for the [unnamed] magazine. I finally thought of a decent topic - it's due in early January. At 8:30, I went in to watch the end of the Giants-Cowboys game, then Charger highlights, and Desperate Genea-, er, Housewives wasn't on. Email, blogs, Facebook, I'm done.

Genealogy today was 5.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 1.0 hour writing blog posts, 1.0 hour on Project L, and 1.5 hours on the magazine article research and writing.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 12/13/08

I read my email and blogs, then posted Genealogy Software Reviews Revisited. After checking in on Facebook, I got cleaned up and went off to the Family History Center. I was there by 10:15, and spent some time reviewing and copying pages from FORUM Magazine, then worked on Ancestry FHL Edition on my Canadian ancestors, gathering census, VR and military information from the available databases. I saved page images in an OpenOffice presentation, which I saved to my flash drive, and saved record images directly to my flash drive. I headed home at 1 pm.

When I got home, I checked email, blogs and Facebook, then posted about the SDGS Seminar and Luncheon, which I had hoped to attend, but probably won't now due to a schedule conflict. I uploaded the Ontario data files to my desktop computer from the flash drive, and organized them into my Locality folder and my Kemp family folder. I uninstalled my current FTM 16 software and installed the new FTM 16 software (don't ask me why...). It installed fine, and works well. I made a GEDCOM of my FTM 16 master database, and loaded it into Legacy 7 after updating Legacy 7 to the latest version. Then it was time to go to the neighbors for a bead party, and then out to dinner at Mr. V's (what a fiasco, I hate loud hard rock music, the food was late, Linda had an allergic reaction).

Back on the computer by 8 p.m., I read email, blogs and Facebook, then posted Saturday Night Fun - who is the oldest person in the 1880 census? I started building a Legacy 7 database for my Project L, figuring I'd better learn how to add new people to a database and navigate within the database to add spouses, add children, sort children, edit dates and places, create sources, write notes, etc. It works well, and I'm glad to be finally working in it. By 10:10, It was time for this post and a final whirl around blogs and Facebook before calling it a night.

Genealogy today was 9.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.5 hours writing and researching blog posts, 0.5 hour in Facebook, 3.5 hours on Ontario families research at the FHC and home, 0.5 hour working with FTM 16, 0.5 hour working with Legacy, and 2.0 hours working on Project L.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 12/12/08

As luck would have it, I finished up Project M yesterday and got a new project, Project L from Ed's caregiver, Linda! Cool - it gives me something to do, besides blog and my own research.

Today started with email and reading blogs, and posting Blog Caroling - "Angels We Have Heard on High." I checked Facebook, and my question on the Genea-Bloggers page, and came back to read Tamura's web site for awhile. I had a great idea, and researched it on Ancestry for awhile, and found that it didn't pan out, so I wasted about an hour. At 11:20, I left for lunch at McDonalds, picked up George for our walk on the bayfront, stopped at the bank and the post office to mail my Journal envelopes, and I was home by 1 p.m.

I read email, blogs, and posted about the Genealogy Metrics web site. I read some more, did more searching for vital records for Project M, and started looking at info for Project L. Linda told me her father's name, and I found him easily in the 1930 census, which gave me his parents names, and I found a tree on WorldConnect that is the right one, since the name is so unique. Linda needed to use the computer at 3:30, so I took a nap, came back and checked Facebook and email, then checked for online vital records to answer Angela's email, and then we went out to dinner at Trophy's in Eastlake for fish and chips. We were home by 7:15, but I watched FNC for awhile before coming back to the computer.

I wrote several emails, then settled in to do more on Project L. I found more on Linda's mother's family, and printed off several WorldConnect reports, then found corroborating data in census records for several families. Cool. At 9:50, I started this post, and will stop soon.

Genealogy today was 9.0 hours - 1.0 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.5 hour writing blog posts, 1.0 hour doing research on Ancestry, 1.0 hour reading web site articles, 0.5 hour researching VRs, 0.5 hour on Project M and 3.0 hours on Project L.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 12/11/08

This was the day I've been waiting for for over two months - the day that my friend Ed gets to talk to his brother. It almost didn't happen, though.

I read my email and blogs, then posted Census Fun with Christmas Names (a repeat post from two years ago). After checking in on Facebook, I signed up for Twitter but have no clue what to do with it. Then I posted Greenwood Memorial Park in San Diego on the SSDC Graveyard Rabbit blog. I answered some email, gathered up my Project M folder, and got ready to go out. I left at 11:30 for Ed's house, got there by 11:50, and he wasn't home. I called his cell phone after awhile, and he had forgotten about our 12 noon appointment to call his brother. I called the brother to tell him that we would be late, and when Ed got there at about 12:20, we called and talked to his brother on the speaker phone. It was a wonderful conversation - Ed was his feisty self, spoke clearly and loudly, and enjoyed talking to his brother for the first time ever.

I was home by 2 p.m. and posted about it in Getting Ed and his brother together. After reading email, blogs and Facebook, our financial advisor came to tell us that we made lots of money on capital gains and we will have to pay more in income taxes even though our portfolio lost money. Arrrgggh. I watched TV, had dinner, read the paper, and at 5:30 came back to write my NFL Picks post on Randy's Busy Life. I poked around for awhile, but finally gathered the printouts of the Family Journal, and watched football game while collating the pages into the 16-page report. I stapled them, stuffed the large envelopes with the Journal and our Christmas letter, sealed the envelopes, put return address stickers and stamps ($1.17 each) on the 21 envelopes. Another project done! Cool. I answered some email and checked in on Facebook again. Then this post and I'm going to reward myself with ER tonight at 10.

Genealogy today was 6.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 0.5 hour on Twitter, 1.5 hours writing blog posts, 2.0 hours on Project M and the phone call, and 1.0 hour on the Family Journal project.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 12/10/08

What a full genealogy day. I did take time to clean up, eat three meals, take a nap and kiss my wife goodnight, but it was hectic.

Today was the day of the CVGS Holiday Luncheon, and I needed to be at the Library by 10 a.m. to help set up for the 11 a.m. start. I read my email and blogs, then wrote Family Photographs - Post 33: Wedding Announcement. I made 10 more programs for the meeting, then made 10 award certificates for my Board members. We put the green bean casserole on the stove to heat up at 9 a.m. and I got everything in the car ready to go by 9:45 a.m. I stopped at the post office to mail the rest of our Christmas cards and check the CVGS mailbox. At the Library, folks were moving tables and chairs around, getting the food tables and the gift tables arranged, and folks straggled in over the next hour. Susi had to pick up the turkey and ham at 10 a.m. and got there at about 10:30. We were ready to start our meeting a few minutes after 11.

The meeting went well, everybody had a lot to eat (this is one of the best potlucks ever, I think), and I handed the gavel off to Gary for the next term. We were done by 2 p.m. and I was home by 2:30. I wrote about the luncheon in CVGS Holiday Luncheon Highlights on Genea-Musings and the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe. I was really sleepy after this (and the platefuls of food) and went in to take a nap while watching TV news. After the nap, I read the paper, watched more news and we had dinner.

I was back on the computer by 7 p.m. and sent the Genealogy News Summary for December to the CVGS email list, then posted it on the CV Genealogy Cafe blog. Back on Genea-musings, I wrote Dear Genea-Santa then realized I needed to complete printing my Family Journal pages - only 3 pages left! Should be a snap. The second page snagged in the printer and it took me 30 minutes to find the right button to push on the HP printer to extract the crumpled remains. When it was fixed, I had lost only one sheet of paper, and printed the rest of them with no problems. I will collate the 16-page Family Journal tomorrow and hopefully mail the envelopes to my cousins and brothers on Friday. While the printer was going, I explored the new databases on Ancestry, read some emails and checked out the FGS FORUM magazine. Then this post and I'm off to bed.

Genealogy today was 10.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 5.5 hours on CVGS activities, and 1.5 hours doing the Family Journal.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 12/09/08

This was a pretty full day of stay-at-home blogging, emailing and printing.

After reading my email and blogs, I posted Tombstone Tuesday - the Isaac Seaver Family Stone. I wrote some emails, and checked Facebook, then got dressed to go out. I needed a WordPerfect document converted to something I can read, so I put the word out on Facebook and quickly had two people volunteer to do it, and it was done quickly by Ana. I called Ed's brother in Georgia to see if we could talk on the phone today, but he didn't call back until about noon, so we didn't do the chat today. We're going to do it on Thursday though, God willing! I researched then wrote FamilySearch Record Search - Census Databases (Updated) before having lunch. Then I wrote the 40 Things About Me meme but scheduled it to post later in the day.

The CVGS holiday luncheon is on Wednesday, so I printed up the programs and my speeches. I still need to do some certificates. Although we're not having a Research Group on Wednesday, I'm going to publish the Genealogy News of the Month on the CV Genealogy Cafe blog and email it to the members, so I did the research necessary and wrote a draft of it. I checked on Facebook again, then retired to the family room at 5 p.m. to watch TV, read the paper, and eventually have dinner.

After dinner, I was back to the computer at 6:30, and started printing 8 pages of the Seaver-Richmond Family Journal. That leaves 3 to go, and I still need to edit them. I also printed out the CVGS newsletter so I would have it on hand at the CVGS meeting tomorrow. I wrote this post and am going to quit earlier tonight - last night we got almost all of the Christmas cards done after I got off the computer.

Genealogy today was 10.0 hours - 1.0 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.5 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 2.0 hours on CVGS activities, 1.5 hours on the Journal, 1.5 hours on the Research News, and 0.5 hours trying to line up the phone call with Ed.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 12/08/08

Another day gone, never to be recovered. The days until we leave on Christmas vacation are down to 12. I need to shop.

After reading email and blogs, I posted Christmas Advent Calendar - Days 17 to 11, checked Facebook, and then got dressed to go out, but I didn't go. I answered some email, called my friend Ed, and then posted Give Ancestry for Christmas. Then I had lunch and went out - to church, the library and the post office. At the library, I talked to Dearl and John a bit, helped Angie find some death records, indexed another 50 pages of the Early California book, and talked to Ann and Gary about the Estate Papers collections. I was home by 2:20.

After checking email, blogs and Facebook, I balanced the checkbooks and found we had been charged twice by the San Juan hotel. I posted Davy, Davy Crockett ... the Memories for the Smile carnival. Then it was read the paper, watch the news, take a nap, and eat dinner. After dinner, Linda had to do her church board minutes, so I watched the football game.

I came back to the computer at 8:30 and ordered Christmas gifts for my grandsons, and printed five pages from the Family Journal - 25 copies. I'm not done yet with two pages, but there is plenty to do immediately! Then I wrote this post and I'm done for the night.

Genealogy today was 6.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 1.5 hours on CVGS activities, and 1.0 hour printing Journal pages.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 12/07/08

Sunday was pretty much a day of genealogy rest for me. Well, except for...

I read my email before church, then we went to church and were home by 12 noon. I read my email and blogs, and checked Facebook, then posted Best of the Genea-Blogs - 11/30-12/6/2008 before going in to read the paper, watch football, take a nap, and clean up a bit before coming back after 5 p.m. to post about Jacob Sovereign (1759-1845), Pioneer Canadian Tavern-Keeper for the Canadian Genealogy Carnival. Linda called for dinner.

After dinner, I was back on reading email and blogs, checking Facebook, then printing Christmas letters (I did the front page last night, the back page tonight - the ink has to dry) and then posted about the CVGS Holiday Luncheon on the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe blog. I emailed the newsletter password and info about the luncheon to the CVGS email list since nobody else has done it. Then it was off to watch Desperate Housewives and after that to write this post, while still printing letters.

Genealogy today was 4.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on Facebook and 0.5 hour on CVGS activities.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 12/06/08

I finally had a real genealogy research day, or at least did some real genealogy research.

I read my email before I went to the Men's breakfast at 8 a.m., and my post California City Directories on Ancestry.com posted as scheduled. After breakfast, I shopped at Office Depot for large envelopes, address labels, stamps and a gift for the CVGS luncheon next week. Then it was off to the FHC in Mission Valley, and I got there just after opening. They have new staff who didn't know me...I need to go more often, I guess! I worked for an hour on the Microfilm Scanner capturing deed indexes, then for an hour and a half extracting data from books on Westmoreland County PA. I was home by 1:30, eating lunch on the way.

I read my email, blogs and Facebook, then posted Searching for Mary's Parents - Post 1 (anticipating that it will be a series!). Linda needed the computer, so I watched football on TV, read the paper, and took a nap before dinner. After dinner, I made the last address labels, put labels on the big envelopes, and made the final version of the family letter, making more changes and additions at Linda's suggestions. Then I started printing out the first page of the letter - I'll do 120 tonight then do the other side tomorrow after the ink "dries." While doing that, I answered some email and posted Saturday Night Fun - Scavenger Hunt for my readers searching pleasure. I checked into Facebook, wrote this post, and will try to finish by JA Jance book tonight.

Genealogy today was 8.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 2.5 hours at the FHC and 2.0 hours working on the family letter.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 12/05/08

This was not much of a genealogy day for me, at least as far as doing something that advances my research. Life intervenes sometimes...

I read my email and blogs, then posted 123 Yourself after reading Megan's post. I got ready to go to the memorial service for Cecil, but had to hurry to Glen Abbey because I thought it was at church. That was over by 11, so I went to Costco for a Polish dog and churro, and then picked up George at noon for our walk on the bayfront. I was home by 1 p.m.

I had read Henk's blog post, so I wrote Today is Sinterklaas! because I think it's a better way to celebrate the holidays... I figured I'd better start on the CVGS officer installation, so I found an installation procedure on the web and adapted it for use. Then I worked on the job descriptions for awhile before posting Crypts and Niches at Cypress View on the SSDCGYR blog. I played with the San Diego city directories on Ancestry for awhile - the 1900 time ones don't have the cross-street reference. Too bad - I could have reconstructed the neighborhood in SD if they had. Drat. Then it was dinner, read the paper, watch the news, and take Linda to church for a Christmas program.

I was home by 7 p.m. and worked on the mailing labels for the Christmas cards - I need more labels, drat again. Then I wrote the first draft of the family Christmas letter and had it ready when Linda came home. We don't have that many great photos of the grandkids and their parents, or of the cruise. Linda came home and proofed the letter, while I was trying to make Blogger schedule a post for tomorrow morning - I finally did it - brute force and awkwardness often wins out over finesse and grace. Then I checked in on Facebook, and wrote this post.

Genealogy today was 8.5 hours. 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 1.5 hours writing blog posts, 1.0 hour on Ancestry, 2.5 hours doing CVGS work, 2.0 hours doing the Christmas labels and letter.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 12/04/08

I read my email and blogs, then posted New Cousins Finding Me and Josephine Shaw Lowell on Genea-Musings, while doing about a half-hour of research on the latter. I wrote several newsletter articles, and checked in on Facebook too. Linda came home, and we went off to Marie Callender's for lunch with our neighbors, Kurt and Ruth - they took us out to celebrate our birthdays. We were home by 3 p.m. I read email and blogs, and finished up my newsletter articles and sent them off to the editor. Linda needed to use the computer, so I watched TV, read the paper, took a nap and then we watched the Chargers game and had dinner.

I reviewed the ProGen chapter about Research Procedures during the game, and in the middle of the 4th quarter (we were ahead 34-7 by then), I had to come to the computer for our ProGen chat. It started at 8 p.m. and we were done by 9:30. I checked email, blogs and Facebook, then went in to watch ER.

Genealogy today was 7.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 1.5 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour researching online, 1.5 hours writing newsletter articles, and 2.0 hours on ProGen activities.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 12/03/08

This was not a big genealogy day - some blogging, the CVGS board meeting, and some organizing of files, and that was about it. Boring!

After reading email and blogs, I posted The family that blogs together... and then Family Photographs - Post 32: Mother and daughter and checked Facebook. I wrote the Naturalization Records post in the morning to be posted in the afternoon, knowing that I had other commitments in the afternoon. I went looking for some CVGS files and figured out that I either never had them or lost them in the February 2007 computer crash. I took the opportunity to make some new folders and re-file many documents into the right folder. I need to turn over these files to the new President in two weeks. Then I remembered that I hadn't saved the Queries for awhile, so I put them in a folder too, at least for 2008. It's funny, but I don't recall many of the details of these, but I know I did them because I have the results!

At 11:20, I packed up and took off for lunch at McDonalds, then to the PO Box for mail, and the library for the CVGS Board meeting. We were done before 2, and I was home by 2:15. I read more email and blogs, then Linda came home with Judy, and I took a 45 minute nap. We left at 4:15 to take Judy home to Clairemont, and then went to the Hunter Steakhouse in Mission Valley for a dinner to celebrate Linda's birthday. The food was good, the service excellent, and she got some carrot cake with a candle. We were home by 7 p.m. and she opened my card and gift - the keychain photo viewer thing that I worked on yesterday. She liked it! There's more coming in mail order.

I read the paper, and came to the computer before 8 p.m. I read email and blogs and Facebook, then wrote several emails to correspondents, and saved more email queries to files. Maybe I'll be more ambitious tomorrow?

Genealogy today was 6.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.5 hours writing blog posts, 1.5 hours working with CVGS files, 2.0 hours on the CVGS Board meeting, and 0.5 hour on Facebook. Even when it seems like I don't spend too much time doing genealogy, it turns out that I do! The "genealogy hole" in the day was from 3:15 to 8 p.m.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 12/02/08

It was a frustrating day in many ways - no real research done, some computer related problems, some file reorganization, some blogging, and some ProGen/TGSG homework done.

After reading email and blogs, NGS 2009 in Raleigh - Registration is now open was posted. I thought that the program listing was very useful in helping someone determine if they want to attend, and no other blogger has posted it yet (well, besides Diane Richard, who runs the NGS 2009 blog). I decided to link to the 2007 Advent Calendar posts on a weekly basis in case someone wants to read my memories from last year - hence This Week's Advent Calendar of Genea-Musings Posts (I probably could have worded that better!). After washing up and dressing, I forgot that I had planned to go to the FHC, and checked in on Facebook instead. Linda's birthday is tomorrow, and I have a small keychain photo viewer that needed photos uploaded, so I did that until I made it work.

I ate lunch at my desk, and worked on my Elusive Ancestor forms and posted a note on the TGSG Google Group about the forms, with links to my web page. I had to update my web page a bit too. I worked on organizing my New England cemetery and house photographs. Time sure flies ... I posted Tombstone Tuesday - the Seaver/Hildreth Stone at 3:30 p.m. and wondered where the time went. Back to Facebook, blogs and email. I had a correspondent write about one of my friend's families, so I created a genealogy report for him and sent it off. At 5 p.m., I went in to watch news, read the paper, and eat dinner.

After dinner, I was back on the computer at 7 p.m. I spent some time updating my Locality Research form for Hempfield, Westmoreland County, PA to include Hempfield resource information. Then I worked on the new cemetery photographs, and posted Cypress View Mausoleum on the SSDC Graveyard Rabbit blog. That left this post to finish off the night.

Genealogy today was 10.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.5 hours writing blogs (including research), 0.5 hour on Facebook, 0.5 hour creating a report for my correspondent, 2.0 hours on the TGSG Elusive Ancestor forms, 1.0 hour on my web page, 1.0 hour working with cemetery photos, and 2.0 hours on the ProGen homework.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 12/01/08

What a full genealogy day. It was fun. I even did a little shopping (um, er, well, walking around the mall looking in stores like Penneys, Macy's and Borders).

I was on the computer by 8 a.m. and reading my email and blogs. I posted SCGS Writing Contest Entries due by 31 December, checked Facebook and then got dressed to go out. I left before 120 and went to Greenwood Cemetery in San Diego in search of my elusive David and Amy Smith, plus Mary Ann Morrill (Davey and Mary are siblings of Della Carringer). I know they died in SD, but I haven't found their graves yet. I'm thinking now that they're still in an urn on somebody's fireplace mantle. I had a nice tour there, and then went to Cypress View and struck out there too - no tour. I took pictures at both places for the SSDCGYR blog. From there, I went to Plaza Bonita to shop for Linda's birthday (Wednesday) but had no luck finding clothes - I did get a card! Maybe the mail order stuff will come in time. I had lunch at the Food Court (Johnny Rockets - good bacon cheeseburger!) and checked out the Ancestry/FTM display at Borders - yep, still there.

From there, I went to the library for Table Talk with Dearl, John and Julie, but got tired and came home. I was home by 2 p.m., and read email and blogs, then read the latest Internet Genealogy magazine, and printed off the Table of contents for all of them so that I can find articles of interest. I noticed that Janice Nickerson had listed 10 favorite genealogy blogs, so I posted Another Top 10 Genealogy Blogs list. I checked in on Facebook, then read my politics blogs before going in at 5 to read the paper, watch the news and have dinner.

After dinner, I dozed a bit, then came in at 6:30 and posted Photos from Georgie Stillman's "Heirloom Discovery Day" Program and Genealogy Days in Chula Vista - December 2008 on the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe. I posted the link to the Heirloom Day on Genea-Musings too. I have a ProGen chat on Thursday, so I read Chapter 16 and created a Locality Research Survey form and started filling it in for Westmoreland County, PA. I was nearly finished by 10 p.m. when I quit, read email and blogs, and wrote this post.

Genealogy today was 11.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 1.5 hours at the cemeteries, 1.5 hour at the library, 1.5 hours reading magazines, and 3.0 hours working on my ProGen homework.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 11/30/08

The end of the 11th month of the year. And my Chargers, who had such promise at the beginning of the season, are DONE. Stick a fork in them. 4-8 is terrible.

I was on the computer by 7:40 a.m. this morning reading email and blogs, and then I posted Best of the Genea-blogs - November 23-29, 2008. I got dressed, and we went to church. I had my committee meeting, but we were home by 12 noon. I checked email and blogs again, then went in and had lunch and watched the end of the early football game. At 1 p.m., the Chargers-Atlanta game came on, and I suffered through that in silence - Linda had the good sense to go out to lunch with her friends, then shopping. When she got home, she had to use the computer so I didn't come back to it until after dinner. During the game, I sorted some of the papers and periodicals that Ralph gave me last week.

I wrote Family Holiday Traditions for the next Carnival of Genealogy, and then searched Genea-Musings for articles to put in my Family Journal. I didn't find any useful ones, but marvel at what I've written over the last year - I don't remember doing half of them! I added a biography and some recent family news to the 2008 Family Journal, and need to fill one more page. I contacted the Richmond cousin that I corresponded with last summer to see if I can add something about her family - they were lost but now are found to us, and we to them. Then I checked Facebook, and wrote this post.

Genealogy today was only 5.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, and 1.5 hours working on the Family Journal.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 11/29/08

I almost went out to the cemeteries today, but I decided to stay home and work on my database, my sources, and my Facts. Now I find that I have an overdue library book.

I was on the computer by 8 a.m., reading email and blogs. I posted One Stone at a Time and then got dressed to go out, but I didn't. I downloaded my pictures from the camera, and then uploaded them into an album on Facebook. My FTM16 database doesn't have many Facts other than BMD, so I started adding Facts (residence, occupation, census, military, etc.) to my ancestral line - I did about 8 persons before I tired of it. There's lots more to do! It was lunch time, so I ate at my desk in my Genea-Cave. Then I worked on standardizing my Sources, and then worked on adding sources to the BMD records I have in my database. I'm guesstimating I covered maybe 300 people in my database today - maybe 600 records in total. I looked up and it was 4 p.m. I checked in on Facebook, then sent an email to my friends and family with the link to the album on Facebook. It didn't work...I picked the wrong URL. I had to work 30 minutes before I found the right URL to send. We had dinner (leftover turkey, mashed potatoes and mixed veggies, then Peach Cobbler with vanilla ice cream), and I watched the football games and read the paper.

Finally at 7:30, I came in and checked email, blogs and Facebook, and finally wrote Saturday Night Fun- Who's #1000? for my readers to have something useful (??) to do. This took over an hour to compose because I had to check out all of the software I have. In the middle of that, I uploaded my master database into FTM2009 and it took 9 minutes for a 22,700 person FTM16 database to load in FTM2009. That's terrible. Wasted a lot of my time!

Genealogy today was 10.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.5 hours on Facebook, 2.0 hours writing and researching blog posts, 0.5 hour doing online research, 1.0 hour messing with software, and 4.0 hours working in my FTM16 database.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Genealogy and Family History Journal - 11/28/08

'Twas the day after Thanksgiving, and we ate some more! And played with the little girls - they are so much fun. Genealogy? Some blogging, not much else.

We got up after 7, and Lolo and Tami were already up. I got Lolo our breakfast and Tami made cinnamon rolls, and we all ate. James got up, and Audrey too (she had a bad night for some reason - awake from 2 to 6 and Tami was up with her). I came in and read my email and blogs, then posted More Interviews on RootsTelevision. They put Audrey down for a nap, and left for the mall, and I posted Listening ... to Aunt Gerry. Audrey woke up at 12 noon and I fed her and me, and played with her. They came home after 1, and Lolo went down for her nap. I watched TV with James for awhile, then came in and posted two blogs on the South San Diego County Graveyard Rabbit blog. Everybody was up by 4:15, and we got ready to go out.

We left after 4:30 for Coronado - we celebrated Linda's birthday at The Brigantine - we all had fish, except for Lolo who had chicken strips. Lolo blew out the candle on Linda's creme Brulee and ate half of it. Audrey was great - watching from the high chair and playing with toys. After dinner, Tami took her family over to the Hotel del Coronado to see the Christmas lights, and we came home.

We were home by 7 p.m., and I checked in on Facebook, then typed several pages of Gerry's autobiography into my Christmas Journal. Only 5 more pages to fill! Then this post, and I will check my statistics before going in to watch the TV news.

Genealogy today was maybe 6.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.5 hours writing blog posts, 1.0 hour on Facebook, and 2.0 hours working on the Journal.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Thanksgiving Journal - 11/27/08

Read, work, eat, play, talk, watch football, clean up, care for granddaughters, read. That's the day today!

Other than read my email, read my blogs and check in on Facebook several times today, I did nothing genealogy related. The two posts dated today were created last night to post this morning. It was a day of Thanksgiving.

Linda went off to feed her friends cats and then the spa in the morning, and I had the kitchen floor washed, the carpets vacuumed and the wood floors swept by the time she got home. We put the turkey in at 11:15 a.m. for a 3 p.m. feast, set the table for five with our good china and silverware, and I even caught a little nap before I peeled potatoes while watching football.

Tami and James were here with Lolo and Audrey by 2 p.m., and James and I played with the girls while Tami and Linda got dinner in the oven, then carved the turkey, and on the table by 3:30 p.m. It was really good - the traditional turkey with dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans with bacon, and Tami's peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream for dessert after awhile. Tami cleaned things up fairly well, and got everything in the dishwasher. She and James left for a movie at 6:30 and Linda and I got Audrey fed and dressed and down by 7:45, and Lolo bathed, dressed, read to and rocked, and she was in bed by 8:15 p.m. And quiet. Then Linda and I put away the silverware and china, washed the dessert dishes and assorted trays and bowls,

This was the most stress-free Thanksgiving we've had in years, thanks to a small crowd, advance planning and teamwork. I am really thankful for that!

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 11/26/08

I didn't do much genealogy beyond email, blogging and CVGS today.

I was on the computer by 8:30, and posted FamilySearch Research Wiki is growing before I went in to get ready to go off to the CVGS meeting. I gathered my papers and my camera and left at 10:15 to go to the UPS Store for copies of the agenda and member survey, then to McDonald's for lunch, the PO Box for mail, and then to the library. I went in early down below and we had everything set up by 12 noon when the doors opened. The meeting started at 12:25, the elections were held, and Connie introduced the speaker at about 12:55. Georgie Stillman provided an excellent program - you can read about it "Heirloom discovery Day" at CVGS with Georgie Stillman on the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe blog.

I was home by 3 p.m. and posted Family Photographs - Post 31: WW2 dads and sons on Genea-Musings. I checked in on Facebook for awhile, before Linda decided we should go out to eat. We went to Oggi's out in Otay Ranch for pizza. We were home by 6:30, and I read the paper and watched the news for awhile. I came in and read email and blogs, then posted some jokes and my NFL Picks (not a joke...) to Randy's Busy Life. I then wrote two Thanksgiving Day posts scheduled for Thursday, and also posted my Georgie Stillman post on Genea-Musings to reach a wider audience. Then I wrote this post, and am almost done for the night.

Genealogy today was 8.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, and 4.5 hours on CVGS activities.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 11/25/08

This was a genealogy day and I touched almost every base on the field, it seems, plus a few.

I read my email and blogs, explored Sean Sexton's post and posted about Microsoft's Deep Zoom Technology Demonstration. I checked in on Facebook, and then posted Randy Revealed - tagged again with eight things about me. I stayed home for lunch, and browsed Ancestry for awhile, and downloaded pictures from my camera, then made the program and the member survey pages for the CVGS meeting on Wednesday.

I posted Tombstone Tuesday - the DeFrances on Genea-Musings and CVGS Computer Group Pictures on the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe blog. It was time for some serious genealogy work, so I added sources to about 100 persons in my database from notes made years ago from the Woburn MA Vital Records book. I uploaded some photos of the grandchildren to my Facebook album, and finally at 3:15, I went in to read the paper, watch TV and take a nap. I came back at 4:30 to browse through the New Jersey Archives databases, and to see what NJ databases are available on Ancestry there isn't much overlap. Then it was time for dinner and more news.

I came in at 6:30 to do more work on my family Journal, but I got sidetracked by unanswered email and finally got to editing pictures from my Aunt Gerry and putting them in the 2008 Journal. I looked up at 9:40, and wondered where the time went.

Genealogy today was 9.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.0 hour on Facebook, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 1.0 hour on CVGS business, 1.5 hours putting sources in my database, 1.0 hour browsing in online databases, and 2.0 hours working on photos and my Journal.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 11/24/08

Ah, back to genealogy all day...

I was on the computer early, reading my email and blogs, and then posted I'm thankful for my ancestors, and repositories, and the Internet, and... as a response to two Thanksgiving memes. I got ready to go out later, and then I read Susan's blog post and wrote Addendum to "Best of the Genea-blogs" in order to note her post. At 11:45, I had lunch and then went to the library for the CVGS Table Talk.

John, Dearl and Gary were at the library, and we talked about CVGS tasks and projects, and I did two more pages of indexing the Spanish-Mexican Families of early California. I left at 1:45 p.m. and was home shortly after 2 p.m. I emailed the CVGS member list the information about the Wednesday meeting, and posted CVGS Meeting on Wednesday, 11/26 - Heirloom Discovery Day on both Genea-Musings and the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe. After reading my blogs, I posted Some Civil War databases free on Footnote.com through AccessGenealogy on both blogs. I poked around in Facebook for awhile, making comments and checked on several of my groups there.

I went exploring in the Legacy 7 and Legacy Charting software to figure out how to create a Calendar of birthdays and anniversaries for 2009 and a Bookmark showing several generations. I struggled with Tags for awhile, but managed to make a calendar. I wanted a bookmark with 6 generations, but it came out too small on an 8.5 x 11 sheet. It looks like three generations is about as good as it gets. If I had photos of my ancestors, aunts, uncles and cousins loaded into Legacy, I could make some nice charts, but I don't yet. Linda needed to use the computer, so I went in to watch the news, read the paper, and we eventually had dinner watching the football game.

At 7:30 p.m., I came back and worked a bit more in Legacy 7.0 and Legacy Charting. I downloaded the latest Legacy Charting software. Then I added articles from 2005 to 2007 to my index of the Seaver-Richmond Family Journal, and started work on the 2008 Journal. It is going to take some time. Finally, I wrote this post.

Genealogy today was 9.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.5 hours writing blog posts, 2.0 hours on CVGS activities, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 2.0 hours in Legacy, and 1.5 hours on my Journal.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Family History Journal - 11/23/08

This was day 5 of the LAVWM - and the last day. Not much genealogy.

The girls were up by 7:30 and 8:15, and we got them fed, dressed and off to church at 9:30 a.m. We went to the Bagel shop for lunch and were home by 12 noon. Both girls ate and went down for their naps at about 12:30 p.m.

I read my email, ready my blogs, and wrote The Best of the Genea-Blogs - November 16-22, 2008 while they were sleeping. I even checked in on Facebook. Lolo was up first, and we watched some football, played out in the back yard, and then watched Dora. Audrey no sooner woke up at 3:15 and Tami came - the girls were really happy to see her. We were too! They all went out to dinner at Panera while I ate Dinty Moore Beef Stew leading up to the Chargers game at 5:15. They got home just before halftime, and Tami got everything packed and the girls bathed and dressed for the ride home. The house sure got quiet, but then my Chargers lost 23-20 in the last seconds (4th time this year).

Genealogy today was 3.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, and 1.5 hours writing blog posts.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Family History Journal - 11/22/08

Day 4 of the Lolo-Audrey Visitation Without Mommy (LAVWM). Lots of little girls, not much genealogy. That's OK - I had fun!

Lolo woke up at 3:15 a.m. with a bad dream, so I got to go settle her down. I ended up sleeping there on the lower bed until we got up at 6:30. Linda went off to her breakfast, and Lolo and I had our banana, waffles and apple juice. Audrey woke up at about 7:15, so I got her changed and fed while Lolo watched TV. Linda came home around 9 a.m., so I put Audrey down for her nap and I took one too. We got up at 10:30, and I got dressed and we were out the door at 11:30 to pick up some books from a CVGS colleague, then to Rubio's for lunch (3rd day in a row - Lolo loves fish tacos), and home by 12:45. We put the girls down for naps, and Linda too.

I read my email and blogs, and Facebook, then did a little review work and posted Building a Genealogy and History Library - my own, in digital format. I finished it just as Audrey woke up at 3:15, so we went in to watch the news and feed her. Lolo got up a little later, and we played a bit on the floor. At 5 p.m., we went out to dinner at Chick-Fil-A - Lolo ate well, we shared a Peppermint Chocolate Chip milk shake, and she played on the equipment for awhile. We were home by 6:30, and we got Audrey bathed, dressed and fed while Lolo went to a neighbor's house to see her little friend. We put Audrey down at 7:15 and watched the Aztecs win one for a change. Lolo came back after 8, and we got her bathed, dressed, read to and in bed by 9 p.m. Whew.

I read my email, and blogs, then Facebook, and posted It's Saturday night, let's have some genealogy fun! If you haven't had any fun today - go do it! Then this post and that's it - I'm done.

Genealogy today was 4.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 0.5 hour on CVGS things, and 2.0 hours writing blog posts.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Family History Journal - 11/21/08

This was Day 3 of the Lolo and Audrey visitation sans mommy, and it was fun in the main. Not much work done, but fun to be with my two little girls.

Lolo was up early, and we had our frozen waffles and banana while watching The Wiggles and HiggledyTown Heroes. Then all the other shows, up until about 11 a.m., but we played blocks, and puzzles, and on the computer, and took a walk, etc. Audrey woke up at 8:30 a.m. and since Linda was gone, I had double duty. Audrey went back down for a nap at 10:30, so I read email and blogs and posted "Every House has a story..." Linda came home after 11, so we took the girls to Rubio's for lunch and stopped at Costco too. We were home by 1:15 and I put both of them down for naps.

I read a bit on the computer, then posted the Test Drive of Family Historian 3.1 - Post 4. I spent some time working on Ancestry's new MyCanvas product trying to create a coffee table book - I ended up making an OpenOffice presentation file of it for a future post. I'm not impressed by MyCanvas yet.

The girls got up from their naps, and we played a bit, and went out for dinner to Mr. V's down the street. Audrey had prunes, Lolo had some of my spaghetti and some of Linda's submarine sandwich, and we had a good time. We were home by 6:30, and I got Audrey and Lolo in the bath and out, and in bed - Audrey by 7:15 and Lolo by 8 p.m.

I posted two articles on the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe, one article on the SSDC Graveyard Rabbit and this post to cap off a six post blogging day.

Genealogy today was 5.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 2.0 hours writing blog posts and 1.5 hours on MyCanvas getting frustrated.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 11/19/08

Not too much genealogy work done today -but lots of family history made with Lolo and Audrey here.

Audrey woke up at 4:30, but went back down until 9 after feeding. Lolo woke up at 7:30 and we shared our standard breakfast - two frozen waffles with butter and a banana. This is one of our little rituals. Linda got them off to go swimming by 10:30 and I left for my 11 a.m. lunch. In the mean time, the Family Historian 3.1 article posted this morning, and I wrote the MyHeritage and Family Tree DNA Partner post in between Disney cartoons. That was about all the useful genealogy work I did today.

I was home at 1 p.m. from my retired engineers lunch, and read my email and blogs and played a bit with Ancestry's new Family Tree mapping feature. Just like Legacy, FTM 2009 and others, it seems. Then I worked a bit with the Family Tree chart on MyCanvas. I'm unimpressed still. Linda brought the girls home by 2, and they took naps. I went in at 3:30 and took a short nap, and the girls woke up at 4. We had dinner at 5, and Linda went out for her church circle at 5:30, leaving me to bathe the girls and put them down. I had them bathed and in their jammies by 7 when the TGSG chat started. I put Audrey down at 7:15, and Lolo watched videos until 8:16, when the chat ended. Then I read her books and rocked with her and she went down without a peep.

Genealogy today was about 5.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.0 hour writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 1.5 hours on TGSG chat, and 1.5 hour playing on Ancestry. I really accomplished nothing, eh?

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 11/19/08

Genealogy related activity was the focus until about 2:30 p.m., when Linda came home with Lolo and Audrey - we have them until Sunday to love, feed, bathe, cherish, put to bed, and play with.

I read my email and blogs, and posted Meet the South San Diego County Graveyard Rabbit in hopes that more people might go to The Graveyard Rabbit blog and read my article there and then visit my GYR blog. I also posted Family Photographs - Charles Auble's Gravesite with pictures of a grassy spot at Mount Hope Cemetery in San Diego. Then I went off and worked on my Randy's Busy Life blog for awhile, ending with posting my NFL Picks for Week 12. I started a post on the SSDCGYR blog but didn't get it finished before I ate lunch and left for the library.

We had the CVGS Computer Group meeting today and had a full house - 13 folks frustrated that the library computers wouldn't permit access to the Family History Archive at BYU (wouldn't permit use of an .exe file) or the FamilySearch Record Search Pilot (wouldn't permit download of a Flash player) site. Big AAARRRGGGGHHHHH. The group went off to Rootsweb, Interment.net CousinDiggins.com and several other sites. After the meeting, I went and copied the NGSQ article for our TGSG chat on Thursday night. Now I need to read it!

I was home by 2:15, and did more work on the SSDCGYR post, but the girls came and I devoted my time to them until after bedtime (started at 7, finally asleep around 9 p.m.). I finished the SSDCGYR post that will post tomorrow, then I worked on a Family Historian post that will publish tomorrow morning, since I anticipate being with the girls most of the morning.

Genealogy today was 5.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 1.5 hours on CVGS activities, and 0.5 hour on TGSG activities.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 11/18/08

It was a day different from most genealogy days, except I didn't really advance my research, which made it like most genealogy days! Oh well.

After reading email and blogs, and checking in on Facebook, I posted My Grandson made my day... on Genea-Musings. We should all be so lucky, eh? I had to leave at 9:30 a.m. for the car dealer for my regular maintenance, so I packed my camera. I got the paper read and at noon they said the car was ready. I gobbled some Oreo cookies and my apple for lunch, and stopped at Mount Hope Cemetery in San Diego to find some graves. I found Charles Auble, the DeFrances, but not the Smiths. Oh well. I was home before 2 p.m., with lots of pictures of monuments and stones in the camera.

I posted Tombstone Tuesday - the Seaver Family Stone and then worked in my database modifying sources and adding information from some of the papers I copied at Carlsbad over a month ago. At 5 p.m., I went in to watch the news, take a nap and have dinner. I was back at the computer by 6:30 p.m. I answered some emails, checked on Facebook, read my blogs, talked on the phone to a colleague, started work on my Christmas family journal, uploaded my new pictures and looked in vain for a web site to blog about. Finally, I spent awhile looking for discounted FTM software with a 6 month Ancestry subscription (there were none with 12 months). Found one! Bought 6 months for $40. Searched for more web sites, got frustrated and gave up.

Genealogy today was 8.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 1.5 hours writing blog posts, 1.5 hours at the cemetery, 2.0 hours working in my database, 0.5 hour on pictures, 0.5 hour on the Christmas Journal, and 0.5 hour on finding discounts.