Sunday, August 31, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 08/31/08

The end of August, the year is 2/3 over. We are really looking forward to our genealogy cruise in October - we haven't had a real "vacation" this year. Lots of trips to the grandchildren, but not a real vacation. Should I blog on my two week vacation?

I checked email and blogs this morning before church, and when we got home at 11:30 a.m. I started on the Best of the Genea-Blogs post, finishing right before 1 pm. I went in to eat lunch, watch the Padres game, take a nap, read the paper, etc. The game was over at 3:30 p.m., and I read email and blogs again, then posted Show and Tell - the treasures. A friend came over for dinner, so I didn't get back to the computer until 7 p.m.

I found some more Seaver entries in Ancestry databases, so I printed them off and added information to my Seaver database for Cook County IL Births, Marriages and Deaths, Vermont Deaths and Iowa Cemeteries. I had most of the information already, but 50% ore more of the Seaver people in the databases were not in my Seaver surname database. I then posted the O and P surnames for the Spanish-Mexican Families book on the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe blog, and the Genealogy Days in Chula Vista - September 2008 too. I checked Facebook, then wrote this post and will go read my new mystery for awhile.

Genealogy today was only 5.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.5 hours writing blogs, 1.0 hour doing Seaver research and 0.5 hour on Facebook.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 08/30/08

I almost went to the FHC today, but didn't. Saved gas...and money from not ordering microfilms. I can't decide which films to order - the RI town land records or the Middlesex County NJ probate and land records. I could order both, of course, and really blow the budget. I might even find out some things in the process.

I was on the computer by 8:30 a.m., read my email and blogs (lots of mailing list posts recently), and posted Finding Claude and Nadine Dawson - Craig has done a good job of finding online material, but he's stuck. I checked Facebook, opened my FTM 2008, and decided to put the summary list of Using FTM 2008 posts in a separate blog post. I was on a roll, so I wrote Using FamilyTreeMaker 2008 - Post 21: Adding Media II. Then it was a quick lunch, and a decision to go to the Chula Vista library and not the FHC.

At the CV library, I spent an hour looking for obituaries in the CV Star-News and the SD Union newspapers for a queryist. Then I spent almost an hour finishing the indexing for Volume I of the Spanish-Mexican Families book. I was home by 2 p.m., and posted blogs about my poor Padres and many email jokes on my Randy's Busy Life blog (the one where I'm too busy to write about my life... I do it here for some reason!). At 3:30, I went in and watched the news for awhile, but came back and wrote about How Many of Me. I checked Facebook again, Linda came home, and we got ready to go to the Padres game. We took the trolley, ate at the Tin Fish downtown (great seats for the Joe R "concert" while eating), got to our seats by 6:30, and the Pads won 9-4 over the Rocks. We got home at 11 p.m. because the game ended at 10 and the trolley was slow.

Genealogy today was 5.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on Facebook, and 2.0 hours at the library.

Friday, August 29, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 08/29/08

The month of August ends soon - I am so behind on my projects!

I had my emails and blogs read before 8:30 a.m. and had to take the car down for brakes. I walked back, and was home by 8:30 a.m. I was listening to the news when they said that McCain's VP nominee was Sarah Palin. Hmmm, I wonder if I'm related to her, I said to myself. I quickly found the Robert Battle web site and found our common ancestors, so I wrote Sarah Palin is my cousin too before the announcement was officially made (thinking I could Delete it if I had to). How cool is that. I spent some time on Ancestry, then on Facebook, watched one of the NBC Today show videos with Maureen Taylor, and answered several emails. I printed off and sent an SS5 request for my Project M, and wrote a Rootsweb message board post asking for obituary help. Linda came home early, so I was able to go for my walk with George at noon (he's back from two months on Crete). I stopped at the library for a book, and was home by 1 p.m.

Back on the computer, I wrote Traffic statistics for commercial genealogy services and started again on my genea-clogged email list. I answered six more with genealogy reports when needed, and added some data to the database. My correspondents are much more efficient than I am - some of them have already answered me! More to answer now. Linda called to see if the car was ready, so I took her down to pick it up. Colleen wrote telling me about the NBC video on the Severed arm and hand mystery, so I posted about that too. I saw Sharon's post about her DNA puzzle and blogged on that too. Linda came home again and wanted to go out for dinner, so we tried the new Oggi's in Otay Ranch. Great pizza, great sports bar, but too loud (Charger game came on at 7 p.m.). We were home by 7:30 and I switched between the Padres game (we lost 9-4) and the Chargers game (we won 20-17). At 10, I came in to read email and blogs, and write this post.

Genealogy today was only 6.5 hours - 1.5 hours doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.5 hours writing blogs, 1.0 hour doing Project M research, 1.0 hour working in my databases, 0.5 hour watching videos, and 0.5 hour on Facebook.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 08/28/08

Almost a purely genealogy day...so close to a perfect day!

I was up early, but didn't read email or blogs until 8:30, and had the windows guy come at 8:45 a.m. I posted Using FamilyTreeMaker 2008 - Post 20: Adding Media I and then worked for an hour or so on FTM 2008 Web Searches in preparation for the next Using post. Some FTM folks called at 10 a.m. for a conversation about FTM 2009 and they promised to let me know when I could talk about what they told me. I checked Facebook, did some more work in FTM 2008 on Web Searches, checked TGN traffic stats, and had lunch. I posted Traffic Statistics for TGN domains and Family Tree Magazine Launches New Website, then decided I'd better study the TGSG article for tonight's chat.

I worked at least two hours on the article, reading it, answering my stock questions about it, and printing the summary. At 5 p.m., I went in to watch the news, eat dinner, and water the plants. I came back at 6 p.m. and posted FamilyTreeMaker 2009 Improvements. The chat started at 7 p.m. and I lead the discussion because Christy had a car problem, and we five TGSGers chatted on IM for over an hour. I went in to hear the wrapup of Obama's speech, and came back determined to burn down some more email. I chose an older email from Nancy who has a Bresee connection. I went on Rootsweb WorldConnect and found a possible connection between she and I, if the data there is correct. I emailed her. Then I wrote this post.

Genealogy today was 10.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 2.0 hours preparing and writing blog posts, 2.5 hours on FTM 2008/2009, 3.0 hours on the TGSG article and chat, and 1.0 hour doing research on Bresee.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 08/27/08

Ah, a day with genealogy is to be savored... I'll take a Dove ice cream bar with that ahnentafel, please!

I was awake early worrying about the damn Genealogy Password game mechanics - I got it figured out, though. Checked my email and blogs, then edited the game rules and added more words, cut out the strips, got everything together and I was ready to go at 9 a.m. I blogged for awhile - posted my Family Photographs- Post 20 and checked Facebook, then read my politics forums. At 10:15 I left for the post office box, the Subway shop and the Elks Lodge. I set up my stuff as people were arriving. We started our meeting at 11:20, had lunch and started the game at about noon. It went just OK - the logistics were not great, unfortunately. We had our opportunity drawings and closed the meeting down at about 1:30. I stayed for awhile talking to several members, and was home at 2 pm.

I had a headache for some reason, and posted about the Corona Gen Society program on 25 October, then wrote up the Genealogy Password summary and posted it on the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe. Bad headache now, a migraine coming on? I went in and took a nap, but didn't sleep well because of the headache. I took some Excedrin, watched TV, read the paper, had dinner, put out the trash, and came back to the computer at 6:30. The headache went away - thank goodness!

I posted about the Letters found in the trash in Grass Valley CA, then decided to work on burning down my email list - I answered 8 emails, five of them with genealogy data, opened my databases, added information gleaned from the emails and web sites I visited, etc. When I was done, I posted about my fun evening with my email correspondents in It Pays to Post... Back to Facebook for awhile - I uploaded some photos from this past month with the grandkids. Then this post to wrap up the night.

Genealogy today was a glorious 10.0 hours!!! Most in awhile. 1.5 hours doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 4.0 hours on CVGS picnic and game, 1.0 hour doing research and entering info into FTM16, and 1.0 hour on Facebook.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Semi-genealogy Journal - 08/26/08

The house seems so empty. No cute smiles from little Audrey. No hugs and lap-sitting with Lolo. No more pictures drawn on computer paper by Lolo. No more bottles for and big eyes by Audrey. No baths, no giggles, no book reading, no story telling, etc. The bedroom doors are open, the family room is a mess. The girls have gone home. We are tired - exhilarausted again.

Audrey woke up at 5:30 a.m., went back to sleep until 8:30, and Lolo got up at 7:30 - Linda took the Audrey duty, I took the Lolo duty. We packed them up this morning and took off before 11 a.m. to drive to Temecula (about 70 miles north) to meet their mom at the Chick-Fil-A in Murrietta. Audrey slept the whole way, and Lolo talked and sang most of the way. We got there about 12:30 p.m. and Tami was there soon after. We had lunch, Lolo played on the play structure, Linda couldn't find her purse, and Tami was grateful that we shortened her day a bit by driving halfway. We were home by 3 p.m.

I checked my email in the morning, but didn't read blogs until I got home. I posted Who's the Genealogy Hottie? (inquiring minds need to know this), Help Me Out With Genealogy Words (for the CVGS game on Wednesday), and Jean Wilcox Hibben, PhD (congrats to Jean for an earned doctorate in Folklore). I went in to watch the news, and have dinner (Linda got take-out from Lolita's) - I took a short nap too! At 6:30, I came in and checked Facebook, commented on some blog posts, and checked email again. The Padres game came on at 7:05, and I watched the game while reading the paper and then my Catherine Coulter novel. After the game, I checked everything one more time and wrote this post.

Genealogy today - 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. Making family history - 7.0 hours!

Tomorrow should be a big genealogy day - we have the CVGS picnic at 11, and I need to work more on Project M and read the Litchman article for the TGSG chat on Thursday.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Semi-genealogy Journal - 08/25/08

I'm, still suffering from Genealogicus Interruptus - the day was "off and on" for me, working around Audrey's wake/sleep periods. Then we went to the Padres game tonight, so not much useful was done today.

I did read email, read blogs, and posted a self-congratulating Genealympics Medals Ceremony, a celebrity worshiping Meredith Vieira Discovers Her Roots and a self-flagellating Genealogicus Interruptus on Genea-Musings. I also posted Play "Genealogy Password" at the CVGS Picnic on Wednesday 27 August on the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe. I checked in on Facebook once, and worked a bit on the rules and words for the CVGS picnic game. Oh - I quickly solved this week's Forensic Genealogy puzzle. That's it - no research, no answering email.

Linda took Lolo to swim this morning, and Audrey hung out with me while I read on the computer and watched TV. When she napped, I read and wrote. Linda and Lolo came home at 12 noon and I ran out to the bank and the store, and all three were in bed when I got back. Lolo got up soon enough - no nap, just rested, and we watched Diego and Dora on TV (well, she watched, I dozed). Audrey woke up at 4, and we left for the Padres game at 5 with a stroller, two backpacks, and two little girls. We stopped at Rubios for dinner, took the trolley downtown, and were in our seats by 6:45. We had to show off the girlies, of course. Audrey fussed a bit, but smiled a lot and charmed everyone around us. She didn't like my cheering - I really startled her every time. A foul ball hit about 10 feet away while I was feeding her...too close for comfort. We left in the 6th inning because both girls were sleepy. It was almost 9 p.m. and we were home by 10. I had to carry both girls in and put them in bed - not a peep since (knock on wood).

Genealogy today was maybe 3.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.5 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on Facebook, and 0.5 hour on CVGS activities.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Family History Journal - 08/24/08

I think that I have genealogicus interruptus - I hope there's a cure. The grandchildren being here the past week has really put a crimp in my genealogy work.

We were up by 7 a.m., but Lolo and Audrey didn't wake up until 8 - they both slept 11 hours, which is great - no wakeups! We had breakfast, watched the Olympics, got dressed and went to church - Audrey to the nursery and Lolo to Sunday school for pre-schoolers. She loves it. After church, we went to McDonalds for lunch - Lolo tore through her fries and nuggets and played on the equipment.

We got home and Audrey was asleep in her car seat - she woke up a half hour later hungry. She went down for a good nap after 2. Lolo didn't get a nap - but didn't seem tired out. I was tired from trying to make her nap - the better part of two hours. In between Lolo not napping and the LLWS and Padres game, I participated in an hour or so of Scanfest - no scanning, just chatting this time. Linda took Lolo out for a walk and I managed to post the Best of the Genea-blogs for the week. Audrey woke up and we went down to Mr V's for pizza for dinner, and Baskin-Robbins for dessert. Lolo ate most of a really big slice of pepperoni pizza. Audrey just gurgled and smiled all during dinner.

We were home by 6:30, fed Audrey, got Lolo her bath, played with Audrey, watched the Olympics on TV, put Audrey to be at about 8 p.m., finally got Lolo down at 9, and I read my email and blogs and checked Facebook. I need to send out an email about the CVGS program on Wednesday and post it on the blog too.

Genealogy today was about 3.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.0 hour on Scanfest, 1.0 hour writing my blog post, and 0.5 hour on Facebook.

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Family History Journal - 08/23/08

A really big not genealogy day for me... I just realized today that this weekend was the first time we've had all four grandchildren under one roof at the same time - a quadfecta or a quadathlon, depending on your favorite sport.

I was up early because Linda had to leave at 6:45 and I had to leave at 7:45 for my Men's Bible Study breakfast. Logan was up early, and we shared waffles. I got ready to go and woke Lori up at 7:30. I got back at 9:15 right when Linda was backing the car out to take them to the airport. I drove instead, and helped Lori through the lines with two active little boys. I was home by 10:30, and Tami was unpacking her car and the girls. Tami left soon after for the night, and we took turns feeding Audrey and playing with Lolo. Lolo and I put the play fort together but the wind blew it over again, so we put it away. Audrey took a good nap, but Lolo didn't, but Linda took her swimming anyway.

Finally at 3 p.m. I was able to read my email and blogs, and quickly post Are you listening? I no sooner finished that than Audrey woke up, so I fed her and played with her until Linda and Lolo came home from swimming at 4:45. We went out to dinner at Rubio's - Lolo loves fish tacos and beans. We were home by 6:15, and Linda took the girls out for a walk. I quickly posted Joe Biden is NOT my cousin and finished just as they came back. We got Lolo a bath, and Audrey into her nightie. They didn't go down until 8:45, however. Knock on wood. I finished the paper, and came to the computer at 9:15 exhausted. I'm writing this post then calling it a night.

Genealogy today was 2.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs and 1.0 writing blog posts.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Family History Journal. - 08/22/08

Not a big genealogy day, but lots of fun with all four of the grandchildren, with more to come.

I checked email and blogs for about 15 minutes this morning in between feeding two hungry little boys and getting myself ready to go out for the morning. We left at 9:30 for the New Children's Museum in downtown San Diego. I had never been there, but it will be a must-go every time the little ones are here. We played for two hours (painting a car - I still have blue paint on my hands, making big soap bubbles, chasing the boys around a light show, wearing capes in front of mirrors - and that's just what I did!), had lunch there and we were home by 1 p.m.

Logan took a long nap, Lucas didn't, and Lori got a nap. I spent about 30 minutes online and managed to write the MyHeritage post before Lucas got up. We went out in the backyard and played baseball, counted cars on the street below, and played tag. Logan finally woke up at 3:30 and Lori was up by then too, waiting for Linda to come home so she could take her car. Tami, Lolo and Audrey came after 4 p.m. - the boys had not met 4-month old Audrey yet. The kids played really well together. Lori took off for her night out, Tami took her girls to Abbie's house for the night, and Linda made dinner - the boys were clean plate soldiers - corn, noodles, edamome, tofu, and jello. After dinner, we celebrated Lucas' upcoming 5th birthday with sherbet and berries. Then it was bath time, bookreading time, toothbrushing time, potty time and going to bed time. They went easily. The Padres game ended about the time I put Lucas in bed at 9:30. After washing the dishes, I came in and read email and blogs, then wrote this post.

Genealogy today was all of 1.5 hours - 0.5 hour reading email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour writing blog posts. That's it! A great family history day! See -I have a life once in awhile! Tomorrow will be busy with family too.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 08/21/08

I was able to get in a fairly full genealogy oriented day.

It didn't start until about 9:30 a.m. when Lori and the boys took off for Sea World for the day with their friends. I read my email and blogs, and started posting like a crazy blogger - Was this a real obituary?, then Need more genealogy blogs to read?, then Checking Out WebTree-com - Post 3.

I broke for lunch and checked Facebook while munching on choc chip cookies, grapes and choc pudding. Back at it, I posted Practice Reading Old Handwriting, The Beginning of CVGS, Lineage Society for Descendants of Early Settlers of Spanish-Mexican Land Grants, and Index to Families of Spanish-Mexican of Early California, 1769-1850, Volume 1, Surnames G to K on the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe blog. Back on Genea-Musings, I posted Most Wives married and most Children sired? If history is any indication, this post promises to be one of the most popular ever! I entered the information I had on Project M into FTM 16, printed out a list of persons, and then went looking in online databases for birth and death dates for the ones I had on the list. I also found several Rootsweb WorldConnect databases for some of the families, so now I have lots more information to enter into the database.

It was dinner time, and Lori and the boys were at their friends, and Linda had a wedding shower to attend, so I ate leftovers in front of the TV. I came back to the computer and did some more online research, then went in at 6:45 to watch the Padres game. I read the Litchman article for the TGSG chat, which was postponed from tonight, during the game. After the game (the Snakes beat us 4-1), I came back to the computer and posted about My Genealympics results - that's the end of the games for me. Lori and the boys came home, and I helped put Lucas to bed - books, teeth, potty and a story. Then I finished this post and I'm going to go to bed early tonight! I think I wrote 10 blog posts today - a record for me!

Genealogy today was 9.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 4.0 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour in WebTree, 1.0 hours doing Project M research, and 2.0 hours entering Project M data into FTM 16.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Family History Journal - 08/20/08

With Lori and the boys here, I'm having to catch small patches of time to read, blog or write.

I had to get the boys squared away for breakfast (they eat Grandpa's cereal - Rice Krispies) and Daddy's cereal (Honeycomb) in great quantities). They left at 10 a.m. to go swimming at a friend's house, so I had two hours at home to myself. I read my email and blogs, then posted Using FTM2008-Post 19: Source Reports and my weekly Family Photographs post. I checked the new databases on Ancestry and found a great MD-VA book with decent multi-generational genealogies - Linda's Prather family was in it with lots of good info. I had lunch at home, then packed up and went off to the library for the CVGS Computer Group meeting at 12 noon. We had only 8 people at the meeting - it's summertime. Ancestry Library Edition is still available, although we know it was not renewed at the end of July. I didn't find anything exciting, even dozed off at the tube before deciding to go home. I got home by 2 p.m. and took a nap.

Logan woke me up at 2:45, and Lucas was up by 3:15. We went outside to play - bubbles, ball throwing, watching traffic, then a walk down the block (well, actually it was playing tag) and finally they got naked and went under the hose fountain on the front grass. Lots of laughing and giggling. The neighbor looked on in wonder (I think). We got them dried off and dressed and left for the Zoo at 4:15. When we got there, we rode the Skyride over and back, then went to the Children's Zoo to pet animals, then they rode the little car and merry-go-round, and we had dinner. We walked over to the elephants and giraffes, and back to the front where the boys took part in a hula hoop and dance contest - they had a ball. Finally, we went to see the orangutans, but they were in their enclosure after 7:30. We stopped on the way out to watch a painter use brushes and fingers to paint a koala on a large canvas to music, in like 5 minutes. We were home by 8:30, and the boys were down quickly.

I finally got on the computer at 9:30 p.m. and read email and blogs and Facebook, but then did chores and came back at 10:20 to write this post. I'm pooped out from chasing, lugging, hugging and tagging my favorite two little guys. They make me feel young again.

Not much genealogy today - maybe 4 hours. Lots more family history. The hose shower is a keeper memory.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Family History Journal - 08/19/08

Today was my grandmother's 109th birthday, and my father-in-law's 97th birthday. I miss them both!

Genealogy took a back seat to family history today. I was able to post about Piggly Wiggly and more neighborhood stores this morning, and checked my email, blogs and Facebook, but that was about all I did. I got the bedrooms ready for Lori and the boys, Lucas (age 4.9) and Logan (age 2.5). I left at 11:10 for the airport, and their flight was on time, and we were home by 12:30 pm. We had lunch and I fell asleep putting Logan down for his nap. Then I tried to put Lucas down but he wouldn't sleep. I gave up at 3:15 and we went out back and played for awhile, then took a walk down the block. Logan woke up, and we played on the floor, had snacks and watched TV. Lori took Lucas to the store and Logan and I blew bubbles in the back yard and he chased some balls around. Dinner was OK, and bedtime went well, interspersed with books, stories and hugs.

I finally was back on the computer at 8 p.m., checked email and blogs, wrote the NEHGR TOC post, checked Facebook, wrote the LDS NFS post and then this post.

Genealogy today was 3.0 hours - 0.5 hour reading email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.5 hour writing blog posts, and 0.5 hour on Facebook. Not much genealogy, but a lot of family history!!!

Monday, August 18, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 08/18/08

I figured it would be a really big genealogy day. It wasn't. Oh well...

After reading email and blogs, I posted Using FTM 2008 - Post 18: Place Usage Report as part of my never-ending, but vaguely interesting series. I had to get the "guest room" ready for two little boys to sleep in it - that meant clearing everything off the couch and floor into the garage, getting the mattress off the hide-a-bed and onto the floor, and getting a sheet on the mattress. Mission accomplished! I'm tired already! After checking Facebook, spent some time looking for information about my childhood neighborhood - and found a San Diego city site about North Park. I had lunch at home, got ready to go to the library for the Monday Table Talk, and walked out the door ready to go and my contractor was here, so we talked for awhile. I got to the library late, and indexed another 100 pages of the Spanish-Mexican Families book. I took out two library books, went to the pharmacy, and was home by 3 p.m.

After working with the contractor for awhile, the broker called and we talked with him for an hour. I finally got back on and posted about the Carnival of Genealogy. I went in to read the paper, watch the news, and have dinner, and then cut the front lawn. I came in at 8 p.m. ready for some hot blogging action... oh - I had to cancel my Footnote trial subscription today before they billed me. I also extended my Ancestry subscription after I found the 19-digit activation code on a paper on the floor (I wondered what had happened to it - the wind blew it!). Seriously lacking blog fodder, I posted about the Geni response I got from the presenter at CGSSD, and then remembered about the OASIS classes so I posted about them too. I've let my emails pile up, so I answered 5 of them that I've neglected for a week or more. Only 30 more to go!

Genealogy today was all of 6.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.5 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on SD neighborhoods, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 2.0 hours doing CVGS activities, and 0.5 hour doing research for emails. Funny, it seemed more like 4 hours than 6!

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 08/17/08

This was a fairly typical Sunday for genealogy time, but not for activities.

I read my email and blogs before church, and daydreamed a bit in church about what I was going to blog about. We were home by 12 noon, and I jumped on the computer while Linda went out to lunch. I updated my Genealympics scores and then posted the weekly Best of the Genea-Blogs. I went in and had lunch, then came back and added Surnames C through F to my indexing of the Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California - Volume 1 on the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe blog. Back on Genea-Musings, I posted about my musical tastes - then and now. And then there was Facebook - I messed around there for awhile.

I figured that I'd better get some real work done, so I updated and edited my Project O PowerPoint file, and it's pretty much completed. I sent my colleague an email but didn't send the file - it's too big (38 pages of screen captures) - over 13 mb, and the PDF is 10 mb. I'll probably end up printing it out. I messed around some more in Facebook... and then remembered I hadn't put the chicken in the oven, so I did that, Linda came home, the Padres game came on, and we ate at 6:30. I watered the back and the front plants during the game, which we lost 2-1. While Linda did her email, I cleared out the extra bedroom for the grandsons to sleep in on Tuesday. The garage is pretty full of all the stuff we haven't got rid of yet! I did find some interesting things going through Aunt Geraldine's box of stuff tonight.

At 8:30, I was back on, and decided I'd better check my Footnote trial subscription - one more day. I downloaded six RevWar Pension Files one page at a time and put them in my Seaver surname RevWar Pensions folder. There are still several others to find and download. This post and a Facebook tweet will be the end of my genealogy day.

Genealogy today was 8.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours writing blogs, 2.0 hours working on Project O, 0.5 hours on indexing, 1.5 hours on Footnote.com, and 1.0 hour on Facebook.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 08/16/08

Saturday was a pretty typical genealogy summer day - some research, some blogging, a society meeting, and a baseball game.

I was up early, and on the computer by 7:30 a.m. After reading email and blogs, I posted about the CVGS Discover Your Family History seminar scheduled for 18 October, then checked Facebook quickly. I packed up my laptop and left at 8:15 a.m. for the CGSSD meeting in La Jolla - it's a 30 minute drive and a 5 minute walk to the meeting. I was there early, and talked to Pam about RootsMagic and then went to Lance's FTM class at 9 a.m. I had MSWord open taking notes, FTM 2006 open and FTM 2008 open to try to follow along and offer suggestions when I could. There are several in the class like me - we have our data on FTM 2006 and are pondering if we should switch to FTM 2008. No good conclusion yet! After the break at 10:10, we gathered for the speaker program at 10:30. Keith McCarty was the speaker about Geni.com, which he presented extremely well - using the wireless Internet connection. I took notes longhand (the laptop wouldn't shut down or come up - frustrating). I talked to him for a bit after the meeting, too. I was home by 12:45 p.m., had lunch and went in to the genealogy cave.

After checking email and blogs, I posted about the Severed Arm and Hand Mystery news conference. Then I summarized the Geni.com presentation and my own thoughts about using Geni.com. After checking Facebook, I registered my FTM 2008 and then fought with the Ancestry.com Help section to try to activate my additional Ancestry subscription. I finally sent them an email asking for help - I'll probably get it next week! The FTM 2008 Web Search works on both the laptop and the desktop machines (I really should name them, eh?). I decided I'd better send my friend Ed an email about the research I've done for him the last two weeks, so I composed an email and attached several census images for him. It wasn't a formal client report - more of a status report with results listed and tentative conclusions drawn. Finally, I checked Facebook again before going in at 4:30 p.m. to try to nap.

I didn't get a nap, and we left at about 4:50 p.m. for the trolley to go to the Padres game. We ate at the Tin Fish downtown, then it's an easy walk up escalators in the Omni Hotel to the gate on the Field level. It was a long game - finished at 10 p.m., but we won 8-3 over the Phillies. We were home by 10:50. I checked email and blogs, wrote this post and I'm off to bed real soon.

Genealogy today was 8.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.5 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 1.0 hour registering FTM and fighting Ancestry Help, 3.0 hours at the CGSSD meeting, and 1.0 hour writing my research report.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 08/15/08

I was on the computer by 8 a.m. reading email and blogs. I posted about the Found Hand from 1948 and then Using FTM 2008 Post 17. Checked out Facebook, and worked on one of my little projects. Then I posted the first set of indexed family names from the Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California on the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe blog. I went out to the bank and came home for lunch.

I decided to load FTM 2008 on my laptop so that I can use it on Saturday at the FTM group at CGSSD. That took awhile. I looked for, and found, my CD with Legacy 7.0 on it that I bought at Jamboree, and loaded it on the desktop. I had some problems with making it work - finally figured out I needed to input the customer number. It worked well! I added about 50 photos to Facebook albums, and worked on my new computer file system. I don't think it's going to work as well as I hoped. I took a look at Meitzler's system (in the SCGS Jamboree syllabus) and may try that one to see if it works for me. I picked up the SCGS Searcher periodical and saw an interesting article - written by me...so I wrote about it here.

At 5 p.m., we went out to dinner to Daphne's and then ColdStone for ice cream, and we were home by 6:30. I watered a bit out back, and then we watched the Padres game - they lost 1-0. My Santa Cruz daughter called and we talked for over 30 minutes. They're coming down next week to visit and I'm real anxious to see my little guys. Finally tonight - this post and I'll check Facebook one more time.

Genealogy today was 8.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.0 hour transcribing the index, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 2.0 hours loading FTM 2008 on the laptop and Legacy on the desktop, 1.0 hour uploading photos, 0.5 hour working on the file system, and 0.5 hour doing research.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 08/14/08

Not a big genealogy day for me - no one wanted to go to the Padres game this afternoon with Linda, so I had to go. We left at 10:30 a.m., on the trolley, had lunch at the deli near Petco Park. It was warm and sunny, not my kind of weather. I stood in the shade when I could and stayed semi-wet. At least we won! We got home at 4, but I took a nap and by the time dinner was over, it was 6:30 p.m.

I spent almost two hours this morning reading email, reading blogs, checking out Facebook and writing Genea-bloggers Favorite Photographs and CVGS Research Group Report (copied from the CVGenCafe blog).

When I got back on the computer at 6:30 p.m., I had lots of email (!) and blogs to read. I went to www.Webtree.com and captured some screens of my database there, saved them as .jpg files, and wrote Checking Out WebTree.com - Post 2. I checked my Genealympics successes over the last 3 days, and wrote them up in My Geneaslympics - Days 3 - 5. I had a fellow call me yesterday asking for help - he sent an email with his problem, so I spent an hour looking for his grandfather in the census records. It's a tough one.

Genealogy today was 4.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours writing blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, and 1.0 hour doing research for my correspondent.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 08/13/08

This was a typical summer genealogy day - blogging, CVGS, Padres and not much else.

I was reading email and blogs by 8:30 a.m., and posted about the CGSSD meeting on Saturday about Geni.com. I opened FTM 2008 and checked the screen shots, then posted Using FTM 2008 - Post 16: Person Reports. I had to check Facebook and make a pithy comment about my activities - I don't remember what it was, though! I printed off the News email and gathered my show-and-tell items (some footnote database examples, the latest Discovering Family History magazine, and my FTM 2008 pedigree charts) and left at 11:15 for McDonald's, then the post office box, and finally the library.

The library doors opened at 12 noon, and we had 8 at our Research Group (many are on summer vacations - good, there will be some fine reports next month!). We had a good discussion of what people did the last month, but nobody took my suggestion of committing to doing something specific in the next month. Oh well. After the meeting, I spent an hour transcribing names and page numbers from a Spanish/Mexican/Californio book on the Family Research shelf. I got through 155 pages. The book has an every name index, but no names in the Table of Contents. I was home by 3 p.m.

I quickly posted my weekly Family Photograph about Georgianna Kemp Auble. I sent the email with the Genealogy News to my CVGS email list, then posted a query response on the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe, the Genealogy News Summary for August, and the Research Group Report. I knew it was time for a nap because I dozed off reading my political forum. I went in and read the paper, watched the news, and took a nap. The neighbor came and rang the doorbell, and woke me up. I watched the news some more and we had dinner around 6 p.m. I read my email and blogs and did a lookup on Footnote at 6:30, then downloaded about 20 pages of a RevWar Pension file for William Seaver before the Padres game came on at 7. During the game, I read some of my Catherine Coulter mystery, some of Hank Jones Psychic Roots, and helped Linda with her sorting and pitching (I wish!) operation while watching my Padres lose 7-1 to the Brewers. After the game, I came back to read email,. blogs and write this post. I'll go check Facebook too. Still no update on my Genealympics events - I think I wandered off into no-genie land and can't find my way back.

Genealogy today was 7.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 0.5 hour on Footnote, 2.5 hours writing blog posts, 2.0 hours on CVGS activities, 1.0 hour transcribing from the book.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 08/12/08

I'm back to my regular "Padres at home" routine, which really cuts into my genealogy time.

I was on the computer by 8 a.m. this morning, read my email and my blogs, and decided to write about the Confederate Amnesty Papers on Footnote.com. I can use the example at the CVGS Research Group on Wednesday. I checked Facebook briefly, then the new databases on Ancestry, and looked at more Footnote databases. I had to leave at 9:40 for the dentist to get a filling replaced. I was home by 11:30 a.m., and tried to eat lunch with a mouth full of numb. Bad idea... I couldn't feel if the food was chewed well enough to swallow or not. So I went to semi-liquid like applesauce and choc pudding.

I worked a bit more capturing Footnote screens for examples, and printed some pages out. Then I spent almost two hours finding and writing up the News of the Month that I send out to the CVGS email list and post on the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe. I was at a loss for what to write about funny or strange family sayings for the next Carnival, so I wrote about San Diego Slanguage. I read on the WVR blog about WebTree.com being available, so I signed up, uploaded a large tree, captured some screens, saved them as .jpg files, and wrote Checking out Webtree.com - Post 1 (you know that I can't have just one post any more about almost anything - Mr. Prolix here...).

We had dinner out on the patio, and I checked email, blogs and Facebook for awhile before the Padres game came on at 7:05. I watched that (we lost 5-2) and discussed house projects in the process with Linda. After the game, I came back and checked email, blogs and Facebook again, wrote a comment on Sheri's blog (she had no comments so far), and wrote this post. Not much to show for the day except some writing, eh? I've done nothing more on the Genealympics -- gotta get going on that before the grandsons arrive!

Genealogy today was 8.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.0 hour on Facebook, 2.5 hours writing blog posts, 1.5 hours collecting the news, 1.0 hour working on Footnote and 1.0 hour working on WebTree.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 08/11/08

I felt like I did a lot of genealogy work today but didn't really get much done. I rested from the Genealympics, except for thinking about what to do next and how to do it.

I started at 8:30 a.m. with email and blogs, then I opened FTM2008 and put some screens in my OpenOffice presentation on Using FTM 2008 (see, when I'm done with the series I will have a presentation all ready to go!). I posted Using FTM 2008 - Post 15: Genealogy Reports on GeneaMusings. I went to Facebook to identify several bloggers who were not yet on Facebook, and figured out who I might invite, and sent three emails inviting them to Facebook. Two of them were already there, of course. I emailed Colleen Fitzpatrick with an idea for her photo contest, and solved the current contest easily. I had lunch, then went to the library for our Monday Table Talk session. Dearl, John and Terry were there, and I looked for a San Diego local history book that I might do some indexing on - I found one (actually a set of 3) that doesn't have a Table of Contents! I was home by 2:30.

I sent an email to the CVGS list about the coming programs and the newsletter on the web site. I'm still frustrated by the Footnote experience at the FHC on Saturday, I was curious what was in the citizenship record for Project O. So I joined Footnote on a 7-day free trial. I immediately found the citizenship record, but it doesn't provide birth date, place, parents or immigration information. I need some other record not available (yet?) at Footnote. Now I'm really frustrated! I explored many databases available on Footnote using "Seaver" as my search criteria, and captured many screens in an OpenOffice presentation. I wrote Free databases on Footnote.com - something I haven't seen anywhere else recently. Why doesn't the Footnote blog do posts like this? Dinner time - where did the time go?

We ate out in the back yard, and I finished the paper, watched the news and washed the dishes before coming back to the computer at 7 p.m. Linda almost got me to help with sorting her "stuff" but she's too tired... as long as she doesn't want to sort my "stuff" in the genealogy cave, I'm OK. I checked email, blogs and Facebook again, and worked for awhile on setting up a new genealogy filing system on my computer. I went for a short walk in the evening cool - saw some neighbors I haven't seen for awhile. I'll probably blog about it when I flesh it out a bit more. 10 p.m.? Where did the time go?

Genealogy today was 10.0 hours - 0.5 hours doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.5 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 0.5 hour on Colleen's puzzles, 2.0 hours on CVGS activities, 0.5 hour on research Project O, 2.0 hours on Footnote.com, and 2.0 hours on re-organizing my files.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 08/10/08

Day 2 of the Genealympics dawned and I realized that I still hadn't strapped on my jock... er, wings and flown in to the competition. Perhaps too much information there?

We watched the Olympics during breakfast, and I snuck about 15 minutes in to read email and blogs before church. Yep - many bloggers are going all out in their events. After church, I had to consult with contractor Randy and then I watched the Padres game on TV until about 2 p.m., when they were comfortably ahead 11-0. It ended up 16-7). I came in and wrote Best of the Genea-Blogs for the week. I checked in on Facebook to see if I could find some genea-blogs to start off my event with - I found some! I added some friends, added some photos to an album, and then I worked on my Project M research for awhile. Ed called me at 6 p.m. and we talked for 30 minutes - he was ecstatic to hear of what I've found out about his father's family. I may post more about this later on Genea-Musings. I was late for dinner.

After dinner, I came back in and worked on some of my events, then wrote up my Genealympics-Day 2 post. I chose a hotel in NYC for our pre-cruise stay, and booked it and our airline tickets (we're paying more for 4 nights in NYC than for our airline tickets from SD to NYC and San Juan to SD). I answered some emails I received about NYC hotels, and then logged onto the Wholly Genes forum and suggested the Pan American Hotel in Queens to the group looking for a pre-cruise hotel. Then this post, and I'm going to retire to watch the Olympics and read my new Catherine Coulter mystery.

Genealogy today was 6.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.5 hours writing blogs, 1.5 hours working on Project M, 1.5 hours getting hotel and plane reservations, and 1.0 hour participating in the Genealympics events.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 08/09/08

I stayed up too late last night watching the Olympics Opening Ceremony, and then got up early today, so I was tired almost all day.

I checked email and blogs at 8:00 a.m., and posted Using FamilyTreeMaker 2008 - Post 14: Charts III describing how to make beautiful wall charts. I printed out my genealogy book collection from LibraryThing and got my stuff together for the FHC. I left at 10 a.m. for the FHC, and worked on their computers for almost an hour. I was trying to obtain the 1896 San Diego naturalization record for Project O on Footnote.com, but the web site wouldn't bring up the image. I tried for 30 minutes and got a message saying that the requested action wasn't available. Frustrating!!! I reported it to the FHC management - perhaps there is some glitch in their system. I left at 11:15 a.m. and stopped at Von's store for some fried chicken for the SDGS potluck.

I got to the SDGS meeting at 11:50, put my chicken down in the food area, and went off to check the books for auction, for sale and for free. I picked up 4 books on sale and one free conference syllabus, and then we had the potluck lunch - the desserts were yummy! I ate with 6 ladies, some of whom I knew and knew me. The auction started at 1 p.m., and I bought only one set of books. I left at 2:20, and was home by 3. I had to go to Home Depot with contractor Randy for supplies, but when I got home I reported on my day with SDGS Book Auction and Sale Today. I spent some time on Facebook. Then it was time for the Padres game, reading the paper, a nap, dinner, and switching from the Padres game to the Chargers exhibition game with Dallas. I came into the computer at 8:30 (Pads won 8-3, Chargers were ahead 24-10 at halftime) and read my email and blogs, checked out some NYC hotels, wrote some emails, and wrote Genealogy Wheel of Fortune - Post 10. I hope this one is harder than the others!

Genealogy today was 7.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.5 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour in LibraryThing, 0.5 hour in Facebook, 1.0 hour at the FHC, and 2.5 hours at the SDGS meeting.

Friday, August 8, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 08/08/08

You know, I forgot that it was 8/8/08 and I was going to have a geneablogavaganza with 8 posts today. Oh well, too late now. The three I did post were long ones though!

I started the day with email and reading blogs, and then found my screen shots to do the Using FTM 2008 - Post 13 on three chart types. I went into FTM 2008 and made some more examples of charts that I would love to have on my wall...and I crashed FTM 2008 in the process. It still won't do some things I did before. I managed to print off a number of six generation pedigree charts for my father's ancestry. I'll have to do my mother's side next time. I wrote a post to the APG list asking about hotels in NYC and PR for our pre- and post-cruise stays in October.

I finished Colleen Fitzpatrick's new book "The Dead Horse Investigation" last week and have been pondering doing a book review of it. I did it today here. I had to go out to AAA, the bank and McDonald's at lunch time, but I was back by 12:30. I played a bit more in FTM 2008 (it still crashes - I compressed the file, and rebooted the computer, and it still crashes without warning) - I'll have to post a note on the FTM message board about it. Then I went on Facebook and almost put more pictures up, but I found the FamilyTree application there and installed it and filled out the four generation chart with names, dates and places. I have two more requests for help researching, so I did some preliminary work and came up pretty empty. I noticed that Miriam had posted the Opening Ceremonies to the Genealympics, so I posted about it here.

At 5 p.m., I went in to watch the news, have dinner, read the paper and watch the Padres game. There was a rain delay for an hour or so, but I didn't come back to the computer. The Olympics came on at 7:30 and I switched between the Pads and the O's until the Pads lost 6-3...then I finished my mystery book (a Ridley Pearson) just about the time the USA came marching in. After that, I came in and read email and blogs and wrote this post (hey, that's 4 for today!).

Genealogy today was 7.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 1.0 hour on Facebook, 2.0 hours making charts in FTM 2008, and 1.0 hour doing some research.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 08/07/08

Tomorrow's the big day of all 8's - 08/08/08. Will anybody find 8 new ancestors? Or post 8 blog articles? There's something to shoot for, eh?

I was up and at the computer by 9 a.m. this morning, after working in the side yard to help prepare for the fence painting. After reading my email and blogs, I pondered what to write, and settled on the UGA Conference announcement, because it sounded interesting. I went on Facebook for awhile and read the GB Games directions. I knew today was the deadline for the GBG flag, so I made my flag and posted my event selections on The Genea-Blogger Games are ON! I'm calling it the Genealympics, but no one else is yet.

I decided I'd better get cracking on my Project O (shorthand for a surname starting with O), and reviewed everything I did before and the OpenOffice Impress presentation file. I decided to write my report in Impress also, so I started adding text pages around the pictures and screen shots. Lunch time came and I had baloney, grapes, and choc pudding and came back for more research. I read email and noticed the article about the Neanderthal-Sapiens link back 660,000 years ago, so I posted They Found Ydnar, my 24,880th cousin, 1,520 times removed. Who's Ydnar, you ask? Ask Randy C, he told me it was copyrighted. Back to Project O for most of the afternoon. Eureka (or is it Yreka?) -- Footnote has a needed naturalization record that may crack this case wide open. Drat - I can't get to it, I'll have to go to the FHC on Saturday to capture it. In the search process, I found a glitch in Rootsweb's Message Board search function, and wrote about it here. 5 p.m. - where did the time go? I went in and had dinner, watched the news and read the paper. I went out and watered the front plants, then came back to the computer.

My email has piled up, and I have several CVGS queries to complete. I emailed three queryists with the results of my investigation. I went on Expedia and Travelocity to check airfares for the October cruise trip, and they're still pretty reasonable, $179 San Diego to New York, and $230 San Juan to San Diego. Hotels in NYC are really expensive - we're thinking of four nights there, but I'm not sure I want to pay $1,000 for a small room, queen bed and no wireless Internet. At 8, I went for a walk to clear the cobwebs. When I came back, I attacked my email list again, and whittled it down pretty good. I did some online investigation for two correspondents who are probably cousins, but we can't find the connections. Time to wrap this up and go read my mystery book.

Genealogy today was 11.0 hours - 1.0 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.0 hour on Facebook, 1.5 hours writing blog posts, 4.0 hours on research project O, 1.0 hours on other research projects, 1.0 hour on CVGS queries, and 1.0 hour looking for flights and hotels. Ah - a full and varied genealogy day. I actually got a lot done!

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 08/06/08

Today was not a typical genealogy research day, mainly because of the CVGS effort needed and the disruption in the house for repairs and maintenance.

I was on the computer by 8:30 a.m., and posted about the SDGS book auction on Saturday, and then about Barack Obama's family tree. I spent some time copying things for the CVGS board meeting. I consulted with Randy the contractor, talked to the neighbor lady who has yard problems, and had lunch before leaving at 11:40 for the post office and the library.

The CVGS board meeting started at 12 noon, and didn't finish until after 2 p.m. I gave the desk the two sets of flyers to post and put out for handouts. I was home by 2:30 and checked my email and read blogs before posting my Family Photograph of Charlie Auble, my great-grandfather. Then it was time for the Padres game, and I dozed off in the 2nd inning, but I got the paper read, had dinner, read more in the ProGen book, took out the trash, and when the game was over at 7:15, I hurried in and wrote up my CVGS newsletter articles for August. Linda came home as I was getting ready for my ProGen chat, and I had to take her down to church to find her purse. Right where she left it, of course.

We were home by 7:55, and I called the number for the conference call. Sheri, Mark, Tina, Elissa and Jeff were on the call about becoming a professional and developing business plans, but it degenerated into sharing family information, blogging, conferences, and the like. It was over at 9 p.m. I checked Facebook, and then Linda needed to check her email so I went in and watched ESPN and read my mystery book for awhile. When I came back at 10:30, I wrote this post and will stop real soon!

Genealogy today was 7.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.5 hours writing blog posts, 3.0 hours on CVGS activities, 0.5 hour on Facebook, and 1.5 hours on ProGen things.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Genealogy Journal - 08/05/08

Ah, back to genealogy research - all day, all night, ... well, not quite, but more than the last week!

I was up early, and on the computer before 8 a.m. reading my email and blogs. I posted about the Obituary Links Page, then explored it for my Project M. I worked with Randy the contractor for awhile - we put up the new living room blinds and talked about the external paint problems. I updated my Padres post and added some jokes to the Randy's Busy Life blog. I worked on publicity for and posted about the "Discover Your Family History" Seminar on October 18 on the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe blog. Before lunch, I worked on the next FTM 2008 session, and posted Using FTM 2008 - Post 12: Charts I. I had lunch (veg beef soup, cookies, choc pudding) and went off to the bank and the library.

I was home by 2 p.m., checked Facebook, and worked more on my Project M for awhile. I made maps of the counties where the families resided for over 100 years. I had to consult with Randy again - he found major termite problems in the eaves in front - drat! At 4 p.m., I went in and watched the Padres game, had dinner, watered the back yard and the front plants, and read more of the ProGen book. At 7:15, I came in and worked on Project M for several hours, finding census records for several family lines back to 1850. There are very few other records for these families, it seems, and the USGenWeb county sites and the Georgia death index are no help at all. Finally, Colleen sent me a press release and a link to a newspaper article about the Unknown Boy on the Titanic, so I posted that on Genea-Musings. Thanks, Colleen!

Genealogy today was 7.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours researching and writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 1.0 hour on CVGS activities, and 3.0 hours on Project M.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Genea-family journal - 08/04/08

It's so peaceful in the house tonight... I'm tired. Not of being a grandfather or father, just pooped from the effort to do those tasks well. Lolo (age 3.5) and Audrey (age 0.25) are beautiful children who are really easy to take care of - but there are few breaks.

I had both girls all morning since Linda had errands and Tami had a meeting with a professor. Lolo and I had our waffles while watching The Wiggles, and Audrey woke up at 8 a.m. and I got her fed while Lolo played with puzzles and balloons and her dollies. Linda was home before noon, so I was able to read my email and blogs, and posted Using FamilyTreeMaker 2008- Post 10. After lunch, Tami came home and put the girls down for naps and I was able to post about the GRA and BIGRA meetings on 7 August. Then I went in for my nap, but Lolo got up and we watched Sprout while I tried unsuccessfully to doze. Linda left at 3 for her VBS work at church, and Audrey woke up at 4, as did Tami. She got their stuff together and packed the car, and we left at 5 p.m. for dinner at Pat & Oscar's - we met Tami's friend there. They left from there to drive home while the girls sleep. I was home by 7 and picked up the house a bit.

I read my email and blogs again, and posted about the CVGS Genealogy Days for August on the CV Genealogy Cafe, then created the agenda for the CVGS Board meeting on Wednesday. I decided I'd better start work on my ProGen assignment, so I did that for awhile. I still need to read the book chapter. Then I checked Facebook and finally started organizing my search for Ed M. After this post, I'm going to read the ProGen chapter then read some of my mystery book.

Genealogy today was 6.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.5 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 1.0 hour on CVGS planning, 1.5 hour on the ProGen assignment, and 0.5 hour on the Ed M. project.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Genea-family Journal - 08/03/08

This was not a genealogy intensive day, but I did make good use of the available time, which was limited.

Lolo was up at 7 a.m. and we shared our banana and frozen waffles while watching Playhouse Disney on TV. Linda left for church at 8 a.m. Audrey got up at 8 a.m. and had a bottle. We got the girls dressed for church, and I left with them at 9:40. Lolo went to Sunday School and Audrey to the nursery. We were home at 11:30. Lolo wanted to go to Carl's Jr. for lunch, so we went there and were home by 1. We got both girls down for naps after awhile, and I watched the Padres game while trying to nap. We won 4-1, and finally at 4 p.m. I got on the computer to read email and blogs and hurriedly posted "Best of the Genea-Blogs" for the week.

Tami took Lolo to Sea World for the evening with their friends, and Linda and I had Audrey to ourselves. She finally awakened at 5:30 and we put a bottle in her and she played while we ate dinner. I took her for a walk to the neighbors house afterwards, then we watched the news and 60 Minutes before I gave her to Linda for one more bottle and bedtime. I watered the plants in front, then read email and blogs and posted about the Carnival. Lolo and Tami came home at 9. I started work on my new project for Ed M and found quite a bit of material - SSDI, GA DI, 1930, 1920, 1910 census records, etc. I'm putting all of it into an OpenOffice spreadsheet in addition to saving the documents in a computer file.

Genealogy today was 3.5 hours - 0.5 doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.0 hour writing blog posts, and 1.5 hours on my research project. Lots of good family history today...

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Family Journal - 08/02/08

Another day of very limited genealogy activities, but plenty of family history.

I went for breakfast with my men's Bible study group at 8 a.m. in National City, and was home by 9:30. My contractor R came to take measurements and we went to Home Depot to get fence stain, exterior house paint, and window coverings. We were home by 12:30... Linda couldn't make up her mind in some cases. Then we had to wait for the paint to be mixed. Linda made sandwiches for lunch, and then we went out to start working. R started on the fence staining to see how the stain would look and to see how much we would need. More than we thought. I pulled weeds along one of the fences so it could be washed and painted.

I came in at about 2:30 p.m. and read my email and blogs, then quickly posted
the Internet Genealogy magazine TOC. My son-in-law came, the baby woke up, and Lolo never went down... so I helped with them for awhile and talked to James while Tami napped. At a break, I came in and posted about my newly configured Ancestry home page. I checked Facebook for awhile, then took Lolo in to see if she would nap. Nope - she talked the whole time, but I dozed for a bit.

At 5:15, we left for Mimi's Cafe down in Mission Valley to meet my brother Stan and his family. They are the only family in San Diego area now, and hadn't ever met Audrey or seen Lolo since Christmas 2006. We had a great dinner, Lolo talked her cousin's ear off (he's 11, she's 3), and Audrey was held by everybody to their mutual enjoyment. She conked out right when dinner was served and woke up happy when it was over, so it worked out fine. When we left, we took some pictures of the family groups. I hope they turn out.

We were home at 8 p.m., Lolo crashed in the car and went down easily, Audrey went down a bit later. We watched the Padres game to the bitter end (a 2-0 loss to the Giants). Then I came in and read email and blogs, and wrote this post.

Genealogy today was only 2.5 hours at most - 0.5 hour reading email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook and 1.0 hour writing blog posts. Lots of priceless and timeless family history time, though.

Friday, August 1, 2008

Family Journal - 08/01/08

Not much genealogy research today, and just a little blogging. Audrey was up at 8 and I had her for about an hour before they went out at 10 a.m. However, I was able to read my email and blogs and posted "Cruiser needs hotel advice in NYC and PR" "Fair warning - or hysteria?" and "BFFed - who to tag next?" These were all pretty useless to any reader looking for genealogy information, weren't they? Oh well! I'll try to do better.

I had lunch at home, then worked on Facebook for awhile. It is a time-waster. I got behind on my Scramble games (people challenge me because I'm so bad at it, I fear). I had a call from an older man at my church who wants to trace his father's life and ancestry. He gave me a name and the last date that he saw his father, and wonders what happened to him. I'll try to do some research later this next week. At 2:30, the baby woke up and I rocked, talked, sang and fed her for the next two hours while trying to doze watching TV. At three months, she's happy watching the bright lights and pretty outfits on Fox News - takes after her grandpa! Then she had a bottle and went down for a nap.

We went out to dinner at Panera in Otay Ranch and were home by 7:30. We watched the Padres game, and Tami put Audrey down and went out to her friends house. Audrey woke up at 8:15, again at 9:15 and again at 10:15... at 10:30 she's quiet - hopefully for the night. Tami came home at 10:30. That's it for the day...

Genealogy today was 4.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.0 hour writing blog posts, 1.5 hours on Facebook, 0.5 hour talking to my church friends. Lots of coos, smiles, grins and snorts from a special little girl, though.