Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 31 August 2010

Ah, the year is two-thirds gone, and I still haven't been to the FHC. Frankly, the future looks bleak!

* Read email and blogs, then wrote I'll wait on Family Tree Maker 2011. Got cleaned up.

* Went to work in my database - got the P, Q, R and S up to Seaver done for the Data Errors. Three more days, I think - one for Seaver, one for S and T, and the last for U through Z.

* Started in on the next set of English church records - did four batches. Had lunch, then wrote Keeping up with FamilySearch.

* Answered some email, worked on the CVGS Master Calendar (OpenOffice spreadsheet is much simpler than Excel's - and it won't do what I want!). Finally mauled it into submission and sent it to the Board.

* Went in at 5 p.m. to watch the news, read the paper, have dinner on the patio, and back to work through the English records for four more batches - that's 16 done now out of 80 or so.

* Went in at 7 p.m. to watch Padres game, read more of Buzzy's book and my Spenser novel, Pads lost 7-4 (lost 6 straight...panic time?). Did the dishes as sacrifice to the baseball gods for taking their name in big-time vain.

* Read everything, answered more email, checked Facebook, wrote this post, and I'm done.

Genealogy today was 10.0 hours - 1.0 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours writing blogs, 2.5 hours working on CVGS stuff, and 4.0 hours working in my database.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Days - 29 and 30 August 2010

Sunday, 29 August, was not much of a genealogy day.

* Up early, got cleaned up, managed to read my email before we left at 7:50 AM for a day at Disneyland with Tami and the grandgirls. Got there by 9:20 AM, were in the park by 9:50 AM.

* Tami was late, so we went on the Finding Nemo Submarine ride...then waited and met them at Small World. That was fun - the girls love it still. Then to ToonTown and Lolo took me into Goofy's house and another play area. She didn't want to ride the roller coaster and I didn't want to ride the Rabbit ride. We got Linda onto the train to go to Main Street and then went to Buzz Lightyear and stood in line for 50 minutes. Lolo wanted to ride with me - she got 5100 points and I got 76,000 points - I'm getting better at target shooting. The key is finding the high-value targets. The guy in the car in front of us got 170,000 points.

* Walked to Main Street to get Linda, then over at California Adventure to have lunch, then Lolo, Linda and I waited 45 minutes for Soaring over California. I got to stand in line, they sat in the shade. A five minute ride - we still like - Lolo tried to catch the golf ball and said it went over her head. Then to the potty and out to the trams to come home. We left just before 5 and were home by 6:45 PM - Linda drove and I napped part of the way.

* Checked email and blogs, checked Facebook, read most of the Scanfest transcript, decided not to write anything. Best of the Genea-Blogs - 22-28 August 2010 posted at noon. Went to bed early!

Monday, 30 August was a typical Monday genealogy day for me.

* Read email and blogs, wrote Amanuensis Monday - Newspaper Advertisements for Property Sales and then wrote Citing My English Sources - My Preference and set it for late morning.

* Dove into the database and got some of the English sources fixed. How am I doing this? I have a 9 generation pedigree chart with about 80 New England ancestral families with English origins. Each of them has at least 4 and in some cases 8 English colonists, so I'm doing them group by group. Did four groups before lunch.

* Had lunch at home, then off to library for CVGS Table Talk and get more books to read during Padres games. Back home by 1:30 PM.

* Read everything, dove back into the database, did four more family groups, then worked the Data Errors for N, O and part of the P surnames. Sleepy!

* Went in at 4 PM to have a nap, watched news, read the paper, had dinner on the patio, mowed the front lawn, and came in just in time for the Padres game at 6:40 PM. Read Buzzy's book and the Spenser novel, Pads lost 7-2 (now 5 straight losses - still up by 4 games in NL West, though).

* Back online, read everything, answered some email, checked Facebook, wrote this post.

Genealogy today was 8.0 hours - 1.0 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.5 hours writing blog posts, 1.0 hour on CVGS things, and 4.0 hours working in the database.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 28 August 2010

Real life seems to intervene on Saturdays and Sundays...

* Up early to go to swim club breakfast at 7 AM at Carrows, home by 8:30 AM.

* Read email, read blogs, checked Twitter, and wrote Surname Saturday - DINKEL (Germany > PA) and then played around with ImageChef and wrote Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Make Your Own Poster.

* Left at 11:20 AM for Subway and then trolley to go to Padres game, starting at 1 PM. Got there by 12:30, tried to eat my lunch but Linda said "go get next year's season tickets because we can get three free games" so I did. Back at 1:15 with 2011 season tickets, 2010 playoff tickets, and three free tickets for 2010 games. Guess how much World Series tickets will cost? Wow. We signed up for only one game.

* The game? Padres lost 3-1 to Phillies. Back on trolley, stopped at El Pollo Loco for takeout, Tami called to say "we're going to Disneyland on Sunday, want to meet us?" Hummppfff. That screws up my Sunday plans, of course - church, Scanfest, CVGS talk, blogging, Padres game on TV, etc. We said "Yeah!!!"

* Home by 5 PM, read everything, ate dinner, wrote "Best of ..." post for Sunday. Took microphone set over to Gary's and talked for a bit, home to read SNGF entries - some good ones! Checked Facebook, wrote this post, and done!

Genealogy today was 4.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on ImageChef, 2.5 hours writing blog posts.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 27 August 2010

Almost a perfect day planned - genealogy until the Chargers game, then the Padres game and back to genealogy. Didn't quite work out as I planned. Drat.

* Read email and blogs, researched and posted Exploring AmericanAncestors.org - the Learning Center and then wrote Confessions of a Name Collector - English Sources.

* Worked in the database more - got the Data Errors for L and M done. Then worked on the "articles-to-be-entered-into the database" pile and got it finished. Wrote Confessions of a Name Collector - Adding Families to my Database .

* Googled several couples and found some Google book references for several couples that I had no Notes for. Cool.

* Went in at 5 PM to watch the Chargers game and eat dinner. Watered front plants at halftime. Chargers lost to Saints 26-21. Watched Padres game - they lost 3-2 in 12 innings. Drat!

* Read email, wrote this post, and I'm done!

Genealogy today was 8.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, and 5.0 hours working in my database.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 26 August 2010

Stayed home all day and worked on... well, genealogy, what else?

* Read email and blogs, then found and wrote Treasure Chest Thursday - Charles Auble (1849-1916) Death Certificate and then posted CVGS Annual Picnic - "Wheel of Fortune Surname Game."

* Got cleaned up, worked in the database a bit fixing data errors. Boring! Rebooted computer to clear cache, and IE wouldn't work well. Wasted 30 minutes before booting it again and it worked well. Just in time. Had lunch. Played on FamilySearch Beta site.

* Had telecon with FamilySearch guy about Library Catalog - interesting stuff. Read everything, then researched and wrote Periodicals on the AmericanAncestors.org Site.

* Answered some Seaver emails with genealogy reports included, back in database, did errors for G and H, got sleepy, went in to take nap and watched Padres game.

* Padres game out of hand early, ate dinner, watered back yard, Pads lost 11-5.

* Camei n at 5:50 PM for TGF chat until 7:15 PM. Posted CVGS Annual Picnic - "Wheel of Fortune Surname Game." Back into database to do data errors for I through K. Checked in on Facebook, and then wrote this post.

Genealogy today was 9.5 hours - 1.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 1.0 hour on FamilySearch, 2.5 hours in database, 1.5 hour on TGF chat, and 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 25 August 2010

Another typical CVGS program and Padres game-on-TV day...

* Read email and blogs, wrote (Not So) Wordless Wednesday - Post 117: Betty in her Buggy and then Using America's Historical Newspapers on AmericanAncestors.org and set it for later in the morning.

* Got cleaned up, worked in the database a bit, printed out Linda's pedigree chart for the CVGS game, found a white elephant gift (African-American Ancestors Season 2 DVD) and got ready to go to the CVGS Picnic.

* We left at 10:45 and were there quickly, found a breezy spot (this was supposed to be a 95F day, turned out to be only 85F or so) in the shade, helped others get set up, greeted people as they came in.

* Picnic started at 11, everybody ate and Gary had short business meeting at 11:30, then launched into the game "Wheel of Fortune Surname Game." I came in second... used Smith as my surname in New England. At 1:30 PM, we broke for the gift exchange and book sale. Over after 2 PM, took too long.

* Home by 2:15 PM, read everything, went in at 2:45 PM to take a nap while watching TV under the fan. Worked well!

* Back online at 3:45 PM, wondered what to write. Nothing came to mind, so worked in the database. Figured out how to find English parish resources, and entries to them, in FHL films and IGI database. Cool - did three sources that way.

* Put out the trash, had dinner - Dinty Moore beef stew - then back at it to post CVGS Weekender Program on "Surnames" - Sunday, 29 August. Answered some email with Seaver family attachments.

* Went in at 7:10 PM to watch Padres game, read the paper, and start the Buzzy Jackson book which came today. Padres won 9-3 over Zonies.

* Back online at 9:45 PM, read everything, checked Facebook, wrote this post.

Genealogy today was 8.5 hours - 1.0 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.5 hours writing blog posts, 3.5 hours at CVGS picnic, and 2.0 hours working in my database.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 24 August 2010

The sands of time are slowly running out on 2010 - this is day 235 out of 365...and I still haven't been to the FHC this year (but I have been to the FHL!). Stayed home today and tried to finish some projects.

* Read email and blogs, researched and wrote Tombstone Tuesday - Charles H. Salmon (1858-1884) and then wrote "A Brief History of Common Surnames" by Ralph Taylor.

* Got cleaned up, answered some CVGS email, worked on the survey, then worked in my database through lunchtime. Got D, E and F done in the Data Errors list. Finding lots of unconnected people - probably 2-3 every page. Fixed some sources, fixed more date errors.

* Wrote Exploring AmericanAncestors.org - Post 4: External Databases and then explored the newspaper databases for names in my ancestry, especially New England, New York and New Jersey folks. Found some useful articles about Lewis on Staten Island. Copied, and will show it on Wednesday.

* Printed out my 9 generation pedigree charts in RootsMagic - need them for Wednesday's CVGS Picnic game. Worked through about ten TAG journals adding information to my database on subject families. Found I had done some of that already. Have 3 older ones to do. May want to check NEHGR too. May be easier to use Hollick's book to find useful material.

* Went in at 5:30 for dinner on the patio, then back to read everything and download photos from our cameras from Grandpa Camp, the grandgirls last two visits, and Linda's swimming classes. Printed some out. Printer balked at a 300 mb file for some reason.

* Watched Padres game, watered the front plants, read the paper then the new Family Tree Mag, and Pads beat Zonies 5-0. Checked Facebook too.

* Back online at 10 PM to read everything, write this post, and be done.

Genealogy today was 9.5 hours - 1.0 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 3.0 hours working in the database, 1.5 hours working in AmericanAncestors databases, 1.0 hour making pedigree charts in FTM, LFT and RM, and 0.5 hour working on CVGS stuff.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 23 August 2010

Had a frustrating genealogy day - some blogging, some database, missed an appointment (forgot!), went to the library, took neighbors out for dinner, worked on the CVGS survey. Feel like I should have done more with the time I had. Tomorrow!

* Read email and blogs, researched and wrote Amanuensis Monday - the will of Susannah (West) Barber (1666-1756) and then American Ancestors Magazine - Summer 2010 Issue Table of Contents and set it for later.

* Got cleaned up, worked in the database some more - got the Cs done in the Data Error report. Had lunch and went off to the library at 12:30 PM.

* Talked to the CVGS folks at the library until 2 PM, got some new books to read and home by 2:30 PM. Reading my email, I see that I missed my 2 PM phone call. Drat. A senior moment to be sure - didn't remember it even though on wall calendar and I remembered it this morning.

* Worked in AmericanAncestors.org for awhile, researched and wrote Exploring AmericanAncestors.org - Post 3: Using the Databases.

* Went in at 5 PM to watch TV, read the paper and take a nap. Linda came in and said we're going out to dinner and we took our elderly neighbors to Marie Callender's for his 86th birthday.

* Home by 7:30 PM, read everything, worked on CVGS survey revision, then checked Facebook, wrote some email, and this post.

Genealogy today was 9.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.5 hours writing blog posts, 1.5 hours in AmericanAncestors.org, 1.5 hours in database and 3.0 hours on CVGS things.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 22 August 2010

Kind of a lazy genealogy day until after dinner - then I really rocked my genealogy database.

* Read email and blogs, and started on Best of the Genea-Blogs - 15-21 August 2010 before church. We left at 9:30 a.m.

* Home at 11:30 a.m. after talking genealogy with two of the members. Watched the Padres game, ate lunch, read the paper and took as nap. The Pads beat the Brewers 7-3 to finish the road trip with a 7-3 record and a 6-game lead over the Giants.

* Back online after 2:30 p.m., finished up the Best of post, and wrote three posts for the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe, read the society email account, and read the CSGA newsletter. Sent an email about the Picnic to CVGS members too. Answered some email.

* Went in for dinner at 5 p.m. - we ate out on the patio, nice and cool in the shade.

* Back online at 6 p.m. to read everything, then worked in the database. Finished up the multiple name problems by doing the 4,000 Seaver entries, then created a Data Errors report in FTM 16 - it was 54 pages long. Saved it, converted it to landscape to read easier, kept it open to fix the noted errors one at a time. Got through the As and Bs - mainly ignoring the "more than 20 years after marriage" and "locations have capitalization errors" which are about 80% of the listed errors. The latter is because I capped foreign countries like England and Canada. I tried to fix, or at least look at, the duplicate names, the birth year is out of order, the child was born before marriage, the child born after mother died, the child born after mother was age 50, mother was under age 13, etc. Also corrected some source citations and added some source citations for Mass VRs and Norway VRs.

* Read everything, researched and wrote Adopt-a-Page at FamilySearch Wiki and checked Facebook, then wrote this post.

Genealogy today was 6.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.5 hours writing blog posts, and 3.0 hours working in the database.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 21 August 2010

Not a real big day for genealogy at the Genea-Cave, nor for San Diego sports teams.

* Up early with Lolo and got cleaned up and out the door by 8:30 a.m. to get to the CGSSD meeting in La Jolla. Tami and family went to the beach this morning, and home this afternoon. The last five days were exhilarausting.

* Got to UCSD at 9 a.m., sat through the CGSSD merger decision meeting with SDGS - details later. In the second hour, Gary Hoffman presented his update on Genealogy in the Cloud. Similar to last year, but updated a bit.

* Went to lunch with Pam and Phyllis at TGIFridays, and home before 2 p.m. Read everything, noted that Surname Saturday - HOAX/HOUX (MD > PA) posted this morning and that Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Wild and Crazy Genealogist? posted at noontime as scheduled. Wrote Interesting genea-tweets... you can't make this stuff up! and scheduled it for later.

* Went in at 3 p.m. to take a nap and then watched Padres game starting at 4 p.m. Read the paper, had dinner, and read my Robert Parker book. Switched between Padres game (lost 6-5 to Brewers) and Chargers game (lost 16-14 to Cowboys) after 6 p.m. Was ready to come back to computer, but had to go to store for new eggs after Linda threw out old ones.

* Finally back online at 9 p.m., read everything, wrote CGSSD Lives to see another day... about the CGSSD/SDGS merger vote meeting. Answered some email, checked Facebook, wrote this post.

Genealogy today was 5.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 3.0 hours at CGSSD meeting, and 1.5 hours writing blog posts.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 20 August 2010

Not as warm today in the Genea-Cave...only 81F outside today, but up to 84F inside in PM and evening, but had fan going all day. Tami and girls still here, but I had plenty of genealogy time today.

* After Tami and girls left for Sea World at 9:15, read my email and blogs, and researched and posted 200 million more records on FamilySearch? - they have had many of those records online since May - hardly new!

* Got cleaned up, then researched and wrote Exploring AmericanAncestors.org - Post 2: Mass. VRs to 1850 and set it for early afternoon.

* Downloaded latest RootsMagic version and uploaded my latest FTM database into it to see how easy it is to find errors. Thousands of them! Started in on Places to find notes and sources in place names - opened FTM 16 to correct errors, and worked down the list in RootsMagic. Got almost through the A places. Corrected lots of other problems too in the process - sources, widow names, etc. Started in on the Norway families - added sources and took out notes in place names. Wrote tow posts for Saturday. 5 o'clock came awfully quickly.

* Went out front to weed flowerbed and cut back roses, came in to watch Padres game, then we took the girls to Rubios for dinner while James and Tami had a date night. Home by 7 PM to watch end of Padre game, got girls bathed and jammied, and Audrey to bed easily. Pads lost 10-6. Lolo still awake at 10 PM.

* Back online at 8:30 PM to read everything, check Facebook and Twitter, and write this post.

Genealogy today was 9.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.5 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on Facebook/Twitter, 1.0 hour in RootsMagic and 4.0 hours working in my database.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 19 August 2010

Another warm day in Chula Vista - up to 86F in the house and outside, warmer inland where Linda and Tami went today.

* Up with Lolo, got her fed and entertained, Tami and Audrey up around 8:30. Tami got them dressed and fed, and took off for the mall around 9:30 AM.

* Read my email and blogs, wrote Treasure Chest Thursday - Lyle's High School Graduation Certificate and researched and wrote Exploring AmericanAncestors.org - Post 1. Got cleaned up and wrote Proposal to merge CGSSD with SDGS - Pros and Cons and set it for mid-afternoon.

* Went in to watch the Padres game on WGN - interesting to hear other announcers. They were complimentary of my Padres and critical of Cubs lapses. Tami and girls came home around 12:30 and girls went down for naps.

* Padres won 5-3, so back online at 2:30, read everything, and wrote I Support the CGSSD Merger with SDGS because some friends asked me my opinion. I do have opinions, it seems!

* Worked with Lolo for awhile, and can't remember what I did until 4 PM when Audrey woke up and we all went off to Barbara's to swim in her 88 F pool. Very nice, especially in the shade, with air temp about 88F also. We went to Chick-Fil-A for dinner, and it was Dad and Daughter Date Night. Had my picture taken with Lolo and Audrey - me with a crown and they with a tall princess hat.

* Home by 6:30 PM, played a bit out back with girls, watered front plants, and Tami got them bathed and in bed at decent hour. I read everything, worked in my database (got Q through Z done, except for Seaver for names). Found and corrected some source problems. Checked in on Facebook, then answered some email and wrote this post.

Genealogy today was 7.0 hours - 1.0 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Twitter and Facebook, 1.0 hour in online databases, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, and 2.0 hours working in my database.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 18 August 2010

Summer finally came to Chula Vista - 85F here at the house, 100F out in Otay Ranch. It's been cool (5-10 degrees below normal highs of about 80F) all July and August except for about 3 days in early July. We love the cool, and suffer when it's hot (no air conditioning in the house. It's 85F as I write this in the Genealogy Cave, and 76F outside. We have fans going!).

* Got breakfast for Lolo, and was starting email when Audrey woke up. Got her fed, and Tami took off about 9 AM with Linda to go shopping and get haircuts.

* Read email and blogs, wrote (Not So) Wordless Wednesday - Post 116: Betty and the Flivver and then CGSSD Meeting on Saturday 8/21: "Looking Up My Ancestors" but set it for noontime. Got cleaned up.

* Went off at 10:50 AM for McDonalds for lunch, the bank and the library for CVGS Computer Group meeting. Got it set up for Shirley - had a nice group of 15 folks today.

* Home by 1:30 PM, watched end of Padres game (we won 5-1 over Cubs), read everything, wrote Caleb Johnson's MayflowerHistory.com Site and then worked in my database a bit on sources and spouse families.

* Tami and I took the grandgirls to El Pollo Loco for dinner, then to the bayfront to play on equipment at playground and walk out on the pier.

* Home by 8 PM, gave girls a bath, got them to bed, read everything, checked Facebook, answered some email and wrote this post.

Genealogy today was 6.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 2.0 hours at CVGS meeting, 0.5 hours on Facebook, 1.5 hours working in database.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 17 August 2010

Didn't have jury duty again today...soon I fear! A decent genealogy day, but the grandgirls came today to make it a fun family history day.

* Read email and blogs, then wrote Tombstone Tuesday - A Cowboy's Gravestone? and NEHGS Using Facebook Page as a Message Board (and set it to post later) before getting cleaned up.

* Worked in MyHeritage.com for awhile and wrote Checking out the new MyHeritage Profiles and set it for later. Answered some emails.

* Worked in the database - got J through P done for the double name problem. Fixed a few duplicate names, some sources and English birth dates/places too. Checked the Hugh Wallis site for English church records in LDS IGI - neat tool!

* Linda, Tami and the girls came home at 1:30 PM and we got the girls down (all of them!) so I worked in the database some more.

* Lolo was up at 3 PM and got her set up watching TV, then we went out in front yard shade to eat grapes and talk and pull weeds until everyone else woke up. Lida went off to teach swimming, and I watched Padres game while fixing dinner and playing with the girls. Linda was home by 6, we ate on the patio, and watched end of the Padres game (we won 1-0 over Cubs). Got girls into bath, then PJs and into bed before Tami got home from her errand out.

* Finally back online at 8:30 PM, read everything, checked Facebook, answered email, wrote this post and I'm done.

Genealogy today was 7.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 1.0 hour on MyHeritage, 3.0 hours working in database, and 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 16 August 2010

It was a full and fun genealogy day, and then I took the evening off to watch my Padres win.

* Read email and blogs, posted Amanuensis Monday - the will of John Kenyon (1742-1831) of Sterling CT and got cleaned up.

* Worked in the database for the rest of the morning cleaning up the Kenyon mess. Added info about the TAG articles to Notes, then wrote Mea Culpa: Genealogy Database Errors.

* Had lunch, back into the database fixing double names (got D through I done), adding sources, then working in WeRelate to find more Note material. Added several families to database based on the info on WeRelate family tree. What, it's 5 o'clock?

* Went in to watch Padres game, read the paper, have dinner, read genealogy magazines, water the back yard. Padres beat Cubs 9-5.

* Ruth called about CVGS things, then back online to read everything, answer some emails, check Facebook, check TAG online for Mumford data, write this post and I'm done!

Genealogy today was 10.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 1.0 hour doing online research on NEHGS site, 1.0 hour on WeRelate family tree, and 5.0 hours working in my database.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 14-15 August 2010

Grandpa Camp is over and i'm still exhilarausted... but had two decent genealogy days on Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday, 14 August

* Home from the airport at 10:15 AM, noted that Surname Saturday - KENYON (England > RI) posted and that Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - A Place Line was set to go off later. Read email and blogs then took off for the SDGS meeting.

* Walked into SDGS meeting and Gini and Elyse were there to greet me. We chatted for awhile, sat together for the two talks, had refreshments together, sat through the second talk, and took pictures of each other afterward. Great to see these two beautiful genea-bloggers!

* Was home by 3 PM, watched rest of the Padres game. We lost 3-2 in 11 innings to Giants. Pads were undefeated while Lucas was here! Had dinner at home on patio - nice and cool.

* Back online after dinner, wrote SNGF - My Own Place Line and read everything. Wrote two posts for Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe blog. Answered some emails, then worked on a colleague's passenger list problem for awhile. Checked on Facebook and Twitter too.

Sunday, 15 August

* Read email and blogs before church, left at 9:15 AM to feed Barbara's cats.

* Home at 11:30 AM, got busy with Best of the Genea-Blogs - 8-14 August 2010 and finished it before the Padres game. Watched the game, read the paper, read NGS Magazine, took a little nap, and Pads won 8-2. Cool - we're ahead by 3.5 games now, 5 in loss column.

* Read everything, answered some emails, ate on the patio for dinner, back to write my SDGS newsletter article on Saturday SDGS meeting. Was in the middle of answering emails when friend called - her wheelchair stuck in dirt - needs help. Linda and I went over, she stood up, I pulled 250 pound chair out of rut. Worked fine! Rewarded with hug and bottle of water and yummy choc chip cookie.

* Back home by 9 PM, read more, did emails, checked Twitter and Facebook, wrote this post and done for the night!

I'm supposed to have jury duty this next week, but called and don't have to go in on Monday. Cool - can work in my database and blog! Have lots of new material to enter - still trying to catch up, plus working on sources and AKA names. Then resolving place names. Then reviewing all material I have and making research lists. A long row to hoe!

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Grandpa Camp 2010 - Family History Made!

Grandpa Camp started on Monday night, 9 August and went through Saturday morning, 14 August. In between I had pretty much all-Lucas, all the time, except for Wednesday, when Linda took him while I had a genealogy day.

I was able to read my email, read my blogs, and even wrote several blog posts after Lucas went to bed. I had prepared a number of blog posts ahead of time for the week.

Here is the Grandpa Camp summaries from Facebook postings:

Monday, 9 August

Grandpa Camp has started - got Luc home by 7:45 PM, played soccer, Monopoly and hockey cards. This may be a tiring week for Grandpa!

Tuesday, 10 August

Day 2 at Grandpa camp: Continue monopoly game. Play baseball on street. Go to Fun-4-All: Arcade games, air hockey, foos ball, Bumper boats, miniature golf, ice cream bar. McDonalds for lunch. Library for books. Home for grandpa's nap. Baseball on street again. Out to dinner for pizza. Home for Padres game, reading, finally in bed. Whew!

Wednesday, 11 August

Day 3 at Grandparents Camp was Linda's day to share with Lucas. To the San Diego Zoo, then swimming in a friend's pool, and I met them for dinner at In-N-Out. Luc and I played baseball before watching the Padres game on TV - he really gets into it while kicking the soccer ball around - always moving, unless he's snuggling with me. Kinda neat. He's such a fun 6-year old.

My day? I got CVGS newsletter published finally, hosted a 2 hour entertaining genealogy research group, took a nap, and retrieved the Lincoln from the shop. Some reading, no blogging, no research. Padres won 8-5, so I'm happy. So is Luc!

Thursday, 12 August

Day 4 at grandpa camp - the Monopoly game continues - I have more property and am gradually taking his money. He is good but sneaky. More cul-de-sac baseball - I pitch, he hits, I chase, he runs, I'm tired, he isn't. Off to the mall for hockey cards and other stuff at Target. Then the food court. Then the cemetery... - he found my Carringers right where I knew they were! Can't start too young, you know!

Day 4 continued - home to play with racquets and tennis balls, then I took a nap while he watched TV. Had a fast game of trash can golf on the street (use bat and baseball to hit trash cans (the "holes") and keep score. He won. Then off to Padres game on trolley. Padres won 3-0. Lucas had only cheeseburger and ice... cream...then got a ball and some cards. Home by 7 PM.

Friday, 13 August

Day 5 at Grandpa Camp - we started with baseball before the clouds cleared - Lucas hitting pitched tennis balls 100 feet or more as a 7 year old. We left at 10 AM for a long day at the New Children's Museum. He loves the Segway-type carts, the rock-climbing wall, and once he got a balloon we played balloon volleyball... with another kid for over an hour. We built towers with blocks and knocked them down

Grandpa Camp has totally consumed my time since Tuesday - have I missed anything in the genealogy world? I know I missed the phone call today. And missed blogging. Have to take Lucas to airport in AM, then SDGS meeting at noon. Genea-blogging will resume when I recover! Lucas is a really fun little 7-year old boy ...- all boy, funny and silly, very competitive, and well behaved.

Saturday, 14 August

Day 6 at Grandpa Camp. Had to wake Lucas up at 7 AM to make 7:30 trip to airport. Fed, dressed, packed in 30 minutes, and to airport at 8, at gate at 8:30, he was on plane at 9 and left at 9:30. Whew! Grandpa Camp is over. Haven't found any of his stuff yet. What a neat little 7-year-old boy - lots of good family history memories this week!

Monday, August 9, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 9 August 2010

More of a genealogy day than I expected...but some frustrations too.

* Read email and blogs, and noted that Amanuensis Monday - Probate Records of Stephen Hazard (1665-1727) posted. Wrote a WeRelate post for Tuesday.

* Got cleaned up, and left at 10:30 for the medical center for the blood draw, then to the pharmacy for my meds, and then to UPS Store to see if they'd fixed the copiers. Nope - so CVGS Newsletter publishing still not fixed. Drat.

* Home by 11:45 AM, read everything, and had lunch, then noted that Uploading a GEDCOM to the WeRelate Wiki - Post 1 posted as scheduled.

* Worked in my database for awhile adding AKAs for people with two or more name alternatives - had been putting them in as "Elizabeth or Betsy Smith" - got the A's Bs and Cs done today, plus a few sources, and some widow names I missed earlier.

* Called car dealer, and car not ready, so that put kibosh on dinner out since Linda was tired from her day out. Corrected one page in newsletter, and sent it out. Posted Class on Five Generation Pedigree Charts on the Cafe blog, and wrote one other post. We ate at home, and I was able to post Check Out British-Genealogy.com.

* Left at 5:45 PM for the airport to pick up Lucas off the 6:50 PM flight from San Jose. It was on time, no problems, and we were home by 7:45 PM. We immediately went out in back to kick the soccer ball around (he brought it in his backpack). Had dessert, played some Monopoly (usually a weeklong game for us), read him a book, and he fell asleep watching ESPN. He's a really smart and neat 7-year old (well, 7 next month).

* Came in at 9:30 to read everything, answer some email, check Facebook and write this post.

Genealogy today was 6.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.5 hours writing blogs, 2.0 hours in database, and 0.5 hour doing CVGS business.

Tomorrow may be a non-genealogy day - especially if I have to go to the UPS Store and the car dealer. Lucas and I may go off to the beach to see the IB Sand castles if they're still up. If not, we'll walk on the pier and play in the sand. Or go to Point Loma or La Jolla. We'll try to get a round of miniature golf in too, plus some baseball and soccer work. Then Monopoly in the evening during the Padres game on TV.

I may not post on this blog for a few days - depends on the time available.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 8 August 2010

Really not much of a genealogy day. Some frustration with the CVGS newsletter publishing hiccup - I really don't have time for unplanned events! Drat.

* Read email and blogs, and started the Best of the Genea-Blogs - 1-7 August 2010 post before church. got cleaned up and went off to church at 9:40 a.m.

* Home at 11:30 a.m., edited newsletter to make the road map on the front page darker. Finished the BOGB post. Had a quick lunch, then off to UPS Store to publish newsletter. The two copy machines broke down and could not be easily fixed. We had 17 of 45 newsletters printed. We mailed those off, but I need to finish the run sometime this week.

* Home by 12:50, read everything, then went in to watch the Padres game and have a quick nap. We left at 2:15 for church and the Ice Cream Social with two hours of choir entertainment.

* Home by 4:30 p.m. to find out Padres won 10-1 (whew), and worked for awhile in email before going out to cut the front lawn. Back in for dinner at 6:30 p.m., then to computer at 7 pm. to write some scheduled blog posts for the week.

* Got one post done before friends came to visit - another 30 minutes lost from genealogy time. Back to work and got four more posts done for the week while Lucas is here for Grandpa Camp. Then wrote this post.

Genealogy today was 5.5 hours - 1.0 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.0 hour on CVGS activity, and 3.0 hours writing seven blog posts.

Monday looks busy with a lab test, perhaps the UPS store, perhaps the library, back to the car dealer to pick up our repaired car (assuming it's ready!), eat lunch and dinner, and pick up Lucas at 6:50 PM at the airport. I don't see a lot of genealogy time in that schedule!

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 7 August 2010

Another week without a FHC visit...I'm such a bad genealogy boy. It was a full genealogy day, though.

* Went off for the 8 a.m. Men's Bible Study breakfast at Jimmy's, home by 9:30 a.m.

* Read email and blogs, researched and wrote Surname Saturday - HAZARD (England > RI) then searched for an appropriate SNGF topic - finally settled on and wrote Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Make Your Own Gravestone. Tweeted both of them.

* Started in on CVGS Newsletter additions and revisions, and had only a little white space available by 5 p.m. Sent some emails asking for info to fill the white spaces.

* Went in at 5:15 p.m. to watch the Padres game. Ate dinner, watered back yard, read newspaper and book. Pads fell behind Snakes 5-0 after 4 innings, tied it with two solo homers in the 9th, and Snakes won it on walkoff homer in bottom of the 9th. Drat!

* Back online at 8:30 p.m., read everything, checked Facebook, put finishing touches on CVGS Newslettert. Made label sheet, printed out newsletter, ready to publish on Sunday.

* Wrote this post and I'm done!

Genealogy today was 9.0 hours - 1.0 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.5 hours researching and writing blog posts, and 6.0 hours working on CVGS newsletter.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 6 August 2010

A terrible genealogy day - a car emergency in the morning and the Padres lost, and I didn't get much genealogy work (or play) done.

* Read email and blogs, then researched and wrote Searching the WeRelate.org Wiki - Post 2. Linda called to say that the Lincoln was acting strangely with the electronics, so she brought it home.

* Got cleaned up, and left at 10:15 AM for the car dealer in Mission Valley. Went to lunch at the nearby brewery (really cute waitress, great cheeseburger!) and back to dealer - they need to keep it over the weekend. Got regular maintenance done, plus new tires, and needs a big part. Drove a free rental car home.

* Home by 2 p.m., read everything, wrote Ancestry.com Acquires ProGenealogists, Inc. and worked in WeRelate.org and my database for awhile. Wrote Family Tree Maker 2011 Announced before dinner.

* Left at 5:30 p.m. for dinner at Lolita's and then shopping at Ralph's. Home to watch Padres game with Snakes - Pads lost 2-1.

* Back online at 9:15 PM, worked on CVGS Newsletter, checked Facebook and wrote this post.

Genealogy today was 5.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours researching and writing blogs, 1.0 hour working in my database, and 1.0 hour on CVGS Newsletter.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 5 August 2010

It was an interesting genealogy day, with some interruptions and a big Padres win tonight.

* Read email and blogs, then edited some photos and wrote Treasure Chest Thursday - Charles Auble Obituaries.

* Got cleaned up, and left at 10:30 AM for the doctor's office for my scheduled appointment and annual physical. Things are a bit better, except for my weight which has crept up again (time to cut back to only 3 or 4 sweets a day, I fear), but the gloved finger was no fun again. Hurried home, while eating my apple, for the phone call.

* Got onto the Ancestry telecon right after 12 noon - enjoyed it and learned a lot. More to come in future weeks - I think everyone will like it.

* Researched and wrote Searching the WeRelate.org Wiki - Post 1 then correlated my data with the wiki data for quite a few of my Plymouth area ancestral families in the 1600s. Added some content to several families on WeRelate. Worked in the database on sources and names also. Never tweeted it because Twitter was busy.

* Went in to dinner at 5:30 p.m., we ate on the patio again, and then came back to the computer at 6:15 and started in on the August newsletter for CVGS. Got almost everything I have in it before going in to watch the Padres game.

* Read the paper and finished my book during the Padres game, we beat the Dodgers 5-0 to even the series at 2-2 and grow our NL West lead to 2 games over the Giants. Cool.

* Back online at 10:15 PM to read everything, do some email, check Facebook and write this post.

Genealogy today was 8.5 hours - 1.0 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.5 hours researching and writing blog posts, 1.0 hour with Ancestry, 4.0 hours working in WeRelate and the database, and 0.5 hour working on CVGS newsletter.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 4 August 2010

A genealogy day filled with no real progress on the database and some frustration at the board meeting...then the Dodgers whipped the Padres badly to make it a real down day.

* Read email and blogs, and posted (not So) Wordless Wednesday - Post 114: Another early 1900s San Diego View. Researched and wrote Working in the Archive.org Text Archives, then got cleaned up.

* Gathered stuff for the board meeting, and took 20 minutes to create a program spreadsheet the way I want it done - no one else seems to understand. Went off to lunch at McDonalds and got to library at 11:40 AM.

* Sat through interminable board meeting until 3 PM. Took over an hour to work through the seminar details planned by a committee... very frustrating to see time wasted. Got commitments for the newsletter to be done this weekend, though.

* Home at 3:30 PM after stopping at the bank, read everything and wrote Help me improve the CVGS Member Survey. Nobody has offered yet! Oh well. Checked out several UK family tree sites that I have ancestral data on, and none of them are fast or useful IMHO. Worked in the database on sources a bit.

* Went in for dinner out on the patio at 5:30, then put out the trash. Was back online at 6:15 PM, and waded through the new WeRelate design. Still has clunky family tree, although I like the new look of the actual data.

* Went in at 7:05 PM to watch the Padres game, and started my Robert Parker book about the detective finding birth parents of a college girl. Interesting... oh, my Padres lost badly, 9-0 to the Beat-LA Dodgers.

* Read everything, sent some email, checked SCGS newsletter out, wrote this post, and am wondering what to write about on Thursday.

Genealogy today was 9.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours researching and writing blog posts, 3.0 hours at CVGS board meeting, 2.0 hours wandering around family trees, and 1.0 hour working in my database.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 3 August 2010

Another decent genealogy day for me - some blogging, some database work, and even some additions to the database!

* Read email and blogs, and researched and posted Tombstone Tuesday - Lawrence L. Cook. Then I researched and wrote Ancestry.com tries to help me. And you too!

* Got cleaned up, and dove into the database determined to finish the As today. I did! And added more source citations, and fixed about 10 sources, but realize my "generic" sourcing has problems in areas where there is more than one resource for a record type - like Boston vital records. I may never get those sorted out!

* Answered some email, and searched my database to help Peggy with her research problem. Figured out how to make a custom report in FTM 16, and it's over 500 pages long, but lists every name, birth, marriage and death date and place! Now I can find more errors in the database.

* Found some interesting books on the Internet Archive site by Googling the names of married couples. Not all pre-1923 books are on Google Books yet!

* Researched and wrote More NGS Genealogy Videos are online before going in at 5 PM to watch TV, water the back yard, and eat dinner.

* Back online at 6 PM, read everything, added some collected material to the database from previous repository searches - like recent NEHGR articles. Then in to watch the Padres game, finish the watering, and finish my Harlan Coben book. Another author I like!

* Pads lost 2-1 to Dodgers...drat. Came in at 9:45 to read everything, check Facebook, write this post, and hang them up until tomorrow.

Genealogy today was 10.0 hours - 1.0 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours researching and writing blog posts, 1.5 hours doing online research, and 5.0 hours working in my database.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 2 August 2010

It was a full genealogy day until dinner time and the Padres game. Got a headache just before dinner and suffered the rest of the night. Why? Too much eyestrain in database? Not enough sleep?

* Read email and blogs, and posted Amanuensis Monday - the will of Elizabeth (Prescott) Hildreth (1734-1812). Researched and wrote Ancestry.com improves Searching by Location and set it for later in the morning.

* Got cleaned up, came back to work in the database. Added some content from a book to the notes of several families. Added some sources too just by browsing through the database.

* Ate lunch, left at 11:45 AM for the library for CVGS Table Talk and to get more mystery books for watching the Padres games. Six at Table Talk, I read Paul Milner's book on English research - pretty good summary but a bit dated now, although basic concepts are good. The others debated coming programs and such...I was home by 1:30 PM.

* Read everything, and worked in the database for several hours. I got the Bs done...finally, all of those Bresees and Bucks! The Bucks were really messed up because I had a separate database for them. Researched and wrote Searching Collections on FamilySearch Beta and Record Search - they're different!

* Went in for dinner, too cool to eat outside, and back online at 6:30 PM for a bit. Searched for HA Knapp online - found 1910, 1900 and 1880 census, but not 1870 (yet). Then it was time for the Padres-Dodgers game. Pads won 10-5.

* Back online at 10:30 PM, read everything, wrote this post, don for the night!

Genealogy today was 9.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 1.0 hour at library for CVGS, 1.0 hour doing online research and 4.0 hours working in the database.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 1 August 2010

The first day of the eighth month and my Padres are still hanging onto first place in the NL West. With a payroll that is about 20% of the Yankees and about 40% of the Dodgers.

* Read email and blogs before going off to church at 9:30 a.m.

* Home at 11:45 a.m., and wrote Best of the Genea-Blogs - 25-31 July 2010 then went in to watch the Padres game at 1:15 p.m. Read the paper, got a nap in, and Pads won 5-4 to salvage one game in the series.

* Back online at 4 p.m., read everything, then worked on database - started the Cs and got sidetracked in sources...then dinner calls. We ate outside in the cool (maybe 72 F and breezy). Did some chores.

* Back online at 6:30 p.m., worked more in the database - got the Cs done and lots of facts sourced and some duplicate persons merged.

* Answered some email, wrote Iowa State Picnic is Saturday, 14 August in Long Beach CA and then wrote Genealogy Days in Chula Vista - August 2010 and tweeted about it. Checked Facebook, and wrote this post.

Genealogy today was 7.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, and 4.0 hours working in the database.