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Mom, #1, and Aunt Cheri, #2, of the team of You Go Genealogy Girls are off again. They are going back to Wyoming and even though they would like to head the car, aka Lil' Red, toward Salt Lake City, they are heading north to Sheridan. The Family History Expo is being held there July 17th and 18th.
A little over a week ago Mom was getting ready for a day-trip to cemeteries in eastern Nebraska. She sprained her knee just a few feet outside her door. That landed her in ER and ended her cemetery trip. Good thing she didn't do it in some abandoned cemetery in the middle of no-where.
Aunt Cheri has been entertaining her son and his family of eight children for almost two weeks. Mom reports that she calls from the peace and quiet of her computer/genealogy room but occasionally there are knocks on the door and response of "go away" or "be quiet out there."
Will the Girls be ready for this trip to Sheridan? If it pertains to genealogy...and it does...they will be ready. Mom is doing physical therapy for her knee and using a sexy, floral cane just in case. Aunt Cheri will probably need to take a wig because she's pulling her hair out. With eight grandchildren ages 17 to 6 months, it is difficult to not pull your hair out. All said and done, she loves every one of them. Tis just challenging at times. Mom wants to be out walking her mile a day, but finds it challenging to just get to the mailbox and back. She says it is like looking for ancestors...just another challenge in her life.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Genealogy or Motherhood or Both
Mom began doing genealogical research on the family before she became a mother...actually before she even married Dad. Stories she tells indicate that she would work on her research when my brother and I were napping or in bed at night. She never missed a stroke, but her time was somewhat limited for genealogy.
When I was about eight months old Mom began working on a family genealogy for the Amsberry reunion. That was before computers, so she set the typewriter up in the living room on a card table, along with her paper and notes. To entertain my brother for close to an hour, without interruption, she cut out strips of paper and had him color them. After that he could make loops and a chain which he seemed to never tire of doing. That allowed Mom to be a mother and a genealogist. A eight month old is a bit different, so when it came time to feed me she learned how to balance me on her feet under the table and rock me while I drank my bottle. She would type away on the Amsberry genealogy notes.
Of course, there were the trips to visit relatives, to cemeteries and also to allow Mom to research in libraries. My brother and I both had chicken pox practically at the same time. He was about 7 years old and I was about 4 years old. After we had healed up, Dad took Mom to a library that had a genealogy section and told her to spend a few hours and he'd entertain us. Mom had definitely earned that free time!
Mom worked when we were in high school, but she still found time to write and column on genealogy and history for the local newspaper. She would stay up until the wee hours of the morning working on her writing and genealogy. I think that's why she doesn't need as much sleep as some people. When she and Dad moved to Iowa in 1996, Mom was having health problems and was diagnosed with cancer. After surgery in May of 1999, she was declared free of cancer. She's a ten year survivor.
By 2000, Mom and Dad had moved back to Nebraska. Where they were living meant that Mom had to travel quite a ways to do research. That didn't stop her. She had internet and from time to time she'd do some traveling. In 2004 Dad was diagnosed with cancer. After numerous operations, chemo and radiation, it was apparent he was not going to be a survivor like Mom. He left us on 26 June 2007. during those three years, Mom took care of Dad without any help. Their vacations were to hospitals. Mom never complained about not finding time for genealogy. She'd think about it, read genealogy periodicals in the hospitals and doctor's offices and try to do some research from time to time.
A few days before he passed away, Dad told Mom that he wanted her to resume her genealogical research after he passed away. Mom has done exactly that, but she still juggles that with the title of Mother and also Grandmother.
When I was about eight months old Mom began working on a family genealogy for the Amsberry reunion. That was before computers, so she set the typewriter up in the living room on a card table, along with her paper and notes. To entertain my brother for close to an hour, without interruption, she cut out strips of paper and had him color them. After that he could make loops and a chain which he seemed to never tire of doing. That allowed Mom to be a mother and a genealogist. A eight month old is a bit different, so when it came time to feed me she learned how to balance me on her feet under the table and rock me while I drank my bottle. She would type away on the Amsberry genealogy notes.
Of course, there were the trips to visit relatives, to cemeteries and also to allow Mom to research in libraries. My brother and I both had chicken pox practically at the same time. He was about 7 years old and I was about 4 years old. After we had healed up, Dad took Mom to a library that had a genealogy section and told her to spend a few hours and he'd entertain us. Mom had definitely earned that free time!
Mom worked when we were in high school, but she still found time to write and column on genealogy and history for the local newspaper. She would stay up until the wee hours of the morning working on her writing and genealogy. I think that's why she doesn't need as much sleep as some people. When she and Dad moved to Iowa in 1996, Mom was having health problems and was diagnosed with cancer. After surgery in May of 1999, she was declared free of cancer. She's a ten year survivor.
By 2000, Mom and Dad had moved back to Nebraska. Where they were living meant that Mom had to travel quite a ways to do research. That didn't stop her. She had internet and from time to time she'd do some traveling. In 2004 Dad was diagnosed with cancer. After numerous operations, chemo and radiation, it was apparent he was not going to be a survivor like Mom. He left us on 26 June 2007. during those three years, Mom took care of Dad without any help. Their vacations were to hospitals. Mom never complained about not finding time for genealogy. She'd think about it, read genealogy periodicals in the hospitals and doctor's offices and try to do some research from time to time.
A few days before he passed away, Dad told Mom that he wanted her to resume her genealogical research after he passed away. Mom has done exactly that, but she still juggles that with the title of Mother and also Grandmother.
Monday, May 11, 2009
The Girls Head West
Mom and Aunt Cheri (The You Go Genealogy Girls) are packing and repacking, getting ready to head to Salt Lake City. Mom leaves here in a few days. Every time my Mom goes somewhere she has to pack and repack several times. The first on the list is the laptop computer and her genealogy research items. Of course, she can't go anywhere without several pairs of shoes, normally at least five pair. She says that she is only taking two pair of shoes to Salt Lake City. I can't imagine why she doesn't need more!
According to Mom, Aunt Cheri packs everything imaginable. Maybe she'll take the kitchen sink. She will also be heavy on the genealogy items, but light on the shoes. Mom's the shoe fanatic. While Mom crams things into a couple of bags, I'm sure Aunt Cheri will have many bags of this and that. Then comes the fun...watch them stuff all that into Mom's car, Lil Red.
While the girls are gone, I am in charge of watering Mom's plants, inside and outside. Also will be in charge of making sure everything is okay in her townhouse. I will bring in her mail and advise her on the phone if she has anything that looks important in the way of genealogy mail.
Uncle Geoff does the housework (maybe) and takes care of Aunt Cheri's plants while she's gone. He also is known to call or e-mail her asking for money. As if the girls could send him money when they are traveling! There won't be extra money as they plan on spending all they have on photocopies and genealogy books. Mom may also conveniently buy a pair of shoes. Way to go girls!
If you want to know what the girls are up to, follow their blog, The You Go Genealogy Girls. They will find time to chat on that and fill you in on what they are doing. I will have to read it also...just to get my laugh for the day.
According to Mom, Aunt Cheri packs everything imaginable. Maybe she'll take the kitchen sink. She will also be heavy on the genealogy items, but light on the shoes. Mom's the shoe fanatic. While Mom crams things into a couple of bags, I'm sure Aunt Cheri will have many bags of this and that. Then comes the fun...watch them stuff all that into Mom's car, Lil Red.
While the girls are gone, I am in charge of watering Mom's plants, inside and outside. Also will be in charge of making sure everything is okay in her townhouse. I will bring in her mail and advise her on the phone if she has anything that looks important in the way of genealogy mail.
Uncle Geoff does the housework (maybe) and takes care of Aunt Cheri's plants while she's gone. He also is known to call or e-mail her asking for money. As if the girls could send him money when they are traveling! There won't be extra money as they plan on spending all they have on photocopies and genealogy books. Mom may also conveniently buy a pair of shoes. Way to go girls!
If you want to know what the girls are up to, follow their blog, The You Go Genealogy Girls. They will find time to chat on that and fill you in on what they are doing. I will have to read it also...just to get my laugh for the day.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
A Grandma Named Irene
Some time in our earlier years my brother and I used to call her Grandma Rene, which was our endearing phrase for Grandma Irene, our paternal grandmother. We didn't grow up in the same town where grandma and grandpa lived, so visiting was a treat.
Grandma kept a box of toys in one of the bedroom closets. It wasn't the normal toys, more like junk, such a old necklaces, odds and end and a few of the usual toys. Nobody seemed concerned that they might not be safe and we never choked on anything and didn't end up with lead poisoning, just lots of fun.
Our cousins would come to Grandma's house to play. We had several cousins of various ages and when there would be family get togethers, the house was full to the brim. Out would come the toy box and everybody would step over toys and kids. My two children never grew up with cousins...they don't know what they missed.
Grandma Rene was the best cook. She didn't stop with one of two things to eat. When the stove had several pots bubbling away, she would go to the phone and invite more relatives to come to eat. Later in life she began loosing her eye sight. Some of her meals ere interesting and we were not sure what we were eating.
One thing that Grandma excelled in was making home made noodles. She would add them to chicken in a huge pot and then call the relatives. There were always leftovers to go around. One day Mom asked for her recipe. The she watched her roll out the noodles. When Mom got home she decided to make home made noodles. They were like eating cardboard. Mom asked a neighbor what she thought went wrong as she had followed the recipe. The neighbor said she had left out a tad bit of baking powder. The next time Mom made noodles they tasted like Grandma's noodles! One day she commented to Grandma Rene that she had left out the baking powder in the recipe. This was followed by giggles from Grandma.
She told us that she learned to make home made noodles from her mother, Grandma Pearl. I wonder where she learned to make them. Pearl was only fourteen years old when her mother died. Maybe she learned young.
Grandma always told Mom that she was proud of her genealogical research on the family. She said if it wasn't for Mom she wouldn't know much about her family history. Thanks Mom! And thanks Grandma Rene for making my childhood interesting.
Grandma kept a box of toys in one of the bedroom closets. It wasn't the normal toys, more like junk, such a old necklaces, odds and end and a few of the usual toys. Nobody seemed concerned that they might not be safe and we never choked on anything and didn't end up with lead poisoning, just lots of fun.
Our cousins would come to Grandma's house to play. We had several cousins of various ages and when there would be family get togethers, the house was full to the brim. Out would come the toy box and everybody would step over toys and kids. My two children never grew up with cousins...they don't know what they missed.
Grandma Rene was the best cook. She didn't stop with one of two things to eat. When the stove had several pots bubbling away, she would go to the phone and invite more relatives to come to eat. Later in life she began loosing her eye sight. Some of her meals ere interesting and we were not sure what we were eating.
One thing that Grandma excelled in was making home made noodles. She would add them to chicken in a huge pot and then call the relatives. There were always leftovers to go around. One day Mom asked for her recipe. The she watched her roll out the noodles. When Mom got home she decided to make home made noodles. They were like eating cardboard. Mom asked a neighbor what she thought went wrong as she had followed the recipe. The neighbor said she had left out a tad bit of baking powder. The next time Mom made noodles they tasted like Grandma's noodles! One day she commented to Grandma Rene that she had left out the baking powder in the recipe. This was followed by giggles from Grandma.
She told us that she learned to make home made noodles from her mother, Grandma Pearl. I wonder where she learned to make them. Pearl was only fourteen years old when her mother died. Maybe she learned young.
Grandma always told Mom that she was proud of her genealogical research on the family. She said if it wasn't for Mom she wouldn't know much about her family history. Thanks Mom! And thanks Grandma Rene for making my childhood interesting.
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