Monday Genea-pourri

Randy Seaver of Genea-Musing started this meme and I loved the idea. Genealogists are great at documenting our ancestors’ lives but not so great documenting our own. I’ll write about what I’ve been doing the past week.

Genealogy

The online session with the Mastering Genealogical Documentation hangout went very well. We were talking about Chapter 11, citing online sources and the exact place where the document was found. If you’re interested in the recording, check out DearMyrtle’s YouTube channel.

I worked a bit with the KDP element of my certification portfolio, using the many documents that I photographed from Norman’s cousin. It gets very tedious reading it on the computer, so I have printed out the document in order to see it in a new light. I am about three-quarters of the way done—only one more person’s story to write. Most of the docs from the cousin will help fill in this story.

The Friday chat with my certification buddies went really well. We’re reading North Carolina Genealogy by Helen Leary. Even though we all don’t have NC research to do, the chapters in part I are useful to any genealogist. These chapters talk a lot about methodology— methodology and analogy tips for all kinds of common genealogy resources: land, wills, probates, marriage records, census, tax records, etc. We all agreed that we would read many of the chapters for our discussions.

The deeds arrived from Merced County Recorder and I’ve been working on transcribing them. I’m trying to figure out which pieces of land was bought when, and who later lived in the houses. I learned from the deeds that there is a map of the Hilmar Colony, so I have ordered that now. Each time I order some documents, I have to have a money order sent—such an archaic system. Wished they would just take a credit card over the phone.  I’m still waiting for the documents from the Merced County Superior Court. These are needed for the end of the second generation and the third generation. I hope they come soon.

Sport

Played Pickleball twice this week. It is great exercise as well as lots of fun. I like this game better than badminton or tennis. Also had two yoga classes with Linda. Had a bit of an ache from both sessions—one we worked on legs and the other on hips. I got in only one walk with Norman and Sidney. He doesn’t go to the mailbox everyday.

Here are some players on the Pickleball court. I play mostly indoors.

Other

I love the Christmas season as it becomes very busy with lots of activities.

Tuesday, we had a potluck dinner with the Friends of Alhambra Creek group, celebrating Shirley’s retirement as president. We created a quilt that Jane put together and Shirley loved it. Diane’s home was so nicely decorated with Christmas items, and everyone brought such scrumptious food. It was a wonderful gathering!

I did the hummingbird square in the lower left corner

Saturday was the annual meeting of the Contra Costa County Historical Society. We met in the newly opened Masonic building that the Concord Historical Society had saved and moved to their property. The Rotary Club was using the building after us and had the room decorated very nicely. It was a honor to be the first group to hold a function in the big main hall. Lunch was wonderful, and the two speakers gave great talks about the moving of the Masonic building and the history of the Concord Naval Weapons Station. 

Copyright © 2017 by Lisa Suzanne Gorrell, My Trails into the Past. All Rights Reserved.