This the Labor Day Weekend -- the symbolic end to summer -- heavy on the symbolic. But the weekend called for more than our traditional flag flying:
Sooo much more festive with BUNTING . . . bunting seems to be for special occasions and so the end of summer and vacations and baseball in-the-park and sitting pool-side and everything else that summer is, calls for this specialty . . . we're old.
So -- What's in the News
We live 85 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge and there really is no TV news other than what comes from the major network stations in and around San Francisco. So what is big news to San Fran is what we get to see here in Healdsburg. Probably fifty percent of the newscasts this week are dealing with stories relating to the San Francisco Bay Bridge(s).
In 1989 part of the Bay Bridge collapsed in the Loma Prieta earthquake and that was big news and rightly so was carried by all the stations. The "World Series" quake of October 17 of that year hit at around 5 pm and disrupted the World Series games (I fortunately was in Austria at the time).
From that date forward planning took place to replace the old Bay Bridge with a new Eastern Span -- the replacement comes the day after labor day this next Tuesday. AND for five days the area will be without a Bay Bridge as the old one is (as we speak) shut down while the new one is being readied for either Monday night or Tuesday morning grand opening.
Given the traffic in San Francisco we are so glad to be here in Healdsburg where the congestion of autos is so unlike the City -- we have our moments though. BUT we do have a working bridge that we are so thankful for -- we were not supposed to have a bridge right now. Let me explain -- our local bridge was due to be upgraded and the work was supposed to be going on "right now" and it was to last for at least one year -- we though were given a reprieve and work on our bridge will start next year sometime -- I doubt that work will make the network news in San Francisco . . .
The Status of our Reading
We have a "What's on our Nightstand" segment from time to time and last week we mentioned the book that we had just finished and the new book we were starting. I have an add-on off to the right of this post and every post that shows "my library thing" and a revolving look at the books that I have or am reading.
Since last week's post I have added a new book to the library and the green arrow is pointing to it. The book covers rotate, so check out my library shelf off to the right.
We enjoy reading interesting books but to read an interesting book that was written by someone in our tree is a special treat. And that is what the green arrows are pointing to!
Melissa Jane Shumaker Guensler is my (our) cousin. Her Grandparents are Harold & Nettie Hiles who happen to be my Grand Uncle and Aunt. Harold is the brother of my Grandfather Lloyd Hampton Hiles.
Gail and I do not have this book on our nightstand -- Oh no, we have it on our coffee table in the family room where we have instituted a new reading regimen. After our 2 pm feeding we have taken to reading from this newly written and published book. AND it is available on Amazon where we purchased both the softback version and the Kindle version.
The book is about the everyday experiences of caring for her Mother, Iris Hiles, in her nineties. Iris being the daughter of Harold & Nettie is also a cousin. So just the fact that the book deals with real-life experiences of my cousins is exciting -- but the book so far is filled with a humorous look of the serious side of caring for an elder parent.
Both Gail and I are thoroughly enjoying the vignettes of Melissa & Iris. We have had the book just since Wednesday and are only allowing a certain number of pages to be read at any one sitting -- so that we can spread it over a longer period of time and reflect on the scenarios.
Thank you Melissa for sharing these insights and for the way that you write about them -- we are both chuckling . . .
There have been other authors "from our tree" that I have also enjoyed reading. My brother has published several books and articles and I always enjoy reading them -- especially the ones that I can relate to the story-line because "I was there too".
A Little Spit is all it Takes . . .
I have to say that besides digging around for facts and dates and family artifacts I have participated in now three different DNA plans -- that is, I have given DNA (spit) to three different companies and have received and am still receiving results from those testings.
And I have gotten Gail to participate in two of those companies -- she just got her latest results back this week:
23andMe has a different report and it includes a look into possible health issues as they relate to genetics.
However, as is the case with the report from our second company (Ancestry DNA), when Gail received her results back it listed several people from their database that were potential and highly likely cousins of hers. And who was one of them -- me. And now looking at the results from 23andMe as well, it lists ME as a possible 3rd to 5th cousin to her . . .
We have not finished analyzing the results from 23andMe for Gail with respect to the health issues -- but we will in the coming days and weeks. But we are stymied by now two companies telling us that we are most likely cousins -- that would mean it would be the second time that Gail married her cousin as her first husband was a known cousin -- their mothers were half-sisters. Small worlds . . .
From the Tree -- Birthdays
It is always fun to have a person from the tree whose birthday IS today -- and today that goes to the daughter of Gail's sister, Laurii (and Gary) -- so a special "Happy Birthday" to Jodie Gadwa Callison.
Above you can see the rest whose birthday is today. Off to the right are some of the statistics for the tree on the "Hiles" website: Hiles Family Website you can find a lot more details at the site.
And Almost Lastly
Last week I included a "quiz" from the Genealogy Bank site about occupations mostly for men -- this chart shows some of the common occupations for women in years past:
I particularly "feel" for #6 -- I can not imagine the working life of someone like that -- except for my recent 21 day "visit" to the hospital . . .
The "Genealogy Bank " site is filled with very useful and interesting stuff relating to family history research.
Now -- Lastly
We all have dreams and aspirations in our lives (or should have) and the follow is my recollection of one that my father had:
I think I referred to this in the last post -- but I found this new way of sharing -- "Meograph", and could not resist trying it out . . .
Now, that was a bit of our week -- hope yours was great -- see you in a few! Burgers tonight!
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