Beyond Fiction

I’ve been so busy that I forgot to write about our new addition! I am once again an uncle! My little sister gave birth to her second child on July 16, 2008! Her name is Courtney Nicole Dyck and she is such a sweet little girl!

So, the family tree continues to grow and we are all loving it! It’s always so much fun to see a new child born into this world and even more so when it is such a precious little girl! Welcome to the family Courtney!

And of course, more pictures will be forthcoming in the future.

Hi everyone! It feels good to finally take the time to check in and write a little something. Unfortunately, it’s not on the topic of genealogy but at least it is an entry anyway!

I just wanted to take the time to say “Thank You” to all those who have answered my call for suggestions about my upcoming trip to North Carolina. I’m still not certain what I will be doing but I have had some very good suggestions. I am just amazed at how expensive it is to visit some of the places I had thought would be nice to visit. It’s outrageous to think I would pay over $100 dollars for my wife, two girls and myself to visit Graceland! I loved Elvis but “COME ON!”

So, I have to do the frugal thing and pass on this one! Fortunately, I believe we will be just fine, thanks to the suggestions I have been given.

Now, I will update you all on my move. We moved on July 6th into a 2 bedroom, 2 bath apartment. It’s quite a change from our 3 bedroom, bath and a half house with a little office add-on to it. Since the move I have had to work every night until last night! So, this weekend I am finally getting a chance to tackle some things that have needed to be done. Fortunately, my wife caught me in a good mood this weekend. A lot of the “stuff” I had been hanging on to is now in the trash! After all, who needs the spare parts I had saved from my old computers (8 years ago) and all the old game manuals and such for games we no longer own! Surprisingly, the huge storage area under the stairs has gone from being packed full to probably less than half full!

I’ve still got quite a bit of work to do and it will probably take a while. I’m off again next weekend and then will have another 12 day stint at work before I start getting ready for North Carolina. With that in mind I know that time to post and research and all will be very limited.

I will still try to check in and let you all know how things are going. Sometimes things happen and we have to put other things we enjoy doing on hold. Unfortunately, I am not retired and have plenty of other things to do. I will try to make time for posts though.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Hi everyone!

It’s been a while since I posted and I am sorry for that. My progress in researching and in writing has been stymied by my move. All my research is still packed up and I am still trying to figure out how to condense what used to be a huge office into a little corner of my bedroom! I’m sure I will figure something out.

Today I just wanted to take the time to ask you all for some suggestions. I realized today that I am only 1 month away from my big trip! I rarely travel. As a matter of fact, my wife and I have been married almost 20 years and have yet to take a honeymoon! Last year’s trip to San Diego for my son’s Marine Boot Camp Graduation was our first trip in almost 15 years, the only other trip being to family reunions. Anyways, let me ask my question.

I am traveling to Cherry Point, North Carolina and I am taking Interstate 40. I would like to occassionally stop to see some interesting things and to take a break from the long drive. My initial plans are to drive from Paris, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee on the first day (Saturday) and then stay over at Nashville before continuing on to Cherry Point on Sunday. I haven’t decided what route to take home yet.

I know there will be little going on on Sunday so I am looking for suggestions on places I could visit on Saturday. I have had ideas such as Graceland and the Grand Ole Opry and such but, as I am on a very tight budget, these are out of the question. I can’t afford to spend over $100 for a tour of Graceland and a night at the Opry! Oh, did I mention it is my wife, my two daughters and myself?

Does anyone have any suggestions that wouldn’t be so expensive? I don’t mind paying a little but, as I said, I am on a tight budget. I hadn’t planned on moving and this short notice move has left us a little depleted. I am reaching out to all my genea-blogging friends and relying on your wisdom to help out a soul in need!

I have looked at the idea of stopping at some places along the way to see cemeteries and such but I simply thought this wasn’t the time. It’s our first “family” vacation ever and I don’t want to do this to my daughters! So, feel free to fire away with those suggestions.

By the way, when I said I hadn’t decided which way to travel back it is because I am debating taking a different route that would take us through Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and such instead of the way we are going originally. I am still debating that one though!

Have a great day everyone!

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to take a moment to write and let you all know that I have been down for the last few days. I actually am still down somewhat. I decided to go through with a move and therefore have been off line since Saturday (7-5). We moved and started setting up on Sunday but my desk was in bad shape and was left at the old place. Right now I am working in a make shift desk consisting of milk crates and me sitting cross-legged on the floor.

I do have a new desk now and have finished putting it together but won’t be able to actually move it into the room and set everything up until tomorrow. I hope that after that I can finally get back to posting more often!

When I signed on today I had over 200 posts to read in my Google Reader and several messages to catch up on at Facebook, as well as all the emails I have. I’ll try to catch all that up before going into anything new.

I hope you are all doing well!

OK, I have to point this one out and try to teach those who don’t know! You can’t always take obituaries literally! Just because it says something doesn’t mean it is true!

The obituary I posted today for my Aunt Juanita is a prime example. I have no problem with it because I know why it is written the way it is. However, in 100 years someone will be researching and come across this obituary and then start looking for the birth records of two daughters!

The fact is, there is only ONE daughter! The Winnie Malley mentioned is actually Aunt Juanita’s sister! Of course, I understand that the reason it is listed as this is because Aunt Juanita raised Aunt Winnie from the age of 6 months and it is not strange to me to see her listed as her daughter. She was the only mother that my Aunt Winnie ever knew!

I just wanted to take a moment to point this out because there are some folks who will swear by obituaries! Every word in that obituary is the gospel! No one would ever lie on an obituary!

Well, it’s not always lying. Such as this case, it is simply what some would perceive to be the way it is.

So, I hope you will learn a little something from just a little simple observation.

Have a great day!

This was taken from the July 2nd edition of the Texarkana Gazette.

ATLANTA, Texas — Juanita Forbes Kirkland, 85, of Douglassville, Texas, died Tuesday, July 1, 2008, in Texarkana, Texas.

Mrs. Kirkland was born Nov. 16, 1922 in Black Jack community, Texas. She was a teacher’s assistant with Atlanta ISD and a member of Piney Grove Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, R. B. Kirkland; and one grandson, Shannon Simmons.

Survivors include two daughters, Betty Simmons of Douglassville and Winnie Malley of Lindale, Texas; two brothers, Jerry Forbes of Grand Saline, Texas and Calvin Forbes of Woodlawn, Texas; one sister, Patricia Spangler of Dallas; six grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren, Jordan Campbell and Kanyon Compton; one special friend, Betty Winchester; and a number of other relatives.

Services will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Piney Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. Chris Cowan officiating. Burial will be in Corinth Cemetery under direction of Hanner Funeral Service.

Online registration is at www.hannerfuneralservice.com.

I will be busy for the next few days so there will most likely be little posting!

I know I have missed the deadline for the Carnival of Genealogy but I still want to post this about my aunt Juanita!

Juanita Eudora Delcinia Forbes was born on November 16, 1922. She was born in a little place called Potter’s Point, Texas. It was just a little community by Caddo Lake where all those who were working on the oil pipeline were living. It no longer exists today.

Aunt Juanita lived a good life but, as you can tell by her birthdate, she was born and raised in a very trying time for our nation. She was born during what would become Prohibition and became a teenager during the Great Depression. I never really discussed this much with her and I really wish I had. Perhaps it was something to do with the time she was born and perhaps it was just something bred inside of her but Aunt Juanita was always a very independent woman. You would definitely say she stood out among the family. However, everyone respected her and a lot of us, myself included, admired her!

Aunt Juanita was forced into some situations that were not of her own choosing. She was married in 1939 and was about 4 months pregnant when her mother died in February of 1940. Being the oldest of 8 children, she took on the responsibility of looking out for her younger siblings, one of which was only 6 months old at the time of her mother’s death. Still, Aunt Juanita stuck to what she believed and did the best she could with what she had.

It is strange when I sit back and think about it. Aunt Juanita was married and raising her child as well as her littlest sister and looking out for her other siblings. All this time there was drinking and gambling and all kinds of other things going on around her. My Uncle Bill ran a still right by where they were. Amazingly, my Aunt Juanita was able to overcome all of this and establish that if you were going to visit her house, you were to respect her rules! No smoking, no drinking, no cussing and no gambling! She was a very devout and some might say “hardcore” Baptist. Everyone respected her wishes though and I believe everyone looked forward to going to see her as much as anyone else because you knew she was the “real deal”!

I remember when I was younger and we would go visit Grandpa that I always loved Aunt Juanita’s cooking. She would go out to the garden and pick fresh vegetables and make some of the best meals. The one and only time I ever ate Polk Salad was when I was visiting Aunt Juanita! Even the last time I visited her she was wanting to try to get us something nice to eat but I wouldn’t have it. She was so sick at the time!

She spent the last 21 years of her life living by herself. She didn’t want it any other way. The man she had loved all her life had gone before her and she didn’t want to share that love with anyone else! She took care of the house, mowed the yard, did everything that most folks would do, well up into her 80s. She didn’t complain. She always was thankful for what she had! Oh if I could be just half of what she was!

On Tuesday of this week I got a call at 7:30 in the morning. It was my Aunt Winnie, the youngest of the siblings and the one who Aunt Juanita had raised as her own. She was calling me to tell me that my Aunt Juanita had gone home to be with the Lord! At first, all I could do was cry! I thought of all I wish I would have asked her about and how much I was going to miss just listening to her talk about the old days. I thought of all the fun times we had had visiting with her and how much it was going to tear my children apart to know that their great-aunt Juanita was gone. Then I thought about how she was no longer suffering and that she had lived a full and happy life. It was then I was able to smile and be thankful that I was blessed enough to at least know her!

It won’t be the same without her! I really don’t know what will become of the old homeplace. It was so unusual to drive so far to go to a place that probably had a population of about 100 or so. Yet, we looked forward to visiting as often as we could. It was just something about Aunt Juanita that made you look forward to seeing her. Life will go on and people will still go about business as usual but there will always be a little blank spot in my heart!

I will miss you Aunt Juanita! I feel I know where you are at tonight and if you can hear me, I want to say one last time that “I Love You”! I will miss sharing those special moments together and all the wisdom that you imparted to me over the last few years. Thank you so much for being willing to share your life with not only me, but with my children also. I never knew they were as close to you as they are until today! Know that Joseph would have hopped a plane and been her today to see you but I had to tell him no. Julia just cried and cried. Jessica is being strong but you can tell it’s tearing her up inside. You made a great impression on many people, more than even you yourself could realize.

I look forward to when we can meet again!

Hi everyone!

I just need to drop in and ramble a while today. I’ve had lots of stuff happening lately and I wanted to fill everyone in on a few things.

First off, we have cancelled our move. We encountered a few unexpected snags and decided it wasn’t worth it to move right now. Of course, you always seem to pay the price no matter what. My landlord had no problem with us staying but decided he wanted to raise the rent by $50. Whatever!

I’ve finally got most of my computer up and running again after my little virus scare. I hate having to reformat and then reinstall everything. I’m sure that I will still find more things that I have overlooked but for the most part I have got everything going for now. Also, fortunately, I haven’t lost anything as of yet. I am still moving some things around from my second hard drive but I believe that it was spared the virus and moving all my pictures and such has worked for me. Fortunately, I didn’t have to move .exe files, which would probably have been infected.

One thing I am doing now is reorganizing my genealogy folders. Since I am making a fresh start I figured why not just do some of the things I have been putting off? I do have a backup of most of my genealogy now and I am hoping to finish my pictures this weekend. I will also look into obtaining a backup service, such as Mozy, this weekend.

I also need to take the time to re-examine whether I will be able to contribute to the Carnival of Genealogy this time around as well as the I Smile For The Camera carnival. I really enjoy contributing but I seem to have so much on my plate at the moment. I’m sure I will be able to come up with something.

So, there you have it. Things are quite busy right now! I’m also trying to figure ways to cut some things in my budget because my promotion at work has turned into a demotion. It’s strange how you can take a promotion, get an almost $400 a month raise and then within 2 months it goes to making $100 a month less than you were in your old job. Unfortunately, I’m stuck in that job until at least October but I do know that I will eventually get away from it. You know what they say about the best laid plans …

I wish you all a very good weekend and I will try to continue posting as much as possible.

TTFN

Well, it happens to everyone and it hasn’t happened to me in several years now but I guess it was just my turn!

Monday night I came home from work (actually, early Tuesday morning!) and decided I would check some stuff on the computer. I typed in my password and logged on and the first thing I got was a big, red box saying “Trojan.Win32.Monder has been detected”! Wow! Welcome home, huh?

Anyways, I went through several of these and my antivirus program was deleting them as they came up. I then ran my Ad-Aware software and it found several instances and deleted them. Restarted the computer and, guess what? Yep, same thing! I messed around for a while and finally went to bed. I tried again the next afternoon before work and never could get rid of it. I was so frustrated. All my genealogy, pictures and other important info was on this computer and none of it had been backed up! I have been so busy lately that I probably haven’t done a backup in 6 months now! I wish I had taken the time to listen to all the folks who have been writing about the need to backup!

Well, today I did it! I formatted my hard drive and reinstalled Windows and now I am back in business. The virus is gone and everything seems to be OK! What happened to my research and the rest of it? It’s OK! At least it seems to be. I have a second hard drive and I moved all my images and such to that hard drive and have been scanning them as I move them back. No infections yet. Of course, they are mostly .jpg or .tiff files and a few gedcoms.

But what if? What if I didn’t have that second hard drive to move that to? I really would suggest to everyone that you should look into backing up your information. You don’t have to lose it in a natural disaster. Sometimes it could be as simple as your children logging on to MySpace and doing something that they shouldn’t do! It only takes a moment and you could lose everything.

There have been several good posts about backing up your research lately. I would highly suggest you do a search on blogger for those posts and take advantage of the knowledge of a few who have lost everything or have came very close to losing everything (research wise). I know I will be checking in to Mozy sometime this weekend.

Hi everyone!

I am just checking in to let everyone know that there will probaby be periods of slow to no blogging in the next 2 or 3 weeks. I’ve grown tired of the problems and this house and, since I am renting, I have decided it is time to relocate.

This week my wife, daughters and I will be getting things together to have a “Garage Sale” on Saturday! No since moving something if I don’t need it!

The following week we will finish packing and moved the weekend of July 4th. I guess you can say I am getting my independence from the spider, termite and strange looking worm infestation and leaky roofs. That’s not to mention the abundance of wasps and such that seem to make their way into our home! Oh, yes, let’s not mention going outside to be greeted by water mocassins and other snakes!

So, with all this going on, I will attempt to blog if I find something interesting to post. With all my research being packed up and being busy taking care of other stuff, I doubt I will find time. I will definitely try to make time for the Carnival of Genealogy!

Here’s wishing you all the best and I will be missing you all while I am gone!

TTFN