An Obsession with ...

history.  I've always had it; I was even a history major in college until I realized it wasn't a viable source of steady income should I need to fall upon my own resources. And it wasn't just the history in books; family members who came before me fascinated me.  Names my parents brought up in conversation, names written with old fashioned pen and ink in dusty books--they came alive in my head and I longed to know about them.  

Last year I mentioned going to a family reunion on my father's side and coming away with questions which resulted in my joining Ancestry.com.  I spent countless hours pouring over records and discovered a lot.  I ended up with three different family trees:  one for my dad's family, one for my mom's and one for Dan's. During this time Dan was often out of town, so I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning and the time flew. After a month's time, I had totally burned myself out.  

Every so often over the last year I'd log onto Ancestry and find I couldn't bring myself to even start.  Until a few weeks ago.  I checked in, noticed I had some hints, and suddenly, I was off again.  I've found a number of pieces of information that eluded me last year and each discovery drove me on.  I've combed through old ships' passenger lists from the 1880's through the early 1900's and found names.  I've discovered naturalization papers that helped me find ships and dates.  Witnesses on marriage licenses have lead me to find information on other, formerly lost because of name changes, family members.  Wow!  

I've also discovered that some mysteries may never be solved.  Did you know that the 1890 census is gone? On January 10, 1921, a fire in the Commerce Department building, Washington, DC, resulted in the destruction of most of the 1890 census. That leaves a big hole in family trees--twenty years between 1880 and 1900. What happened to Dad's great-grandfather after he moved to California? And in Dan's family, his great-grandparents came to American from Scotland after 1880 and both died before 1900. No official records for them but we have been blessed with their family Bible and have much information there.

I feel like I have had a crash course in research and investigation. Chris Miller, P.I. Every time I feel I can't go any further, one more little crumb falls and I'm off again. And I'm certain more records are coming to light with each passing day. And the moral to this little confession? Write. Stuff. Down. Label photos, fill in those pages in your Bible; you know, the ones that say Marriages, Births, Deaths. Someday, someone will want to know and your information will help them.

It's amazing what's on the internet. Here's a picture of the Oscar II, the ship my mom's dad sailed on from Christiania (now Oslo), Norway in 1906, when he was a young man of just twenty.  

Meanwhile, I'm hoping to avoid joining Family Historians Anonymous. For now, I'm just saying, "Hello. My name is Chris M. and I'm a history nut." ♥

A New Table Runner

I've finally gotten down to my sewing room, and I just finished a runner for the shop featuring the Honeycrisp line of fabric from Dear Stella and the Waffle Time pattern by Atkinson Designs.  It's the perfect runner for August and September when you want something late summer/fallish without pumpkins.  

The pattern is the perfect showcase for that gorgeous fabric in the center.  It's too beautiful to cut into smaller pieces.  Feels good to be sewing!  ♥

Nothin' Much . . .

is going on here, hence the lack of posts.  Cooking, dusting (well, that's pretty amazing!), ironing, laundry; that about says it all.  And you thought the fun never ended here at Miller's Last Resort.  

I did capture this picture of the full moon rising over the butte the other night.  It was beautiful!  Love, love, love summer evenings.  What a gift!  ♥

  

Jammy Grammy Stitches Again!

The phone rang last Tuesday and it was Ann, asking if Jammy Grammy was still in business.  I said, "Of course she is!"  The weather had heated up and little Daniel was in need of some summer jammies--my specialty.  

I found some fabric left from the big boys jammies a few years ago and was able to stitch up a pair in short order. Ha ha, short order--get it?  :-)  A trip to Wally World netted me a pack of little white t-shirts and I embroidered a matching design so I could deliver a set before they left for a vacation at the lake.  

I had to shop for more fabric for the next two pair, and found the perfect embroidery designs to match.

They'll be back tomorrow night and I'll be able to deliver them to the little man.  I think he'll like them!  (By the way, when I finished the little blue boxers, I realized they were my 48th pair!!  I think it may be some kind of record?  And yes, I've kept track:  I started in 2002 with a little pair for Ryan and from then on he, Cameron, and Keaton got new sets as needed.)

Happy 4th of July!

God bless America, land that I love, 
Stand beside her and guide her 
Through the night with a light from above. 
From the mountains, to the prairies, 
To the oceans white with foam, 
God bless America, 
My home sweet home. 

-- Irving Berlin

July, And It's Summer!

Just snapped this photo a few minutes ago.  

Yes, here in the west it's HOT, even in our corner of the world.  I am so thankful for air conditioning!  Of the four houses we've owned, two had it and two didn't.  If I have a choice, we always will.  Heat and I have never gotten along--it makes me physically ill and always has.  In the old (olden??) days when I was growing up, I tried to hang out in the coolest, darkest corner of our house and just read.  Thankfully the pool was close, so afternoons were spent there most days and that seems to work, too. Later, when we spent our summers at a Forest Service Ranger Station, the river ran right beside it, so afternoons were spent at the beach.  Beautiful, cool, clear water!  Well, I'm too old the public pool (don't want to frighten the children!), and no river runs by, so our air-conditioned house in the answer.

I finished a new little project the other day using the leftovers from the small patriotic Schnibbles quilt I made for the living room.  Our family room continues to be morphing back to it's original function (more on that in a minute), and I decided the chest Dan made years ago for a coffee table needed a little runner to spruce it up. 

I like it!  Just the umph needed to make me smile.  Yes, gentle readers, the family room is now just a family room. If you'll remember, about a month ago I was frustrated and attacked some areas to improve what had become the "dump room."  Well, it seems I inspired my sweetie, too, because he decided to move his office to a bedroom down the hall.  He'd been intending to do it for years, but you know how that goes.  Later.  :-)  Anyway, over a series of days, the area where he's worked for the last five-plus years was cleared and it's made such a difference!!  I am in love with that room again!  I keep going down there and watching TV (DVR is the greatest!!!) and fluffing the pillows on the sofa! 

Life is good.  ♥

Catchin' Up (Again)

I don't know why I get in non-wordy moods, but I do.  I'll tell myself it's way past blog time, and I'll answer, with, "And so?"  (I'm wordy like that.)  Anyway, I've forced myself to start a new post, so we'll see what develops.  

In the new truck category, I'm pleased to report that we're getting all the gizmos figured out.  Dan is loving his new ride, and I'm so glad because every now and then I feel like I hounded him into buying it.  

Meanwhile, to our complete amazement, we've entered the twenty-first century TV viewing-wise and actually have a DVR now.  We got it last Thursday and it took until Sunday night for me to have enough time to try to figure it out.  Fortunately, Ann and Eric have one and I've used it when Daniel says, "Want to watch George?" (That would be Curious George.  And yes, Grammy would.)  I was quite dismayed to discover, however, that we had been supplied with a DVR that had belonged to someone else until quite recently, because it was almost full.   Of questionable content.  Ugh.  So I spent my first hour of use figuring out how to remove the programs.  (And for those of you wondering, yes I did let the provider know of my unhappiness and they offered to do several things to make it up to us.)    I am happy to say that I have successfully recorded several shows so I'm on my way to becoming proficient with this new machine.

I told Dan I don't know what's gotten in to us, but in addition to the new truck and the DVR, we also bought a new camera.  So far, I've been able to take photos and get them on the computer, so that's encouraging.  

And last, we now have caller ID!!  Now when "Rachel, from Card Services" calls, I can just ignore her!  What a gift!  

And so, that's today's update here at the (new and improved) resort!  ♥