Today I am grateful for another day of sun,
warmer temperatures in the mid 20's
and my computer and Internet connection.
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I spent every day in October and a few in November on Ancestry.com. I already had extensive information on my family's genealogy, but I wanted to go in and search and see if I could find out more--for once and all. I did. A few more generations back.I had paid for a month's subscription, so I had to be diligent and find everything I could in that time frame.
In January, one day I was pondering ( I do that a lot, you've noticed) on how, instead of pages of birth dates, and marriage dates and death dates, I wanted to write my family history in story form. Tell the stories I had heard or read of family members. I could do that and get it printed out for my kids and sister.
How to do that? Well, Wednesday I decided to use Book Blurb. I chose a large book format with a spiral closure. Then, I downloaded their template for that size book and yesterday afternoon, I dragged out my father's family genealogy 5" ring binder and started in.
I put it off my left elbow on a TV tray so I could leaf through it. By six last night, I realized that I was hooked and obsessed with this project.
I got up at 9:00 this morning, threw the ingredients for chili into the Crock Pot, came in here and started in. My stomach growled and I noticed it was 12:30. I took a break, ate lunch, watched my soap and back in here at 2:00--stopping at 7:30 to watch Jeopardy.
Obsessed is right. Losing all track of time. Away from the world. This is the first time in a very long time that I have been in the mood to write anything. I have nearly finished my "How To" book, but have lost interest in it with this project. AND I am having a ball!!
Searching for pictures stored on my computer. Finding and scanning pictures from the 5" ring binder. Editing photos in PicMonkey. Writing the stories of these people, the memories I have of them, putting the correct photos on the correct pages.
It took me a while to figure out how to use the templates, but I think I've got it now.
I so love the spirit of my pioneering ancestors! My own Grandma, my Daddy's mother, wanted to learn how to drive a car. The menfolk in the family didn't think that was necessary, so every day for a month, when they went off in the fields to work, she'd back their Ford Touring car out of the garage and drive up and down the driveway. She was a strong and determined woman, having gone to college in 1910 and earning her teaching certificate. All of her strength and determination, was a good thing as she was widowed at age 48 and continued to run the farm and their business for another 20 years--all by herself!!
When I get to the part where my Mother comes into the family, I will get out my other 4" ring binder and do her ancestor's history.
I am now on page 35 of this epic book. How I will ever be able to afford to get it printed is beyond me, but that is not something I am worrying about now!!
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Look at this. Marie Callender little Coconut Cream pie. Two in a box--frozen. Zap for 15 seconds and enjoy. Boy--it was delish!!
Those pies look great!
ReplyDeleteDid you look at mycanvas.com to build your book? I think they are better for genealogy books than Blurb. (Blurb is great for text heavy books.) You can upload your ancestry tree and anything you have at Ancestrys up to your book. And the software to build the book is not on your computer like it is with Blurb. If your computer crashes with Blurb before you publish, your work would be gone, not true with mycanvas. Also, after you publish Blurb will prune it from their system one year after your last order where mycanvas doesn't. There are more bells and whistles to play with at mycanvas, too. Before you get any farther, I'd suggest you try mycanvas, compare the two then you can delete the one you don't want to use.
Your book is gong to be awesome! But editing it down might be hard. Consider two. That's what I did...my dad's side of the family in one, and my mother's side the other. In fact, I just finished proofing my last book at mycanvas and will get it printed soon.
I am going to email you a link to one of mycanvas family history books so you can see the bells and whistles and how I mixed family stories with photos and documents. So when you see an invitation to preview a book, it's not spam.
YAY!!! Yes please!
DeleteWhat a lovely gift for the rest of your family. I have 'done' most of my family tree and have loads of photos etc all of the place. Unfortunately it's all disorganised across several files and nobody but me can follow it.
ReplyDeleteMaybe next year... once I'm a 'free woman'.. it would be a good winter project. Jx
Your kids are going to love this. They'll cherish it even more when you're gone. What a tremendous amount of work, but I can tell that you're enjoying it. My DIL did some research on ancestry.com. I had a lot of info. to give her before she started. My aunt did a lot of research before ancestry.com existed. That was tough and time consuming. That helped my DIL get started. Such a worthwhile project and so nice of her to get involved with it.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe in waiting until we're gone to share family history books. Do it while you're alive and they can ask questions if they want. Offer them the opportunity to order their own copy, of your book, Judy They've got more money than you do. The more copies that are around, the more the research is likely to survive.
DeleteI'm very glad you're into something so enjoyable! :)
ReplyDeletexoxo
What a GREAT idea!! I love thinking of all of my relatives that my grandma always talked about. I've often thought I should write in ancestry.com all the stories I remember before I completely lose my memory!! I'll have to check out the bookblurb or mycanvas. What fun.
ReplyDelete