Family
Last week a couple packages arrived. One from my grandparents, and one from Becca's grandmother. The one from my grandfolks had some of grandpa's tie pins, including a nice Egyptian one bought at the Tut exhibit in the 70's. There was also some jewelry made by grandma for Becca. I'm glad grandma and the other Red Hat Ladies get together and play with beads and wires and things, but I hope she wasn't intending this to be what Rebecca wears for the wedding. Not that it's hideous or anything, but it really doesn't quite match the theme. The box also contained some Disney merchandise that was being regifted. It's a good thing they already bought us china, because a regifted set of four Mickey Mouse-headed cheese knives really would not have done as a wedding present.
In contrast, the package from Becca's grandma was full of old family treasures and guilt. An ancient box for calling cards or CDV's. A little gnomish doll of great sentimental value to a departed female ancestor. The least tattered of Grandpa Lease's remaining monogrammed handkerchiefs. And a delicate French teacup and saucer with handpainted violets. When she decided to give us the teacup (her letter reads) she first put it away out of sight in a cupboard so that she could get used to not seeing it any more. Augh!
Sunday we were visited by Dad and Lois. Rebecca has asked Lois to handle her make-up for the wedding, so a trial run was undertaken. Lois's little travelcase for make-up resembled a steamer trunk in size. It was pretty impressive. While Dad and I watched some football, they got busy with the spackle and trowels. But it certainly turned out nicely, with even some slight visible reminders of Rebecca's actual face.
Afterwards, the four of us met up with Craig and Jaime at Jerry's Deli and had a good lunch. From there we hit Robinson's Beautilities so people could scope out costume ideas and peripherals. Dad and Lois once again announced that they're on the lookout for some leatherbound books (for decorative purposes only!) so I steered them toward Sam: Johnson's, which is close to Robinson's. Then we headed back for home and left them to their browsing.
The grandparently packages also spurred me into some long-delayed activity. Namely, genealogy. Rebecca had once computerized her lengthy geneaology, but it was lost in the great crash of the 199-something or other. I knew it was a sore loss, and with the continuing deluge of heirlooms from Grandma Lease, it was getting more and more difficult to keep track of what came from whom. So working in secret, I have now restored her family tree.
I've gone through just about all of the data in her genealogy folder, but looking online, there is a cornucopia of additional information out there on the Strong family and its many descendants. My collector-urge to be complete is warring with my sanity at this point. I will merely point out a couple of Rebecca's distant cousins who are also direct descendants of Elder John Strong. Indeed, they're a little closer than that, since Preserved Strong is a direct ancestor of Becca.
By adding our hairy baby, Changeling, I've linked my family tree to Rebecca's and now have the unenviable task of trying to add a little more detail to my own family. I've got some good info on my mother's mother's side. And a little bit on the Tice side, which hopefully I can work back until I can join it up with 4. Hans Matthias (4) Theiss, who was the first 'Tice' to come to America, settling in the area where there are still some distant Tice relatives living to this day.
In contrast, the package from Becca's grandma was full of old family treasures and guilt. An ancient box for calling cards or CDV's. A little gnomish doll of great sentimental value to a departed female ancestor. The least tattered of Grandpa Lease's remaining monogrammed handkerchiefs. And a delicate French teacup and saucer with handpainted violets. When she decided to give us the teacup (her letter reads) she first put it away out of sight in a cupboard so that she could get used to not seeing it any more. Augh!
Sunday we were visited by Dad and Lois. Rebecca has asked Lois to handle her make-up for the wedding, so a trial run was undertaken. Lois's little travelcase for make-up resembled a steamer trunk in size. It was pretty impressive. While Dad and I watched some football, they got busy with the spackle and trowels. But it certainly turned out nicely, with even some slight visible reminders of Rebecca's actual face.
Afterwards, the four of us met up with Craig and Jaime at Jerry's Deli and had a good lunch. From there we hit Robinson's Beautilities so people could scope out costume ideas and peripherals. Dad and Lois once again announced that they're on the lookout for some leatherbound books (for decorative purposes only!) so I steered them toward Sam: Johnson's, which is close to Robinson's. Then we headed back for home and left them to their browsing.
The grandparently packages also spurred me into some long-delayed activity. Namely, genealogy. Rebecca had once computerized her lengthy geneaology, but it was lost in the great crash of the 199-something or other. I knew it was a sore loss, and with the continuing deluge of heirlooms from Grandma Lease, it was getting more and more difficult to keep track of what came from whom. So working in secret, I have now restored her family tree.
I've gone through just about all of the data in her genealogy folder, but looking online, there is a cornucopia of additional information out there on the Strong family and its many descendants. My collector-urge to be complete is warring with my sanity at this point. I will merely point out a couple of Rebecca's distant cousins who are also direct descendants of Elder John Strong. Indeed, they're a little closer than that, since Preserved Strong is a direct ancestor of Becca.
By adding our hairy baby, Changeling, I've linked my family tree to Rebecca's and now have the unenviable task of trying to add a little more detail to my own family. I've got some good info on my mother's mother's side. And a little bit on the Tice side, which hopefully I can work back until I can join it up with 4. Hans Matthias (4) Theiss, who was the first 'Tice' to come to America, settling in the area where there are still some distant Tice relatives living to this day.