sandraleecleary

Yep, that’s where I’ve been. As you can tell I’ve been away from my computer for almost three weeks. Oh, I took work with me, but, well, I really was busy. Really I was.

Grandson and myself getting feet wet in the Pacific Ocean at Santa Monica Beach. The water was really cold, too!

My grandson had to be in Los Angeles for the talent showcase. He was meeting with agents, managers, and directors. I learned a lot myself, but he was able to show off his acting ability. I think he learned quite a bit himself.

I’m rooting for him!

Besides being his support I was able to visit with one of my grandsons and his children who I don’t get to see very often. That was a blessing. On the home front, well, hubby kept busy at work and then at home with our dogs. Guess they missed me, just a little bit. Now it’s back to work and try to catch up. I have three weeks worth of obits to post so must get with it.

Until then…………………..

Usually it takes me an hour to add the obituaries to my blog. I add them because there are those out there working on their ancestry and the obit will tell them a little bit more about their ancestor. I look for obits a lot!

Normally I do not read all of the obits but every now and then I can’t help myself. One will catch my eye and I have to read it. I like to read about other people and what they did in their life, where did they go, who did they marry. Who knows, maybe I’ll find one of my ancestors in the obits I put on line. Yeah, right. But it could happen. Just saying….

I have one dog at my feet, one dog in her bed and one laying in the wingback chair sleeping. The one in the chair will raise her head every now and then just to make sure I haven’t left her. What rotten dogs!

I haven’t worked on my family tree for quite a few days. I mean really worked on it. It’s in bits and pieces. Just imagine what I could do if I’d direct all my attention to my tree. I might even find the missing link! Every time I think I’m close I realize I’m not and it’s back to the drawing board. Can’t wait to shout it out when I find the missing piece. So guess I’ll stop this thinking out loud and get to working.

Until then……………………..

Here it is March. I feel like I’m falling behind, way behind. Still working on my query letters and summary to send out to publishers. Not feeling comfortable about it but I have to make the big plunge. Oh wait, I don’t like getting my face under water. OOPS, this is different!

All kidding aside, I’ve got to get this done this week. I’m off to Los Angeles in a few weeks. I’m excited. The grandson is in a talent showcase and I’m really hoping I’m going to get to meet this person who is a producer, director, and screen writer. I’ve tried getting together with him on several different occasions but it hasn’t happened. Think I’m gonna corner him this time! I’m taking his momma with me!

So, today, I’m secretary for hubby plus trying to get my things together. Too many things going on!

Until then my friend ……………………….

Oh my goodness, it’s finished! Katie is finished! Now then, I’m in my last (at least I hope it’s my last) edit. I’ll print and go over again, just to make sure there’s no mistakes.

AND, then, get my letters out to agents. I have to build the book up so they have to publish. Of, course, it’s a best seller. Okay, we all think our baby is the cutest, brightest, you get the picture.

So, with no further ado–I must take pen in hand. OOPS, that’s put the glasses on and pen in hand and go over the rest of the manuscript to flush out the boo boos.

Will keep you all posted.

Until then……………………..

Hubby and I had a serious talk about my writing and chasing my lineage. I told him the book was finished, I need to find a publisher, and I’m ready to start on the next book. He said well I hope it doesn’t take as long as the first one. Every time you get a nibble on your parentage you drop writing and go chasing names, places, and etc.

I know he’s right, but, I’m so close to possibly finding who my father is. I know I have the initial names, it’s just figuring out which one met up with my mother. That’s where I’m stumped.

I have a second cousin on 23 and me, no name, no names, no nothing. I sent a message and asked if they would like to work with me to see where the connection is. It very well may be from my mother’s line. I have a LOT of cousins from my mother’s Barnes line that have done their DNA. I finally found some Greens (mom’s maiden name) that have had their DNA done, too.

Now on Ancestry I have about seven matches that I know have to be from my father’s side because none of those names comes up on my brother’s or sister’s matches. We three have different fathers. So you can see I’m interested in finding the one match that is mine and mine alone. My rainbow.

I will keep you posted.

Until then……………………………….

Recently I went to a Spurs basketball game and was lucky enough to get a seat right down front. What a different view from the one you get in the nosebleed section. Anyway what intrigued me was the men who were on each corner of the court plus several standing on each end of the court. The security men in black suits. Men In Black!

All kidding aside, I couldn’t help but to watch every time one of the teams called time out how these few men got up from their seats and made their way to their particular station to stand guard. No smiling, no turning their heads from side to side, eyes straight ahead watching the crowd.

Mentally, the writer in me, was writing a story about the Men In Black. How they were on the look out for one person who had sent threatening letters to one player. Etc., etc., etc. You get the picture.

Then I had to remind myself I was there for the game. Yea Spurs won! But, again, I was getting deep into a story line. I wonder if those Men In Black would give a writer a few free minutes on how they keep people safe. I wonder………

Until then………………

I was going to get so much done this month. Really, I was. I’m still working on revisions on my last chapter of Katie. That’s been pretty slow going.

My hubby installed the new computer and that set me back a LOT. I need to go take a class on windows eight. I’m so confused. I can’t figure out how to get into documents—urrgghhhh! I did go back to working on my laptop as I can figure out windows seven.

Plus I’ve been working on genealogy again, only because I am frustrated with the computer. I’m also helping my friend figure out her DNA through Family Tree DNA. She made a copy of the people who are likely close relatives so I’ve been on Ancestry.com looking into some of the names. I’ve got some pretty good info for her.

Anyway, back to work. Until then……………….

Who am I kidding. Everyday is a genealogy work day. If I have five minutes on the computer I start looking for names, places, anything that comes to mind. I haven’t had much luck lately. BUT, last night I was going through my pictures of cemeteries and got carried away. I did find an interesting photo.

I found a picture of my mother having a picnic with probably a girlfriend and two men. Obviously the man laying down is probably with the girlfriend but the gentleman sitting across from my mother must be with her. I would think so anyway. The little boy is my uncle, my mother’s brother. In all of the pictures I’ve looked at so far I have not seen this man before. I would say the picture was taken in the 1941/1942 time frame. I say this because my uncle was born in 1937 and it looks like he is probably four years old. I was born in late 1942 and I’m not with my mother in the picture. It also looks like the picture was taken during the summer months, probably Jul-Aug time frame. And the place was probably Austin, Minnesota.

I’m learning to be a good detective. At least I hope I’m getting some of this down right. So now comes the big question. Who is this man????

Other deductions—my DNA comes up with two names that keep coming up to me. Mattocks and Kinsel. Could this man be the one??? So more searching, detective work, and asking more questions.

Will keep you posted. Until then……………………………..

I can truthfully say that I’ve not touched any writing for the month of December. Too many holidays, too many places to go, so much company, cooking, baking, and the such.

It’s time to get back into the groove! Today, slow but sure, but with twenty minutes each day, I can knock out the last bit of my rewrites! It’s just like anything else, if you’ve slacked off something, it’s hard to get back in it again. Writing is no different.

So…I’ll be spoiling my newest great grandbaby tomorrow, and will get back on writing on Thu. Ok, it’s the tenth great and I have to spoil him now before he gets too big.

Until then…………………….

I’d like to think it was a new me, but when I looked in the mirror this morning, it was still me. I do not make new year’s resolutions because like most of us, I don’t, can’t or won’t keep them. Loose weight-check. Been there, done that, still need to loose the weight. Keep a cleaner house-check. Been there, done that, too. The house is still messy. I call it cluttered. I have a couple of dogs. They mess it up!

I say this every year, but this year is THE year. The book is going to be published. I can feel it in my bones. Oh, wait, that’s the weather telling me it’s cold outside. They’re a creekin’. Seriously, the book is in the final rewrite stage. (I hope)!

Another project, getting my hubby’s genealogy book put together. I’ve got a rough draft but I have quite a bit more to do to it. I need to find some pictures, more documents, etc.

Then there is life that takes over more than I’d like to think it does. Time with the grandchildren. Travel, hubby, travel, friends, church, and did I mention travel?

So until the next time…………………HAPPY NEW YEAR YA’LL!!!