Old and cold!!

Forty degrees at one o’clock (according to TV weather report because my indoor-outdoor thermometer isn’t working). Five inches of rain the past couple of days (and that’s a guesstimate because my rain gauge is cracked–from old age). The rain has played havoc with WiFi–Internet so for reasons just stated I’m not climbing the family tree. ~~ Not complaining; reporting the facts.

I’m not a statistic yet (PRAISE THE LORD!!) but many “cousins”  have passed away. Honestly, I need to be nine people. One of me could document the obituaries while another tries to resolve the recent frustrating computer problems. One of me could fix a tasty meal and “tidy up” my trailer home. A braver  “me” would go grocery shopping. The fifth old lady would take better care of her health after recent strange problems (but not Covid-19). Seriously, one of me should be “downsizing” by donating to the appropriate libraries and thrift shops. “The next guy” won’t know what to do with my genealogy and memorabilia. (I don’t want it to end up in the dumpster!!) ~~ I should devote time to writing stories because “stories” are always present while I’m “climbing the family tree.”  One story will appear in the April 2021 issue of Mennonite Family History—and I tried to copy it here (“Grafted on the Frantz Family Tree”) but I’ve lost my knack for copy and paste (this is so embarrassing). (Truthfully, “knack”  isn’t the problem; it was sent meant for my review.) FYI: While preparing this message, another obituary arrived in my email!!

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Three more obituaries arrived in my email-box since I published the above earlier today. This is so sad!! “Cousins by the dozens.”

At first, I considered documenting the words “So long it’s been good to know ya“  but the words refer to a different era. According to Wikipedia, the song was written the same year I was born. “Twenty-twenty” may be the year I die if the Coronavirus comes calling. For many months, I’ve been extremely cautious and felt I was avoiding contact with people and places where it might be. Then a careless, inconsiderate resident caught it and recklessly gave it to others. Perhaps a better valediction is “Thanks for the Memory.”

The previous blog message sounds like I expired? I prepared the message many weeks ago—and scheduled it—because I feared I might fall victim to the Coronavirus (due to neighbor). I’m AOK!! At that time (weeks ago), I just wanted to say “farewell.”

“The old lady” inflicted the pain on herself!! Sunday morning (yesterday) started (about 5:00 AM) with her walking around the RV Park taking pictures of the Christmas lights. Then (about 7:00) more pictures with the lights and early-morning daylight. Then: Many hours at the computer compiling pictures from November 16th until the present. The plan: An “album” of pictures that the viewer could watch scroll across their computer screen (or “smartphone” screen?). The album looks good but “the old lady” was unable to make it available to a viewer. She tried everything she knew… and contacted her “computer savvy” cousin for assistance. A dozen email messages were exchanged and his instructions were followed. The villain is Google!! It is “blocking'” the publication of the album. Eyes, neck, and shoulder pain forced the photographer-blogger to bed about midnight. “Elder abuse?!”

“Concord Estates Christmas Lights 2020.”  I’ve spent almost the entire day working with pictures of  “yes”  Christmas lights. I believed I prepared an “album” with 103 pictures from the day we started decorating (mid-November) until 7:00 AM this morning “dawn” pictures. I can’t access the album (if it exists). I ended up with this callage.

Two programs: A few pictures and a link to the Korean performers, and a link to Andrea Bocelli program.

https://watch.tbn.org/videos/andrea-bocelli-the-heart-of-christmas

Forgive me; I misspelled the name when I prepared the pictures.

“Yours truly” was still “up” at midnight but this time the television had her attention and not Ancestry.com. I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen (for three hours). ~~~~ No further comment.

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Seriously, I was planning to “do things around the house”  and ignore Ancestry.com. However, a cousin pointed out some errors in my database and I feel compelled to correct them (before I forget them). “Old lady” is losing her sight, hearing, and memory!! Nobody sees my dirty, cluttered home but folks “see” my database!!

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Yes, my brain is spinning. The confusion stems from “similar names” in the same community. I’m not convinced that I have corrected the errors in my database (and that troubles me).