…and I can’t sleep!!

Yesterday was a potpourri of activities. (1) Another load of laundry, (2) lengthy conversations with two separate visitors, (3) lawn and garden repetitious stuff, etc., etc. Interspersed… time at the computer working on a challenging “family tree” mystery. “Who is Catherine Leedy?”  Ancestry Member Family Trees have copied one another’s erroneous information and list her as the mother of Abraham Miller’s children. She is the second wife after my ancestor (first cousin, five times removed), Salome Frantz, passed away. The second marriage is documented in my book Frantz Families–Kith & Kin (published in 1996) and my information came from earlier printed material. “People” don’t do research any more (?!); “people” copy “the other guy.” Someday I hope my Ancestry “tree” is so well documented, people copy my material. (My legacy?)

I won’t bore the reader with details of my many unique Ancestry searches. Was her maiden name “Leedy”? Was she previously married to a man named “Leedy”? No answer… so I checked valuable old material. Sadly, still no answer! ~~ Most of the time, on Ancestry (or Family Search), I find many “sources” for the individuals in my “tree”; I don’t “copy”….

Enough is enough!! (Right??) Landlady has vehemently dictated I will NOT proceed with a water shutoff (or hot water tank). When frustrated and I want to bury my head in a project and ignore the outside world, I “climb the family tree.”  What better way to “ignore the outside world”  then a search for an obscure woman (women are more difficult to trace because they change their name). This Tuesday morning, I returned to my search for Catherine Leedy and ventured into previously unexplored databases. I’m exhausted (I didn’t get a good night’s sleep) and have resolved to turn my back on the “digging” project. Bye-bye Catherine.

The landlady is “going ballistic”  (according to her stepson) because I’m digging in the yard. “No way in hell she’s going to put in a shutoff.” ~~ Dear Journal (dear reader), that’s my “reward” for wanting to do a good deed for this property. (Being a good neighbor.) She’d have me arrested if she could!! ~~ I’m in so much pain, I can’t sleep. It’s 3:30 in the morning and I thought it better to get up and “do something” rather than toss and turn in bed. Guess I’ll climb a tree to take my mind off the stressful situation. (The plumber did not show up and that’s a blessing [in disguise] because “landlady” might have shot us if she saw a contractor’s truck in the driveway.)

On a positive note: (1) Cooler rainy weather and the air-conditioner has been “off” for hours. First time in about two months that I’ve been able to turn off the A/C. (2) Yesterday, a husband and wife saw my small “yard sale” sign and stopped by. They spent $15.00 and promised to come back with a truck for some larger items. (3) I loaded “donations” into the car and “almost” (repeat “almost”) delivered them to two favorite locations. (Habitat for Humanity doesn’t take clothes so “hardware” to them and “software” to another thrift shop.) I haven’t forgotten my vow “New tune in June” ; I’m working to “donate” and “discard.” (What’s a “catchy” theme for July??)

.

…to walk away from the stressful situation!

Twelve hours later and I’m comfortable with my resolve. My health is too important to sabotage.

A pleasant day–weatherwise–and many things accomplished outdoors. The plants–in planters–received their monthly dose of fertilizer. Inbetween “yard” projects, I did a load of laundry.  Before “forced” to wash with cold water, I ran a large load of very soapy water to clean the machine. Both my neighbors are unhealthy and I have to share the washer and dryer with them. I’d prefer “hot” water but hope a “large load of very soapy water”  will sanitize before I wash my clothes. I’m considering taking my laundry to the laundry room here at the RV Park. Expensive… but quite possibly worth every quarter?!

A small “yard sale” sign is displayed “twenty-four seven.”  The carport has been in disarray–until today. I reorganized… and swept the area. Occasionally a potential customer stops by so my items are now in “less disarray.”  I’ve refrained from advertising the yard sale (again) because the weather too hot and humid for folks to venture outdoors. Furthermore, I speculate the 4th of July holiday week wouldn’t attract shoppers. This morning I sprayed Fels Naptha solution on several plants that have bugs eating the leaves. In the past, I’ve written about making homemade natural products for insecticide and fertilizer. I “almost” fertilized the plants today because almost the first of the month. “Almost but not quite.”  I’ll fertilize in a day or two. ~~ It’s almost two o’clock and I’m waiting and watching for the plumber.  I think this will be “evaluate and estimate.” I’m hoping he’ll “do” the job another day so I can contact my neighbors and let them know the water will be shut off. (I won’t inconvenience the other folks on this well the way my landlady and her stepson inconvenienced us.)  ~~

;;

other

The response to my exhaustive search, and documentation, of the Neher  family.

Indoors, I conducted Google searches for small hot water heaters (for laundry room). Outdoors, I watered plants and picked up fallen limbs. Also washed the mud off the tools used yesterday to dig the hole. ~~ Mundane stuff!!

It’s been a week; I thought he wasn’t interested! A very pleasant surprise when he knocked on my door. Now, I believe enough dirt was removed so a plumber can install a shut-off. A plumber has been contacted and (tentatively) will arrive on Thursday. Furthermore, I’ll inquire about the cost to replace the hot water heater in the laundry room. Spend money; I can’t take it with me!!

Changing the subject: My lawyer lady-friend suggests my “Intentional Community”  is right here. “LOVE IT, DON’T LEAVE IT.” (Pretend the nasty landlady doesn’t exist. This evening, the “nasty landlady” sent her stepson to see “what the hell is she doing?”)

I’ve expressed my concern and sympathy in earlier blog messages.

Two weeks later.

A day later.

Look at my landlady’s “body language.” I mistakenly thought she departed with her stepson. I “keep my distance”; I use “telephoto” to “get up close.” I wished for more pictures… but rarely venture across the driveway. ~~ Suddenly “landlady” made her appearance–with hands on hips and scowl on her face.

Next door, major indoor plumbing problems started prior to early February. Several men were digging in hopes they’d find the water “shut off.“ (Unsuccessful.) The “indoor” problem wasn’t corrected until early May. By that time, water bubbling up through a crack in the cement, in the carport. Still no “shut off” to this property; many residents inconvenienced when the water turned off at the well.

“This old lady”  approached the digging project (twice) and successfully found water lines.

Yesterday, about seventeen hours straight “climbing the family tree.”  As I said recently, there isn’t a stopping point. If you were here, you would hear me groan occasionally. I search for the maiden name of the mother and “OMG” another Frantz woman, or another woman from a valuable collateral line. A couple days ago, “oh no,”  because I had connected to a family in my maternal family tree (from my paternal tree)!! **(“It’s a small world after all.”)**

This evening, Ancestry sent me an email message about possible additional information. I “captured” the image because (for me) it says a lot. I’m listing hundreds of names and I’m rewarded with hundreds of hints. I marvel at Ancestry‘s remarkable computer system. It gives me information within seconds after I click on a “hint.” Imagine thousands of people using Ancestry at the same time and everyone getting answers within seconds. Sometimes I experience Ancestry anticipating my request and “filling in the blanks” before I ask. Uncanny!!

Remember my “warm fuzzy”? I’ve been working with that family for several days. Yesterday, quite unexpectedly, I went to my website titled Digitized Library and Family History and found a gold mine of information about that family (chapters 8-12, pp. 22-45). A “cousin” sent the information in May 1997 and I scanned and published it a year or two ago. (Yesterday, my mind was anticipating my request and [almost] filled in the blanks before I asked.) ~~ Only makes sense to me (?) but that’s why Ancestry‘s  “hint” message was appreciated.