Rain and Other Excuses

DH and I have been trying to work on some landscaping in our yard and keep running into road blocks. The first is the rain that we've been getting every single day. It either rains all night, making it too soggy to work outside or it rains when we want to go outside and work. This is after all, Tennessee, and I don't really want to work in the heat of the day.

Over the past week, the new road block is the mother robin sitting on her hatchlings. Since her nest is in the elbow of the downspout right where we want to work, it makes it difficult. I don't want to keep her from nurturing her hatchlings. I just want them out of there. At this point, I can't wait for them to fly off and then her nest is going bye-bye!

This afternoon, DH and I looked at a couple nurseries for a shrub for the backyard near where this bird has nested. We've found some interesting possibilities. Now if those birds would just fly away!

Breakfast Bunch

DH and I enjoyed a nice leisurely breakfast this morning. Out. Not that we don't ever do that, but this morning was special since it included our friends from Michigan, Mark & Karen. We lingered over our coffee and various breakfasts with with them for a couple hours at least, probably to the waitress's dismay. I know the guys discussed retirement, cars and other things, while Karen and I caught up on what was going on with our research, homes, kids, etc.

Alas, all good things come to an end, and all too soon they were on the road again. I hope they were ahead of the rainstorm that hit us within 5 minutes of reaching home.

Memorial Day

On this Memorial day, I am truly appreciative of all the members of our families who have fought to protect us. My Bowman, Chinn, Kirtley, Percival, Webb ancestors fought in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, Indian Wars, Civil War, Spanish American War, World War I and World War II.

Both my grandfathers were in the Army during World War I. Charles Zimmeth, my mother's father was gassed during his service in France.

My dad served in the US Navy during World War II, in the Pacific aboard a destroyer escort. I'll never forget what he told me about how slow destroyers were. Bigger ship, more power? Nope. Bigger ship, more weight, slow. After the war in the Pacific was over, DEC-704, the Cronin, also ferried soldiers back. Even that was not without danger for the seasick among the returning troops. We're talking seriously crowded conditions with seasick sleeping on deck. If they could sleep that is!

So take a few minutes today and remember that serviceman or woman in your family and what they may have sacrificed to keep us safe.

It's a Small, Small World.

NO, I am not at Disneyworld. As I typed my title, I was reminded of that long ago trip to Disneyworld with the family and waiting to go on THAT ride with our 8 year-old and 6 year-old daughters. Over and over and over that song was played. Ack!

The small world I am referring to though, is the genealogical one. It is really kind of scary when you start finding relationships to your friends, your friends' husbands, your husband's relatives and people down the street. Well, the last one is an exaggeration. All that when we were living in an area close to where DH and I grew up.

Older daughter, now no longer that cute little 8 year-old, but a grown woman of 29, works with someone who has a tenuous connection to one of our lines. Her connection is to Nancy Hanks, Abraham Lincoln's mother. Our connection is to Mary Todd, Abe's wife. OD came for dinner and asked if I could bring up a chart that would show how she was related to Mary Todd Lincoln. Done and printed and sent to her friend. Anything that will spark that interest in the family history is a good thing. Someone has to appreciate all this work I've done over the years!