31 Days of Tree Climbing: Taking Care of Business

I feel like I'm significantly closer to winning the race that was begun many years ago when my aunt's husband came home to tell her that, while he was on his trip, he'd seen her cousin. She asked him which cousin, to which he replied "Elvis!" Yes, THE Elvis, King of Rock 'n' Roll.

When Aunt Mae told me about this, I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I loved the idea of being related to my favorite singer. I have wondered for many years if we really were related to Elvis. Our family's closest surname is Pressley, one "s" too many. However, there are multiple occasions of spelling variance in many surnames over the years for varying reasons. So, saying that a Pressley is related to a Presley is not at all far-fetched.

Last night, I hit pay dirt. I found a family tree that traced Elvis back to his great-great-grandparents, Richard and Philedelphia Presley. My great-great-grandparents were Richard and Philadelphia Pressley. It turns out, varied spellings aside, that these are the same people. The locations were the same. The vital statistics (births and deaths) were the same. The names of the children were the same.

My great-great-grandparents are the great-great-grandparents of Elvis Presley. If I've calculated this properly, this means that we are third cousins.

Now, all that's left is the proving of it now that I have the name trail to follow. I find this very exciting!

31 Days of Tree Climbing: Common Ancestor

When our oldest daughter was ten years old, she was diagnosed with Marfan's Syndrome. In the course of appointments that are a part of such a diagnosis, my husband and our daughter visited with a geneticist. This geneticist determined that, somewhere along the line, my husband and I share a common ancestor.

We had always suspected that there might be a connection somewhere, especially since both of our paternal grandmothers had "Fowler" as their maiden names. The jury is still out on whether we are connected through a Fowler ancestor or not, but I have found a connection through another branch in our tree.

According to information available through Ancestry.com, both David and myself are very distant cousins to Button Gwinnett. Our common connection is further up the tree. Button Gwinnett's tenth great-grandfather, David's eighteenth great-grandpa, and my eighteenth great-grandpa are one and the same: Walter Devereaux. David and Button actually share a closer relationship through a grandson of Walter Devereaux, Simon Milbourne. Simon is Button's eighth great-grandfather and David's sixteenth great-grandfather and is a collateral relative, not a direct line relative, of mine.

For years, I have been told stories that we are related to the infamous Frank and Jesse James. While I have yet to make that connection through my James' line, I was able to determine that the James boys are also related to the above mentioned Simon Milbourne. Simon is the thirteenth great-grandpa of Frank and Jesse James. So, again, David, Frank, Jesse, and I share a common ancestor (Walter Devereaux), but David and the James boys share Simon.

History has always been one of my favorite subjects in school. Making these discoveries is making history even more meaningful to me. I am really enjoying this.

31 Days of Tree Climbing

I know; I'm too old for climbing trees. But these particular trees are so much fun to climb and, while I might get a headache from banging my head against them, I am unlikely to sustain any real physical injury from these trees. My favorite kind of tree to climb is our family tree.

I have come up against a multitude of brick walls while working on our family's genealogy. People with the answers to my questions have died and formerly found information has been lost in various moves or just outright stolen. Also, not everyone is keen on sharing the information that they have with me. No worries; playing detective can be fun and I don't mind working alone.

I bought two books over the last week that promise to offer a great deal of help with detective work and analysis. They are:
Forensic Genealogyand In Search of Your Confederate Ancestors

I am on a quest to qualify for membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution and Daughters of the Confederacy. This has brought me to a few project ideas. One of the projects that I am working on is to find at least one Revolutionary War patriot for each branch of our family. The Revolutionary War was around the time of our fifth great-grandparents, which means about 64 surnames - assuming that I did the math right. This is not necessarily a safe assumption these days! A project this extensive isn't required to join the DAR. I only have to verify the lineage back to one patriot for membership. Thankfully, someone else has provided a path up that tree for me. More about that in another post!

I learned about the "31 Days" memes going on at The Nester through The Gypsy Mama's 31 Days to Write Your Story. This 31 Days adventure was meant for the entire month of October. I'm joining in late. Better late than never, right? Please stop by their blogs to read all of the wonderful things that they are sharing!

Disclosure: Book links are affiliate links and I will receive financial benefit if you purchase these books using the links provided.

Faithful Blogging Prompt #5: Life Verse

What is your life verse and why? In case you don’t know, a life verse is a particular verse in the Bible that holds a significant meaning to you, whether it defines your life, gives you inspiration, or just speaks to you.

2 Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

This verse means a great deal to me. Heavenly Father gave it to me during an extremely upsetting weekend several years ago. I was very scared and hurting. I claimed it, I prayed it, I believed it. Almost constantly I prayed claiming this freedom from fear. It was granted. There are many things that I have been afraid of over the course of my life and most of those fears are gone. Driving in the mountains is going to take some more praying. :)

I've been bad and haven't been as faithful to my prayer life and Bible reading as I should be. Another event shook the foundations of my life and faith, and left me with a lot of questions. But, I am still holding on.

I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know Who holds tomorrow and He can remove all fear.

One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

Faithful Blogging Prompt #4: Bible Version

What version of the Bible do you read and why?

I grew up in churches that used the King James Version of the Bible exclusively. It is what feels like the Bible to me. The language is sometimes hard to understand and confusing, but it is what I am used to. I guess in some ways I feel like I'm cheating if I read another version of the Bible. However, I do sometimes read other versions to help clarify questions that I may have. The King James Version is what feels real to me, even though I know that technically it is not the original Bible.

What version do you prefer? Is it different than the version you grew up with?


Today I am thankful for:

6. ...Parents that made sure that I was in church and learned about Jesus as a child.

7. ...Teachers that taught me how to read words and the Word.

8. ...Grandparents that were good role models and guides for my spiritual life.

9. ...Forgiving friends that still love me even though they know my imperfections.

10. ...Those that have risked and those that have given their lives to save mine.

Please be sure to click the button at the top of this post to visit Faithful Bloggers for more faith-based prompts.

One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

Starting Over

Hello to all of you faithful followers!

I hope that you have had a wonderful summer and that this school year is a great one for all of you, parents and students alike. Our youngest three children are now in college. It is an odd feeling having them all gone during the day!

When I first started this blog, I was counting the posts by the day and listing the things that I was thankful for that day. I am going to change the format a little and count each thankfulness instead of the days so that I will see when I get to one thousand. :)

1. I am thankful that my children have had a great first week of school.

2. I am thankful for creative expression.

3. I am thankful for new genealogical discoveries.

 4. I am thankful for relief from some worries.

5. I am thankful for the One that will never leave me nor forsake me.

One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch 50: #36

I have missed participating in Chats on the Farmhouse Porch the last several weeks. This is one of my favorite memes. I hope that you will all consider stopping by to visit Patrice on her farmhouse porch. Just click the button below to be transported to a great farmhouse and place of friendship.

Questions

Do you exercise?

It depends on your definition of exercise. If you're meaning do I walk on the treadmill, do jumping jacks and sit-ups, and deep knee bends on a regular basis, no. But, if stretching, climbing, moving products around from one place to another, walking back and forth because I can only carry so many things at a time, then yes, I do exercise.

What's your favorite type of party or get together?

I like family reunions and have always enjoyed going to my granny's for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. I really, really miss those times.

What's your favorite kind of melon?

I love watermelons and cantaloupes. Those are the only two that I can think of right now and I can't choose between them for an absolute favorite.

Do you ever go to a farmers' market?

Yes, we've gone. We love fresh veggies and it is fun to get to visit with the farmers that grow the food that we're eating.

Would you prefer a series of day trips, or a week's vacation?

It would depend on the places involved. If it were a trip to the beach, a day would be too long, in my opinion. If it were a trip to Ireland, even a week wouldn't be enough. Overall, though, I am fine with day trips. Aside from our honeymoon in 1984 and our evacuation for Hurricane Rita in 2005, we've never really had an extended vacation.

Curious as a Cat - Week 327

I found this fun little meme earlier today at TheDailyMeme.com and decided to play along today. I hope that you will, too. Curious as a Cat

1) Would you rather have one free trip to space or free international travel for life?

I would rather have free international travel. I would love to go to Ireland and to Italy and maybe a few other places along the way.

2) What's your middle name? Do you like it?

I wasn't given a middle name. Neither was my sister. Our mama figured that our maiden name would be our middle name once we got married, so we didn't need one. Boy, did that cause no end of teasing and arguments at school. Nobody believed that I didn't have a middle name. They thought that I had one that I didn't want to share because it was too weird for words or something.

3) Name a time when you got into big trouble with your parents

. It would be much easier to name a time when I didn't get into trouble! I was bad about back-talking to mama and that didn't go over very well with either of my parents. I remember one time calling my mama's brain usage into question. I think that what I said hurt her feelings, but it ticked my daddy off big time.

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one. (Please visit Curious as a Cat to see photo!)

This picture reminds me of jelly beans, so the first thought in my mind was "pretty colors, but ICK!"

Day One Hundred Eighty

180. I am thankful for air conditioning. I am thankful for virus removal. I am thankful for the ability to read and gain new perspectives on old issues. I am thankful for new opportunities to remember. I am thankful for opportunities to earn a living, however long they may last. I am also thankful for those that read and/or follow my blogs. Thank you! One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

Computer Problems

I want to apologize for the extended absence from my blogs. For the last week, I have been battling a Trojan virus. I thought that I had gotten rid of it, and then there it was again. I hope to be back on a regular schedule once my computer is stable again and some other issues are cleared up. Thank you for your patience. Have a great weekend!

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch 42: #34

The questions:

What do your everyday dishes look like?

Our dishes are Corelle Vitrelle, but I do not know the pattern name. It has red and pink flowers and green leaves around the perimeter of the plates. It isn't family, but it works for us.

What shoes are you likely to throw on in a pinch right now? "Go to" shoes.

My sandals are my "go to" shoes. I don't even have to bend to put them on, just slide in my feet and go.

What's the last gift you were given?

The last gift that I remember being given was a $25 Amazon gift card.

The first face you saw this morning was-------------------.

The first face that I saw this morning was David's face, unless you count the faces in my dreams (weird though they are!).

What cup or mug are you most likely to grab for your tea or coffee? What's your "cuppa"cup?

David and I have matching glasses for our iced tea. They are heavy (to me), hold more than a pint, but less than a quart, and they have handles.

Rest in Peace George "Goober" Lindsey

I grew up watching The Andy Griffith Show and David and I still watch it together via Netflix on our television.

We got sad news today. George Lindsey, the guy that played Goober the gas station attendant, has died. Rest in peace, "Goober"!

A to Z Blogging Challenge: Z is for Zoo

We love to visit the zoo. When David and I were in college at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina, we visited the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden very often. The Houston Zoo is huge, as I understand it, but we've never been because I do not like driving in that city. The Texas Zoo down in Victoria, Texas was really nice. It wasn't a big zoo, but it had very pretty landscaping and a cool reptile house.

The butterfly gardens and the monkeys are my favorites, no matter which zoo we're visiting.

This video is of the monkeys at The Riverbanks Zoo.

A to Z Blogging Challenge Posts

I have been participating in the A to Z Blogging Challenge on my other blog named P.S. Annie! It has been fun and tomorrow is the last day.

Here are the links to those A to Z Blogging Challenge posts. I hope that you'll stop by P.S. Annie! to read and comment on them. Thanks!

Week One: April 1 - 7

A is for Annie

B is for Bruce and Bobby

C is for Cemetery

D is for Dallas

E is for Evelyn

F is for Fowler

G is for Gunter

Week Two: April 9 - 14

H is for Hula Hoop

I is for Isabella

J is for Jesus

K is for Kansas

L is for Leon

M is for Maggie

Week Three: April 16 - 21

N is for Newberry College

O is for Oliphant

P is for Pauline

Q is for Quilting

R is for Roses

S is for Sweetest Thing

Week Four: April 23 - 28

T is for Timeline

U is for University of South Carolina

V is for Vegan

W is for Wedding

X is for XXX Rated

Y is for Yesterday

Z is for Zoo

A to Z Blogging Challenge: Y is for Yesterday

Our family business involves merchandising and retail consulting. Sometimes we take on jobs that really kick us in the tail. We did one of those jobs Friday night. We went into the store at 9 PM Friday and didn't leave that store until 10:05 AM Saturday.

When we first took on the job, we were told that it could take as long as twelve hours to do it. We knew it would take awhile, but we figured between the two of us that we could knock it out in half that time and still have done a better job than is usually done in this particular store. As it turns out, that was wishful thinking.

The wall that we were merchandising was sixteen feet long and seven feet high. Shelf after shelf of nail care products (pretty colors and effects!) and about two hundred hooks for hanging items had to be completely reset. Hooks broke, shelves wouldn't reattach to their backers, and pretty much anything that could go wrong did go wrong. In one instance, a worker was going to help us locate the needed hooks to replace the broken ones, but his manager got onto him for doing so. She told him "We have a business to run; they can take care of themselves." OY!

Often, it seems as though the stores do not want help getting things done correctly. This particular business is bad about just throwing things wherever they will fit (and sometimes even if they don't fit!) and not worrying about things being in their correct location according to the shelf tags. In the instance of the shelf that wouldn't reattach, a worker went to get us a new one and never returned so the products that should have been on that shelf could not be put on display. We had to leave them in a buggy for a worker to set later. Very frustrating!

But, I think that we did a fine job. At least Siren Red is now is the Siren Red slot rather than hiding in the Pastel Pink slot.

A to Z Blogging Challenge: X is for XXX Rated

My first memory of going to a drive-in movie was when I was a little bitty girl. I don't know how old I was, just that I was really young, probably preschool age. My parents decided to go to the drive-in. There was one in our hometown called The Viking.


I don't know what my parents knew going into this adventure, but let's just say it wasn't a movie for little eyes to be seeing. I remember peeking from the backseat over their seat and looking at the huge screen in front of our car. I remember seeing a woman in a red sweater, but she wasn't in it for very long. The next thing I remember is somebody reaching back and pushing my head down (not hard) so that I wouldn't see what was going on.

That's the last thing that I remember. Whether my parents stayed to see the rest or not, I don't know. Either the sleepy bug caught me or I passed out from a toddler heart attack or shock. That red sweater, however, is locked in my head forever.

It was much later that I learned the type of movie that The Viking specialized in and it makes me wonder if my parents truly were as shocked as I was.

Photo Credit: (c) Can Stock Photo

A to Z Blogging Challenge: W is for Wedding

Pictures speak louder than words, so here are a few from our wedding so very many years ago!

A to Z Blogging Challenge: V is for Vegan

David and I are working on a healthier lifestyle. Our ultimate goal is to be as close to 100% vegetarian as possible. I would have ordinarily used the term "vegan" instead of vegetarian because we want to stop consuming any animal products. However, we found out a few days ago that "vegan" refers not only to not eating animal products, but not using animal products either. For example, having a leather sofa or wool yarn would rule us out of being categorized as vegans. Also, I learned that animal products sneak into many, many things because of how the remains left after slaughter are used.


But, I did find out something very cool, however fattening. Oreos are considered vegan. Who knew?

A to Z Blogging Challenge: U is for the University of South Carolina

In the early to mid-1980s, David and I were students at the University of South Carolina- Columbia. It was an exciting time in my life. I was young and in love and not only living away from home, but living about one hundred and twenty miles away from home. I had already moved out of my parents house, but this was the first time that I was so far away for an extended period of time.

David was the second of his daddy's children to be a student at USC. His daddy used to joke that he had bought a parking garage on the corner of Blossom Street (and another street that I can't remember the name of). He said that they didn't call it that, and they hadn't given him the title, but that he had paid for it.

There were several good places to eat while we attended Carolina. The Russell House and the Gamecock Grill were two places on campus that we frequented. Off-campus, we had Sandy's Hotdogs and Granby's. Granby's was an ice cream lover's paradise. They had huge banana splits called Banana Binge. That was one binge that I would not have hurled!

It was at USC that I had my first experience with the "magic paper" in the dark room. I also had my first experience with a class containing over three hundred other students. I definitely sat at the back of the class for that one. No way was I going to get called to go down to the board!

I didn't get my degree back then because, after a semester and two summer sessions, I got married and moved back to the county in which I was born. I traded a degree for a wedding dress and starting my life and family. I don't regret it for a moment.

USC was part of a very special time in my life, a time of hope and excitement and love...and magic paper. :)

A to Z Blogging Challenge: T is for Timeline

A big part of genealogical research involves studying history as it relates to our ancestors. It can be fun to see where they fit into world history. A good way to be able to visualize our ancestors in history is with a timeline. You can create an interactive timeline by linking dates to historic events with the aid of sites like History.com's This Day in History. You can click "View Calendar" on that site and choose the date that you want to learn more about and get a listing of things that happened on that date over many years. You can create a link in your timeline to those events as well as links to any pictures or personal documents that you have for the ancestor that you're researching.

For example, I was interested in events in the life of my great-grandmother Carrie Williams Pressley when women were granted the right to vote. Grandma Pressley was born in June 1889. The 19th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States granted women the right to vote on 18 August 1920. Grandma Pressley was thirty-one years old at the time. I do not know if she ever exercised her right to vote.

Many important things happened over the course of her life. The Spanish-American War, her marriage, the births of her children, World Wars 1 and II, the right to vote for women, and many other things. All of these things can be viewed together in an interactive timeline.

Have you ever created a timeline for your family history, integrating it into world history?