Yes I Am Still Around

Been awhile, huh? No, I haven't died in the pandemic. I have not been hit with the virus. I have lymphedema in my right leg, and weakness in my lower back. I cannot walk long distances, so when I get off the boat, I am in my wheelchair which I have dubbed "Tin Man". I do use a walker for short distances. I call that  "The Texas Ranger".

I spend most of my days reorganizing my files. I use a Unionsine 1TB external hard drive (plug n play), Folder Marker Pro, and Dropbox. My main folders are from the head of family direct ancestor, color-coded for my grandparents. Each folder has a 2 letter code (for example, Bjorkman is "BJ'). This two letter code proceeds the name of the person whose folder it belongs to (2 letter, surname, first name, middle inital, birth year, lower case line, death year). Example: for my grandfather, Hilmar, the folder is red, the folder name is: BJBjorkmanHilmarE1884_1953.

Inside the folder are individual folders of spouse and children. Each are color and 2 letter coded. The only child not included would be one that is a direct pedigree ancestor, in which case, male would have his own main folder, female would be in husband's folder.

Folders inside folders are called sub-folders. So, for example, Hilmar Bjorkman is a main folder with sub-folders inside of my grandmother, Ragnhild (whose folder is blue for her family branch), and my 3 uncles. My Uncles sub-folders would be their wives and children. In this example, each of their folders are colored coded red and have the "BJ" 2 letter code.

Any files (photo, doc, pdf, etc) are placed in the appropriate files.

When I have completed the organizing of a folder, it gets uploaded to Dropbox. My database is stored in RootsMagic8 computer program and Ancestry.com. A gedcom file of the database (updated regularly) is in Dropbox.

Any non-genealogy folders get a 3 letter code in the folder name - "XXX" and what it is (example: XXXRecipes). I add a picture or letter icon to these folders from Folder Marker. Recipe folder has an "R". 

So, that's what I've been working on lately.

2020 - Not A Very Good Year

 2020 has really not been a very good year.

The summer began in early April in the Keys, with hot and humid weather. By June, we had mostly 100+ degree on the heat index which lasted until about mid-October. COVID hit the Keys toward the end of March, my Uncle, Bob, passed away; and I ended up in the hospital on November 5th and scheduled to be discharged tomorrow. And, no, it's not from the virus.

Unfortunately, my essential tremors are off the charts in my left arm and hand, making it difficult to type, so I will explain more in a few days when I'm settled back on the boat.

DNA

Last year, I had my DNA done through Ancestry. It yielded no surprises - except one.

I have a lot more Scandinavian DNA than I thought I would have - 77%.

Logically, I had figured 50% Scandinavian (Mom's side), 25% Uk/Western Europe (Bundock side), and 25% Russian/Eastern Europe (Herrmann side).

Somewhere in the past, my paternal lineage has a lot more Scandinavian in it than I suspected.

Interesting.

 

Facebook Pages

 I looked back on previous posts on this blog, and need to make a change (I think).

I had an original closed group family history page which I ended up deleting. I now have four open personal blog pages for each branch of my tree - Herrmann, Bundock, Bjorkman, and Sjöholm.

I have had these pages for awhile, now, so there is plenty of family information on them. The photo albums contain pictures and records for each family group. 

The pages are titled: <surname> Family Research.

Stay At Home Activity

Not much to do while we're on the Stay-at-home order during this virus thing. So, I've been doing some scrapbook pages.

These are just a few. I am putting together a book with the family history, my personal biography, and scrapbooks for the family branches geared specifically toward my children and grandchildren, and their descendants.

New Laptop

I am back online with a new laptop. I killed my old one last year and finally replaced it.
I'll be on sporadically, but will try to catch up.

Family-owned Lofings Lighting turns 50 Friday

Family-owned Lofings Lighting turns 50 Friday