Weekend Coffee Share is a time for us to take a break out of our lives and enjoy some timely catching up with friends (old and new)!
If we were having coffee, I’d ask you what you thought of your weather. Here it’s been very snowy and sometimes below zero, mostly in the 20’s F. I actually kind of like it because it’s beautiful and I don’t have to shovel. I haven’t gone out to walk much, but did on Wednesday and plan to later today.
On Saturday I attended an online lecture on using maps and property records for genealogy. I’m very new to this research and was amazed by the kids of detailed maps and records that are often available online. The trick now is finding relatives and addresses to look up. On my father’s side, from what I know they always lived in apartments when they were in the US. I do hope to find records for the house my maternal great grandfather built.
I’ve started researching for a new play or script. A friend emailed me about a historic figure he’s reading about and I remembered that I had the book he’s reading and can do more research. My bigger problem with writing is finding a theater or producer that’ll read and consider buying my work.
Today’s my small claims trial at 1pm Central time. I am a bit nervous, but have pulled together some documents and organized them so that I hope I can make my case clear. I know I can digress even when I’m not nervous so I plan just to read the highlights. I’ll post them and a recap tomorrow if not before.
Lent began this Wednesday. I did go to church and got ashes. That was different this year due to COVID. Rather than make a cross on people’s foreheads, the priests sprinkled ashes on the crown of the head. We were told that’s how they usually do it in Europe. It’s rather anticlimactic because it’s not something anyone can see. Now I don’t go in for ashes so that I can parade around showing off, but I do like the customary ritual. I know non-Christians sometimes get freaked out or think a lot of people have smudges on their foreheads, but that’s an opportunity to explain the faith.
On Sunday I went for dinner at my brothers. Great food and conversation. I learned that his dog Stella had 12 puppies that day. They had an agreement with the breeder that if they bred Stella twice, they’d get a discount for her. This was the first time she was bred and she broke a record for puppies with that breeder.
smkelly8
No Fixed Plans 
I didn’t know about ash cross tradition before I moved to NYC. It was explained to me by a colleague when I mentioned that she a black smudge on the middle of her forehead.
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That’s pretty common to hear that on Ash Wednesday.
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My almost 7 year old grandson received ashes on his head as well here in Australia. I had mentioned to him before school that it was Ash Wednesday and he explained that because of COVID the ashes wouldn’t be placed on the forehead. Genealogy is so fascinating. Two of my cousins on both sides of my family lines have researched our family history and it really can get you hooked on the research. Good luck with finding family stories and history. #weekendcoffeeshare
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I wish I had cousins who’d done the genealogy work for me. 😉
Actually, it’s rather fun detective work. I would love it if another family member did it as well. Two heads are better than one.
Have a good week.
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Yes genealogy is fascinating but I think very time consuming 🙂
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Indeed it is.
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I, sadly, missed ashes for the first time in my known existence. Why? Our church seems to function only on facebook…I’m not there, so… It’s a different world that we live in. A world where our faith is tested. I’m secure in that. I don’t need ashes to remind me of the sacrifice, or the glory. All I have to do is look in the mirror and see that God still loves me. Hope you have an awesome lent season.
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We’ve got snow flurries today with some sun expected on the weekend. I hope Stella the dog and all her puppies are doing well. #WeekendCoffeeShare
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I think Stella and her pups are thriving.
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Hahaha, the weather! 😆 I live in Ireland. One reason I moved here (from Sweden) was the climate, and I do love the green fields, daisies in bloom in February and no snow, no matter the Atlantic storms and whatnot. But since about a week we’ve had nothing but gale force winds and horizontal rain, and it’s becoming a bit… annoying. At the same time we have quite nice temperatures, but I still can’t go out because of the hard winds. We usually have very variable weather, so a day or two of bad weather is fine. But now.. I’m a bit fed up. Hopefully it’ll be better later next week.
This ash tradition is new to me. It must be Catholic? I’m a Christian, but protestant, and where I come from, we don’t do it. We acknowledge lent in other ways, but I haven’t been involved much in lent, really. The Easter period has been more important to me.
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Yes the ashes are a Catholic tradition.
Wow that sounds strong, so strong I’d stay in too. A friend used to live in Sweden. She loved the summer which was short, but couldn’t take the long, dark winters do she’s moved back to New York.
Ireland’s at the top of my list of travel destinations once lockdowns are over.
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Here in South East Queensland it’s getting towards the end of summer so both days and nights are warm and it’s SO humid. I hope your small claims went okay and good luck with the story search. #weekendcoffeeshare
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Humidity does me in. South Korea and Japan are the two places where I’ve experienced the worst humidity. I’d be drenched after 10 minutes of being outside. I’m not one for any extreme weather. Genetically, I’m designed for temperate climes.
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Genealogy is such a fascinating thing. My sister does it and I’ve always liked to check out the info she had on her website (not sure it’s still there as I haven’t checked in a long while).
I’m so happy you like your weahter. I don’t personally like temperatures below freezing or snow. Thankfully we have neither now.
Good luck on your play! That sounds so interesting.
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Hi SMK, I used to think I was not a weather wimp, but a lot of the news about what’s going on around the US leaves me thinking how fortunate we are to live in our part of California where the weather has been extremely mild. Then you mention Genealogy. I have many friends and family who are really into it but I’ve just never felt the pull. I would like to know more of the history of family members I do or did know, but that feels different. Their impact on me and my immediate family is clear and undeniable. On the other hand I’m finding some pull to write stories of a multi-generational scope. Perhaps there is hope for me. Thanks for the visit.
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Do you have earthquakes? I was in LA during the Northridge Earthquake. I’ll take the s’mores over earthquakes though their less frequent.
I treasure stories my grandparents told. Those have details you can’t find in Census or Vital Statistics data. One grandfather wrote brief a memoir. I wish more ancestors had.
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