Sometimes I keep a
diary. And sometimes I don't. And, when I don't, I often look back and wonder
what I did for all those days!
So, for my own
future reference (and for any descendants who ever wonder what their "x
times great" grandmother did), here are a few notes. Firstly, I resurrected another hobby -
sewing. Prompted by the thought that the
Saturday night banquet at the Guild of One Name Studies Conference has seen me
wearing the same dress for a number of years, I decided to make a skirt - which
then developed into making a skirt, top, evening bag and several other items
just for the fun of it. Getting the
critical items finished on time did involve stitching at 5.30 am on the morning
of the banquet but, since I'd woken up early anyway, it seemed like a good use of my
time.
Finishing the sewing
so early at least left me free to chat to people in any spare time during that
day. And chat I did, as the Conference
is a great time for catching up with "old" friends, as well as making
new ones. Some of the conference
sessions were recorded and the videos are available on the Guild's YouTube
channel - I am looking forward to watching some of those sessions I missed, due
to there being two sessions running at the same time. It would be hard to pick highlights from the
Conference, as it was all so good, but I think Jim Benedict's interactive
session on "Succession-Proofing your ONS" probably stands out as
providing the most laughs, as the various groups debated why *their* method of
succession-proofing was best (Debbie, have you bought that spaceship yet?).
We heard more about
the Guild Members Websites project over the weekend and I took the opportunity
to chat with Mike Spathaky about his Cree Study site, and the various different
options for producing websites. It was
Mike who had asked me, on the Guild hangout in February, why I was thinking of
moving my PARRY ONS site to WordPress. As a result
of our discussions about the benefits, and potential longevity, of html, I now
have a few more reasons for not doing so.
For the first time
at the Conference, on the Friday afternoon there was an informal meeting for
those interested in DNA testing. Despite
me being totally disorganised, having arrived at the hotel later than planned,
and then walking all the way to my hotel room, only to discover that my key
didn't work, so that I was still carrying around half my belongings at the time the
meeting began, things seemed to run smoothly as we all shared about our various
levels of involvement with DNA testing.
No doubt we will all be building on this in the coming months and
years.
I have frequently
come away from the Conference with some snippet of Parry information, whether
it has been from Marriage Challenge certificates passed on to me, or references
I have found in books on the bookstall, or in someone's talk, etc.
This year was no exception, as Jo Fitz-Henry very kindly supplied me
with photographs of some Parry gravestones that she had come across. I'll write more about those on the Parry ONS
blog.
The Conference was
held at Brigg in Lincolnshire and my route there provided an opportunity to
drive past RAF Scampton, one of the bases where my mother had been stationed in
her WRAF days. When planning my conference
attendance, I had originally thought of contacting the museum on the base with
a view to arranging to visit enroute to Brigg.
It was probably a good job I didn't do that, given how time went. But that's now on my "To Do" list,
for another occasion.
Moving on from the
Conference in March, the next main event was the WDYTYA? Live Show in April
which, for the first time, was being held at the NEC, Birmingham. This provided another incentive to do some
sewing! Several years ago, Dick Eastman
blogged about the Progeny Charting Companion program and its ability to produce
an embroidery pattern from your family tree.
"What a wonderful idea," I thought, and soon after that, I was
able to replace my 35 year old sewing machine with a new one capable of
following such a pattern. Then came the
"busy-ness" of the last few years.
I still haven't tried that program but, ever since I discovered some
ancestors who were "artisans in fireworks", I have had an idea in my
mind - and I finally managed to execute that in time to wear to the show.
Okay, the hall was
too warm to actually wear the hoody *in* the show, but I'd achieved my
goal! I'm now on the look-out for other
items I can embroider with bits of my family history!
At the show, I was
helping to man the ISOGG stand (ISOGG = International Society of Genetic
Genealogy). We were so busy throughout
most of the time that I was amazed I hadn't lost my voice - it seemed like
every time I sat down, another visitor would arrive with a query. Hopefully, we will be seeing a rapid increase
in DNA testing in the UK over the coming months, especially now all three of
the main companies (FamilyTreeDNA, 23andMe and Ancestry) are marketing their
products here. Another enjoyable aspect
of WDYTYA was meeting many of the ISOGG members who came across from the United
States to assist with the practical aspects of testing on the FTDNA stand. Although ISOGG itself is an independent
organisation and, as far as possible, information is always presented without
bias, many of us would admit to having a personal preference towards FTDNA, not
least because they are the only testing company that support the YDNA and mtDNA
projects. (Having taken the autosomal
test at all three companies, I think it only fair to mention that I can find
pros and cons for each of them.)
There was a fair
amount of catching up to do, after the three days of "doing nothing"
at WDYTYA, which was followed by a deadline for some paperwork. But, now that's been met, I find myself
actually restarting my Genealogy Do-Over.
I wonder whether I
can get to week 13 without any further interruptions!
