I will be adding a few more photos and comments to My Favorie Books. This is a start: I moved and held these books for years, only donating them in Summer of 2017 as we prepared to move to Houston. I miss them but my family will be happy.  All of these books are Historical Fiction, the ones by Delderfield are about life in England, several generations; Ben A Williams, early America; John Jakes, early America, several generations; Dick Francis, English mysteries (while traveling); Wouk, WW II; only one by Margaret Mitchell, Gone With The Wind, my favorite!; A J Cronin, morality...English. Mary Higgins Clark, I read dozens of her quick reading mysteries while traveling.  YOU must read to be enlightened.

At the end of April we gathered again to Celebrate John's 92nd Birthday! We didn't get a group photo, just look at Christmas '17, the same group. For those who may see this years later.....he is still driving.😍

How could I be so slow to realize I hadn't added Christmas photos from 2017. Not only was it a Family Gathering for Eldens and Webbs, but John's and my 55th Wedding Anniversary. Our first Christmas in Houston since 1977. The gathering took place at home of Joe and Linda Bundcho. Little Kate Webb of the NC Webbs was a wonderful addition with her brother Max, joining their cousins Danica and Nealy Elden. We made so many New Memories. Wonderful!

You'll have to go back several weeks to see the "Before" photo of house and yard. This is the way the house and yard looks today 3 June 2018. We are so pleased! Love the new walk-way. Over fifty-five years, this is home number 6.
Do not believe I have each home digitally recorded, but in our family album, do have them all represented. Four of homes are in Houston, one in Wichita Falls (we lived in home number 4 for 30 years! in the Gainesville home almost 9 yrs.

Saturday, 23 February 2019.   My blog is cataloged as Scrapbooking. Yes that is my prime interest but the blog has turned into sort of a Journal: scrapbooking, Family and what interest me. For thirty-three years I have been a Family Historian. First, my interest was to document a Revolutionary Soldier so I could join Daughters of American Revolution. James McCleskey, my great-great-great-great grandfather was my first ancestor documented. His application for a pension said his father's Bible stated he was born in 1755 in Pennsylvania.
     When I started my family research, personal computers were not common and there was NO internet. My research was done mostly in Georgia, my mother was huge asset for Holt and Jackson research. Visits to National Archives in East Point, GA; Georgia Archives, downtown Atlanta and later Stockbridge; Fayette County Historical Society, Fayetteville; Clayton-Henry Historical Society, McDonough; many visits to cemeteries in both GA and AL; visiting family members that I discovered through snail mail. On and On, all before the Internet.  Now, the National Census for each state is easily searched on line through Ancestry.com.
     That brings me to current times. John and I and three sons and their wives have all had DNA test. After thirty years on research, I felt I would not find a single length to The Old World. Our ancestors had mostly immigrated to America in the early 1700s. If records kept, they are lost or haven't been published yet. Our DNA test show where our ancestors came from. Yes, they keep changing, as more and more people are tested, the results will become more accurate. But, today, they are best we have.
     Through research, I found my maiden name McCleskey to be Irish. I have even visited Dungiven, Ireland, our ancestral home. Another of my unusual (to me) names is Stalnaker, German.
     So here is my DNA history as of today (from Ancestry.com test): England, Wales and Northwestern Europe 78%: Norway 9%: Ireland and Scotland 8%; France 3%: European Jewish 2%: Sweden 1%.  My migration path  North Alabama Settlers and Southern States Settlers. I am happy to accept these countries. I was surprised to find 2% Jewish and only 8% Irish/Scotland. We have traveled to Europe many times and was well aware that the Norse men traveled all over Europe spreading their nationally.
     What I cannot accept is data published to Ancestry.com that has no Proof. It will take some time for the data entered to be proved or unproved.

GiGi, John's cat.

A dress from my 1st year! 

Kipper

Some of my favorite things

Scrapbooking buddies: Judy, Sheryl and Judy. Teacher Debbie Schuh and Tracy Burtt.

I kept these books until we moved to Houston in Sept 2017. I loved each and everyone and should have kept and reread.

One of my most favorite memories and experiences was researching in Library of Congress. Have to hunt date. As a student in the early '50s the GA Safety Patrols made a trip to Washington DC; you could stand and peer into the Main Reading Room. It was a thrill to actually walk on the floor. The Family History Room is down the hall and that is where I did my research.