Back from Asia, and still alive

I've been on a tour of Vietnam, Thailand and Burma in the last 34 days so haven't been able to add entries into this site. See my photo in front of "Bride on the River Kwai" in Thailand.
Unfortunately, on the last day of the trip, when we had just flown back into Bangkok, Thailand from Burma, I suffered a bowel strangulation from adhesions and rushed to the hospital when I realized the abdominal pain was more than I could stand on the 16 hour plane trip. At the Vibhavadi Hospital in Bangkok, it was at first thought I had gastritis, but after going into shock at the CT Scan, I was admitted to ICU and into the Operating Room. Dr. Naratip removed two feet of my small intestine, and sewed the ends back together. After three days in ICU with the terrific Thai nurses, my daughter, Alisa, joined me in my ward room for the next seven days of recuperation. Then my travel insurance paid for a plane ticket with doctored order "reclining ability" and I returned to Hawaii in Business class! It was definitely needed. Alisa was in the section behind me, but on the same flights. I am very grateful to my daughter for coming to Bangkok to take such good care of me. And without her "Blackberry" cell phone with internet capability, we might still be in Bangkok. Finally after over 6 weeks I was back home in Hawaii.

I'm grateful to be alive and so happy to be home again. Thanks to Beth for helping me out for the first few days I was back. As planned before my Asia trip, my two grandchildren, Emily (15) and Braden(12) arrived to visit me in Honolulu for three weeks. See photo of Emily, me, Beth, and Braden. They have been taking good care of me, and we have done lots of the fun Hawaii activities including beach time (including surfing lessons at Waikiki for the kids), Kualoa Ranch activities, Hanauma Bay snorkeling (I sat under a palm tree), and tomorrow they are going to have a Dolphin Encounter at Sea Life Park. Finally Braden and I will visit the USS Missouri ship. They return home June 19th.

See photo of Alisa and me on May 30th with Koko Head in the background, and Photo of Emily, myself, friend Beth, and grandson Braden on June 1st.

At the end of June I'll again go on a volunteer medical mission with "Operation Smile" to repair cleft lips and Cleft palates in Nicaragua. It will last 10 days, and our operations will be aboard the USNS Comfort, a U.S. Navy hospital ship. I'm looking forward to the unique experience of operating and living aboard the ship for 5 days.

March 31, 2009

If these pages are sparce it's not because I've been asleep for months, on the contrary, I've been traveling and having a hard time trying to catch up.

Since January when I finished up a nice Christmas vacation in Sierra Vista, Arizona with my daughter's family, I focused on preparations for my first "Operation Smile" medical trip to Managua, Nicaragua. As an operating room nurse, I have been looking forward to going to developing countries and doing what I could to change people's lives for the better. In February I was honored to be able to go with this volunteer organization and be apart of fixing the cleft lips and cleft palates of 91 children. It was a very challenging experience, but very rewarding. I plan to go on another of these missions in July - again to Nicaragua...this time operating in the USNS Comfort, and US Navy Hospital Ship that will be anchored off shore on the Pacific side.

At the moment I'm preparing for a trip with "Overseas Adventure Travel" to Thailand, Vietnam and Burma. I've secured the required visas, and will get my malaria pills soon.

In addition I'm trying to fit in some genealogy moments, and also get out to the gym and to pursue my outdoor fun tracking down "GeoCaches" at this end of Hawaii. See photo where I'm finding the "SubMariner's" geocache and photo of Lucille finding geocache "Tunnel Vision" in the lava ledges.

I'll post some photos below of the Operation Smile experience:

Hague Happy Dance

Since I missed the deadline for the Winter Photo Essay, I'll jump right into the Feb 1st Carnival of Genealogy topic of "The Happy Dance." For those non-genealogists it means to write about "The Joy of Genealogy. Almost everyone has experienced it. Tell us about the first time, or the last time, or the best time. What event, what document, what special find has caused you to stand up and cheer, to go crazy with joy?"

The big Happy Dance I did a couple years ago was to find the first US Census that my Hague ancestor was in after his immigration from England to Rhode Island. James Hague and wife Eliza Barker came from the area of Ashton-Under-Lyne around Manchester, England, but I'm not sure exactly when. I have not found the family on immigration records, but I imagine he landed in Rhode Island. He later moved to Polk Co., Iowa in time for the 1870 US Census. My great-grandfather, William Hague, was born in RI in June 1850, so I knew they'd landed by then. I've yet to find the family in any English census. See photo of the first Hague born in USA, William Hague and wife Mary Ann Williams and their children near Des Moines, Iowa about 1908.

The pre-happy dance came about when I found my great-great grandfather, James "HAUGE", and family in Bristol, Bristol Co., RI in the 1860 census. The misspelling was not that unusual, and the six children's names matched. They were working in the factories - probably cotton mills. That find led me on to more attempts to locate them in 1850. I heard a podcast explaining the problem with the Ancestry Search engine is that you have to have the first three letters entered before you can add wild-cards * for covering possibly mi spelled letters.

Since I'd tried every misspelling, soundex tricks, and wild-cards, I figure I'd just work systematically to change the first letter of the search...ie. A-ague, B-ague, C-ague or Aag*, Bag*, Cag* etc. On 6 Feb 2007 using an exact choice for soundex, I typed in " aague," ...... there appeared James Ache in the census choices.... And it was my James Hague family!!!!.... obviously pronounced to the census taker without the "H" as they probably sounded like with the Lancashire accent (or so I hear). Oh Happy Day!! Oh Happy Dance!

1850-US Census WarwickTwp, Kent Co., Rhode Island [The ages were a little off but it's my family!]
James Ache 40 M b. England Laborer
Eliza " 40 F b. England
Ann " 18 F b. England
Edward " 13 M b. England
John " 15 M b. England
Joseph " 13 M b. England
Alice " 11 F b. England
Mary A. " 5 F b. England
Anna " 4 F b. England
William " 2 M b. Rhode Island

Another Hague Happpy Dance was just two years ago while visiting cousins in Des Moines. I asked sisters Mary and Oral May Wilson to draw what they remembered of the Hague homestead house from the original 1870 site in Delaware Township, Polk County, Iowa. Mary gave up with her sketch, and next thing I knew she went downstairs at her house, and returned with a drawing in a picture frame. My grandfather, Alfred George Hague had drawn the Hague homestead for her one day, many years ago as he remembered it in 1905. And there it was!!! I was able to get a copy of it and now can really imagine the way it was when my dad, and his dad stayed with Grandpa William and Grandma Mary Ann (Williams) Hague on the farm. See the house sketch and the home, outbuildings and barn as it looked in 1905.

Costume Customs - Fern Blanding Bullock photos

The new "10th Edition Smile For The Camera - A Carnival of Images" is taking place, and this is my entry into the carnival to "Show us that picture that you found with your family collection or purchased that shows the costumes of the rich to the not so rich, from the civil war to the psychedelic sixties."

I love the photos of my Great Aunt Fern Edna Blanding. She was born 22 Sep 1889 in Skyberg, Goodhue Co., Minnesota, spent some early years in Madison Lake, Blue Earth Co., Minn, on to Sibley, Georgia by 1900, a couple years around Palm Beach, Florida where her father help construct one of the Breakers Hotels. Then on to Los Angeles, California by about 1905. These photos were taken in Los Angeles around 1910 I would imagine.

These photos are of Aunt Fern. The first in a big feathery hat for a glamor pose. Nicely dressed for the studio photo. The next photo shows her in a Salvation Army uniform. I don't know exactly how long or what she did in the Salvation Army, but last year while visiting a distant cousin in Lake Elsinor, CA, I saw another photo that showed Aunt Fern and her sister, Pearl, both in Salvation Army uniforms.

Aunt Fern never had any children of her own, but she did have four husbands! She was an excellent seamstress. When my mother was a little girl she made 352 dresses for her one year! I remember that nearly every dress I had growing up until about 7th grade, was made for me, by the loving hands of Aunt Fern. She was married in 1928 to Fred George Bullock at Whisky Slough, California. She died 13 April 1962 and is buried at Montecito Memorial Park, Colton, CA.

I think hats were a big part of looking nice in those early days. Another photo of Fern Blanding in a hat. These days a big hat like this is seldom seen, and perhaps only at the Kentucky Derby or on a member of the Red Hat Society. It must be a fun thing to wear such a big hat even though Fern was not cracking a hint of a smile in the photo to the left.

Cheney Genealogy

As I wrap up my family visit in Arizona, I though I'd write up a little more of the research I've been doing. Today I made my final visit to the local Sierra Vista Family History Center, and got through the rows of books in the areas that I was interested. There were a lot of genealogy society newsletters/pamphlets that could use lots of time to look at, but I was satisfied with my four periods of browsing. Also I decided to look up what Stevens information they had on microfilm, just to remember what it was like to hook it all up. Well, the Stevens family was not about my Phineas Stevens family, and I remembered how much easier it is to find info if digitalized and on the internet (I imagine all of this will be on FamilySearch.com in the future.)

I had more luck with the Cheney family because they were involved in the US Revolution, and there are more things online and in the FHS than Stevens. That would be because although Phineas Stevens II was in the Revolutionary War, he was a Loyalist, and went up to Nova Scotia for a spell after the war. Oh, I did find one bit of info that I had before, but it is nice seeing the source: "Phenas Stevans obtained a marriage license in New York (City) to marry Mary Woodward on 3 April 1782. This was a reference to a marriage bond in Vol XXV, Page 112 as issued by Secretary of the Province of New York. The book "New York Marriages - Previous to 1784" published by Genealogical Publishing Co., 1984. My task is to try to find anything I can about this Mary Woodward's family. New York City is a big place.

My Joseph Cheney was born 9 Apr 1682 in Newbury, Essex Co., MA. he married Sarah Wiswall of the early Wiswall and Jackson families of Newton, Middlesex Co., MA. I've visited Newton in the past and really enjoyed knowing these families were founders of the town. Joseph and Sarah had a son, Elisha Cheney. I'm trying to determine if this Elisha, born about 1749, was the same one who was a private in the Revolution in the "Drums & Fifer" section of Capt. Jeremiah Wiswall's company, which marched on the Lexington Alarm from Newton on April 19, 1777. My Elisha later moved up to Royalston, Worcester Co., MA and had three wifes, Elizabeth Eddy, Sarah Stone, and Abigail (Nabby) Bowker. I found an Elisha Cheney in the 1800 Census at Royalston. This was an interesting guy who ran a tavern there and lived next to his Eddy in-laws before he moved down to Worcester city and died, in 1806. There are several Elisha and Ebenezer Cheneys in Worcester County, MA in the 1800's and I'd like to figure out how they connect. There is one Elisha Cheney in the 1850 census at Athol, near Royalston, who is listed as a pauper. Is this the grandson of the Revolutionary drum and fifer, Elisha Cheney b. abt 1849?

I revisited www.books.google.com and was amazed at the wealth of historic books that have been scanned there and available for download, including Pope's "Cheney Genealogy." I highly recomment this site for researching. Also, in www.ancestry.com I found references in "Massachusetts Marriages, 1633-1850" "U.S. Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783, "American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI)," Record of Deaths In Worcester, From 1717 to 1825," and "Masssachusetts Town Birth Records."

And so it goes. So many questions and a trickle of answers. I'm glad to say that "Apple" read my last blog about the Akin family in Western New York and we've shared some distant family connection information (see her comment on last blog) --- more to follow, after I get back home tomorrow.

Jan in Ariz-Genealogy Akin-Stevens

Fitting in some time between the kids and grandkids, I've been able to vist a Family History Center for the first time in a long time. 15 years ago was in Honolulu, and this months it's been in Sierra Vista, Arizona. I love browsing through all the good books and that has been my priority, as I usually do a lot of research on Ancestry.com and other internet sources. I found a good booklet of "10,000 Vital Records of Western New York 1809-1850" by Fred Q. Bowman, 1985. This listed several Akin and Stevens family relations. This booklet has marriages and death notices from five areas in Western NY. I was mostly interested in the Jamestown Journal, of Chautauqua Co., and the Wayne Sentinal (Palmyra Register) of Palmyra, Wayne Co., NY.
I found
-Akin, Lucinda, 34, wife of John H. died 1/31/1843 in Carroll, Chautauqua Co., NY - [I didn't know the exact day of death before.]
- Akin, Grace, 38, wife of Elijah, died 1/12/1835 in the Jamestown Journal.
-Akin, George, 22, formerly of Auburn, NY, died 7/14/1835 in Natchez, Mississippi. (in the Wayne Sentinel).
- Moore, Joseph K. married 12/12/1834 Betsey Akin in Carroll, Chaut Co.; Rev Peck (listed 1/7/1835)
- Morey, Freeland married 1/8/1844 Lucy Akin in Bust, Chaut. Co.; E. W. Parker, Esq. (listed 1/26/1844)
-Hall, Samuel E. of Sugargrove, PA married 2/10/1841 Mary Akin of Carroll, Chaut. Co., NY in Sugargrove, PA; M. Wilson, Esq. (listed 2/24/1841)
-Lacy, Samuel S. married 1/2/1844 Mary A. Akin, both of Chili, Monroe Co., NY, in Chili; Rev Billington. (listed 1/10/1844)
-Stevens, Phineas, Jr. 21, married 11/7/1817 Rhoda Glover, 35 in Phelps (in the Geneva Gazette - Geneva, Ontario Co., NY) [I don't know if he is related to "my" Phineas Stevens family?]
-Stevens, Gilbert, 12, son of Phineas, died in Canadaigua, NY -(listed 12/26/1827)
-Stevens, Walter of Richmond, Ontario County, married Lucy Osgood in Almond, Alleg. Co., NY (listed11/38/1827)
-Stevens, Walter, about 30, son of Daniel, was accidentally killed by a rifle shot by Cabot Barlow while deer hunting in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin - The parties were formerly from Chautauqua Co., NY (listed 6/30/1842)
-Stevens, Ebenezer (Maj Gen) 71, died 9/2/1823 in Rockaway, L.I., NY where he had gone for benefit of his health (LTC in Rev. War) (Listed in Geneva Gazette, Ontario Co., NY 8/17/1843)
-Stephens, Asa, 22 died 8/4/1843 in Ripley (Chautauqua Co.) (listed 8/17/1843).
- Stephens, Walter married 12/9/1834 Matilda Tew, both of Jamestown (listed 12/10/1834).

As my Akin cohort, Robert Akin, pointed out - according to the 1830 census, there was Edward, Elijah, Howard, James, Joseph, and William Akin living in Chautauqua County. It is somewhat easy to elimate some of these head of households as the father of Betsey, Lucy or Mary Akin (above) of Chautauqua County, but it doesn't exactly confirm who belongs to which family.

Here's what Robert found about Mary Akin listed above:

From a record of a letter I long ago sent him (that I found at the Fenton Library, in Jamestown, NY). It was from Mrs. Pamela Spanogle dated 12/1985, Subject: Correction to Fredonia Censor Gleanings. This letter identifies the Mary Akin that married Samuel Erastus Hall, Jr. as the widow of Aura Cronk Akin (1815-1839) s/o James Akin, II. Her maiden name was Wheeler.

He then found Freeland and Lura Morey in the census records. In 1850, he is called Freeland Masey, and they are on p. 21 of the Busti census. This record indicates that Lura was born abt 1824 . He found Freeland and Lura in the 1860 census for Busti, p. 37. He is listed as Frelan Mory. In 1870, Lura is living alone with Deloss, their son, in Busti - census p. 28. He did not find them in the 1880 census. The son is called Carlos in 1850, Dallas in 1860, and Deloss in 1870. He could not find him in 1880,either. Apparently Lura Akin, b. abt 1824, is the d/o Edward and Lura (Wilcox) Akin. The only little problem is that Edward and Laura seem to have this Lura b. 1824 and then later another daughter, named Laura, b. 1845. Why two daughter's named so similarly? Could this Laura be a granddaughter?

There are other possibilities to nail down the Betsey Akin from the newspapers. More work here to be done. Here is the website of Robert Larry Akin:

http://www.akinfamilyhistory.com/

The jury is still out on the Phineas Stevens relation of mine to the Stevens/Stephens mentioned above. I will continue with other findings at the Family History Center next time.

New Year's Memories - Traditions

New Years traditions - from the questions by Miriam at http://ancestories2.blogspot.com/

Do you remember the first time you were allowed to stay up and see in the New Year? How old were you? How did you and your typically spend New Year's Eve during your youth?

I grew up in Los Angeles. My brother was 4 years older than me, so whatever he did, I followed. When we were very young my father strung a microphone/intercom from my bedroom to the neighbor's living room to hear any commotion when we were supposed to be asleep. I'm sure it was more than two tin cans and a string. This was in the late 1940's. I mostly remember that New Year's was a neighborhood event, with my parents getting together with neighbors to play canasta once in a while and usually on New Year's for several years when we were growing up. The grown-ups would sit in the living room (front room) and the kids would be in my brother's room. We had lots of snacks like peanuts and pretzels. Sodas were generally not available, I got sick on them anyway. My brother was the oldest of our "gang" in the neighborhood, and I was the youngest. The others were boys. So I usually got the brunt of any war or fight we were having. But I held my own. My brother knew how to play poker, so that's where I learned, at about age six. We mostly played a game called "Rummy Royal" or listened to records, 78s I think. I remember we would jump on the bed bouncing around acting crazy to the song "Cocktails For Two" and anything "Spike Jones and His City Slickers" did. . (see e-Bay pic at right) The zanier, the better. Of course we blew little paper horns and used whatever noise makers we had at midnight. Nobody used fireworks, I don't think they were even thought of. However one year, when I was visiting at the house in Los Angeles with my baby daughter in about 1971, someone fired a gun in the air and the bullet came down through the roof and ceiling into the bedroom where we slept.

*How did you typically spend New Year's Day in your childhood and youth? Did you visit family and friends? Did your family host an Open House? Did you watch the Tournament of Roses Parade and Rose Bowl game or another favorite sport?

We always, always watched the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena on television, and a couple times went to see it in person. We didn't have any big dinner or open house on New Year's day, that I recall. We often watched the Rose Bowl football game on TV, after the parade, especially if any friends came over. I loved to see the Rose Parade, and still do. Later, on 1 Jan 1988, my daughter was in the parade as a flag twirler in the color guard from Overland High School in Aurora, Colorado. It was wonderful to see her marching in the parade. We drove up there early from Hemet as we were staying at my Dad's new home in Hemet, CA. I videotaped the parade and then took a photo of the television screen as we later replayed the video, and put it on pause, when she marched by. That way I was able to uniquely capture that moment that she made her television debut! But it was so great to see all in person! (see photo of 2009 Rose Parade from TV)

2008 Wrap Up

To wrap up the year 2008 I see lots of accomplishments, activities and achievements, but I also see lots more to do. I especially wanted to visit some Spanish speaking countries this year – which I did, going to San Salvador, Guatemala, a bit of Honduras and Belize, following the route of the Maya. I also wanted to spend lots of time with my daughter’s and grandchildren, which I also did – a month in July/August and now 3 weeks over Christmas 2008-New Year’s 2009. In the meantime I was able to qualify for Operation Smile and have a medical mission, lined up for Managua, Nicaragua for Feb 4th 2009, for plastic surgery of cleft lip/palate children.

This Christmas, in Sierra Vista, Arizona has been very festive and full of kids and families. We traveled up to Phoenix for two days to visit my son-in-law’s family. While the Pacific Northwest was struggling under snow, and Hawaii was struggling without power and enjoying Obama's visit, I had a holiday with good weather and snow on the mountain peaks.


Now I'm learning about “Geocaching” with my grandson, Braden. We followed the latitude and longitude clues found at http://www.geocaching.com/ for around this zip code area, and used my old GPS to zero in on the hidden cache around the Sierra Vista, AZ, and outlying areas. We found three “caches” and a couple of the bigger ones had little trinket treasures that the finder could chose from and take, and leave one of your own, if you want. While looking for the geocache we discovered that there is a nice nature path along a dry wash, and even stumbled on














a burned out trestle that once crossed the creek. Then we found a little park by the Whetstone Fire Station and discovered a hidden cache nearby. Finally we followed a clue coordinates to “A Starry Night” and discovered that there is an observatory on the campus of the Univ of Arizona, South. I didn’t even know there was a University campus there. So it looks like my fondness for “volksmarching” long ago in Germany is now becoming a fondness for geocaching in the USA.

On Christmas Eve, Scott, my son-in-law who is in the Army, rode his motorcycle in the escort of the 11th Signal Brigade's arrival from their deployment to Iraq, from the Ft Huachuca airport to their big family home-comings. There were 50-60 motorcyclists, many veterans with flags fllying, escorting the 5 busload of soldiers and another bus of airmen. Very nice to see them come home without any injuries or losses. The picture here shows Scott on the far right.

Of course, Genealogy is a prime endeavor, and I do work on that about every day. I’ve just realized, that my distant cousin via the Joshua Wallace family, may also be connected to me by the early Plumb family of Connecticut. Here's the generation where we may connect:

Descendants of John Plumb
1 John Plumb b: 24 Nov 1646 CT, Milford d: Mar 1727/28
.. +Elizabeth* Norton b: Abt. 1645 CT, Bramford m: 24 Nov 1668 d: Father: John* Norton; Mother: Dorothy*
... 2 Elizabeth Plumb b: 01 Nov 1669
....... +Samuel Hickock b: m: 1690;
... 2 John Plumb b: 29 Jul 1671 d: Abt. 17 Aug 1716;
....... +Rachel Bunnel
... 2 Mary Plumb b: 15 May 1673
....... +Joseph Kerby m: 17 Oct 1704
... 2 Sarah* Plumb b: 05 Apr 1675 Of CT, Milford, New Haven Co d: 17 Aug 1712;
....... +Joseph* Kellogg b: Mar 1677/78 CT, Norwalk m: 25 Nov 1702 CT, Norwalk, Fairfield; d: Bef. 21 Jan 1720/21 Father: Daniel* Kellogg Mother: Bridget* Bouton;
.........3 Rachel* Kellogg b: 15 Jul 1710 d: 24 Dec 1793;
............. +William* Reed b: 16 Nov 1708 m: 28 Nov 1729 d: 02 Aug 1793 CT, New Canaan; Father: John2* Reed Mother: Elizabeth* Tuttle
... 2 Hannah Plumb b: 15 Apr 1677
....... +Unknown Bunnel
2 Dorothy Plumb b: 23 Mar 1678/79
....... +Samuel Prindle b: m: 01 Jan 1698/99
... 2 Josiah Plumb b: 06 Feb 1680/81 d: Bef. 1719
... 2 Joseph Plumb b: 1683 d: 27 May 1742
....... +Elizabeth Bailey b: m: 05 Dec 1709 d:
... *2nd Wife of Joseph Plumb:
....... +Thankful Gaylord b: m: Aft. 1709 d:
... 2 Ruth Plumb b: 29 Nov 1685 d:
....... +Hezekiah Bunnell b: m: 03 Jul 1706 d:
... *2nd Husband of Ruth Plumb
....... +John Wheeler b: m: Aft. 1706 d:
... 2 Robert Plumb b: 19 Apr 1691 d: 30 Nov 1699

In 2001 when I was driving around America on my Vagabond “roots discovery” trip, I spent a bit of time in New Haven, Wethersford, Milford, and New Canaan, Connecticut. These were areas that the Plumb and Kellogg families lived after 1635. I think Wethersford , CT is best know now for a witch trial.

A sad note is that my first cousin (on the Hague-Wallace side), Carol's daughter-in-law, Kerry Putman, died Dec 7th, after a Thanksgiving holiday of riding a "quad" in the desert around Las Vegas where she and her husband lived. She was bruised after a collision accident, but no broken bones. She died a week later from a pulmonary embolism. A great loss to the family.

2009 will be here soon, I hope to keep more of a log at this blog. It should be a good year.

Stocking Stuffer

Christmas is coming -

Stocking Stuffers Picture

(I've placed this entry at the top of my blog for easy viewing.)
In preparation for Christmas, and in response to "Smile For the Camera" - a Blog Carnival for genealogy, with a subject of "Stocking Stuffer" - I've found a photograph to submit for this December's Blog Carnival. My "Stocking Stuffer" photo is ME in a Christmas Stocking. It was my first Christmas and my parents hung a big stocking with me as the stuffer. My brother, Richard Hague, is standing next to me (Donna) in front of our fireplace, in Los Angeles, California. He's probably thinking that this was not what he had asked Santa for! The year was 1945. I hope the hook was sturdy, but I guess it was, as I don't remember becoming unstuffed if it gave way. I'm wearing a pink crochet top that my great-grandmother, Edith (Akins) Blanding probably made for me when I was born. Previous editions of "Smile For The Camera" can be found at the "FootnoteMaven's website: http://www.shadesofthedeparted.com/

PS. Seven years later, after I grew too big for the stocking, we put the cat, Smokey, in the stocking. He later let us know he didn't like being a stuffing!

The Carnival's In Town by footnoteMaven Dec 14, 2008

Here's an update of the results of the "Carnival" entries by "footnoteMaven" at

http://www.shadesofthedeparted.com/2008/12/carnivals-in-town.html

8th EDITION

Smile For The Camera ~ A Carnival of Images

This was a "Joy To The World" sort of Carnival. One of the most thoughtful, kind, and generous Carnivals yet. Each of the participants thought long and hard about what they would share and who they would share it with. Their choices were what you would expect from this great group of GeneaBloggers. I try not to comment on the submissions until the Carnival's In Town, to keep my impressions fresh, but it was so hard not to comment this time.

So, open the cover and browse the 8th Edition of Smile For The Camera's album of Stocking Stuffers and Enjoy This Holiday Season!

— ¤ — ¤ —

There could not be a more perfect start to this carnival than the "Stocking Stuffer" photograph that Donna Wendt posted at Another Day With Donna. When she said, "I've put a stocking stuffer photo on my blog," Donna meant it! So we start the Album with a photograph you just must see! Smile, you're at the carnival.

I Remember Christmas

I REMEMBER CHRISTMAS

IN LOS ANGELES...



Donna (Hague) Wendt

Randy Seaver posted these questions on his geneamusings blog at http://www.geneamusings.com/2008/12/this-weeks-advent-calendar-of-genea.html and I found his answers very entertaining. Evidently they originated at Tom J. McEntee’s blog last year at http://destinationaustinfamily.blogspot.com/tionaustinfamily.blogspot.com/ (see December 2007 link called "Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories." I believe Jasia also helped originate the tradition. Here, for posterity, are some of the same questions, but with my own responses:

Did you ever send a letter to Santa Claus?

Yes, I wrote letters to Santa when young. Don’t know what ever happened to them, or if I got what I requested. When we got older, we’d write a “wish list” for our parents to peruse. In 1948 Dad set up a photo op of my brother, Dick, and I posting a big letter to Santa at the corner mail box.

Did you ever visit Santa and "make a list?"

I used to visit Santa at the Department stores like Broadway or May Co. on Crenshaw Blvd. I liked Santa and figured I’d trust him if I got a present. I remember one Christmas we all went to the Masonic Children’s Christmas Party in Los Angeles. We both got nice presents. Dad belonged to the Masonic Lodge for many years. In fact, Grandpa Pearce belonged to the Masons, too, but neither were active for long, I guess.

Do you still believe in Santa Claus? When did you find out "the truth" about Santa Claus?

I definitely believed in Santa when young. He would come to our house and give us presents on Christmas Eve. As I got a little older I wondered where Uncle Wally disappeared to one Christmas Eve, and he said he had to go to the store, so missed Santa’s visit. I always wanted to go out and see the reindeer. Then the next year I saw that Santa’s shoes were wingtip just like my Dad’s. In fact he had a Masonic ring, like Dad. Santa's face was a bad mask, but if you want to believe, you don't worry about the small stuff. At one point I asked my grandmother, Minnie (Wallace) Hague, if Santa were real. She said his spirit is real and he lives in our hearts. That was enough to confuse me and keep me thinking positively for a long while… a good answer so not to be too disappointed.

Snow in Los Angeles?

I do remember seeing snow on the mountains surrounding Los Angeles. Maybe twice before I went away to college in 1963. It had to be a very clear day, and cold. No haze, or smog. It was beautiful and everyone would go outside to the front and look towards the mountains. Los Angeles residents used to have incinerators in their backyards and burn all their trash (put garbage out front in a little metal garbage bucket, and put the grass and other trash in some kind of a trash can for the trash pickup). Clear into the 1950’s the butcher at the markets (such as Von’s Market on Western Ave near Manchester) would pay the housewives for bringing in their old cooking grease in a tin can. This originated during the war, II think.

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Did people in your neighborhood decorate with lights?

Yes, but probably not in the early 1950s. I can’t remember any. Later, we did put up house lights and a porch decoration… or Dad did. We made a Christmas Photo card one year showing all four of us assisting with the job. Dad used a tripod. That was probably about 1960. Other neighbors had Christmas lighting, but I don’t think any really went “all out.” In the 1950’s Dad used to drive us to Exposition Park by the Coliseum in Los Angeles where there were beautiful lights and decorated trees. The cars drove slowly down the long drive and circled around for the drive back past the trees… as I remember. That was a big pre-Christmas treat. (sometimes we’d go to the Coliseum for the 4^th of July to see the fireworks, and everyone would light a match at the end.. very impressive.)

Did your family send Christmas Cards?

Yes, and my Dad always created them. Since about 1940 he took a photo and made a Christmas card out of it. He had a dark room in the garage for his photo developing and printing – always black and white. By the time I was born the card was on hard paper stock with crinkle cut edges. When I got older I used to help with the production, especially rinsing all the cards in the bathtub to remove the chemicals and then putting the cards (with some degree of moisture probably) in a card press that we would screw down tight with wing nuts. They came out of the press all flat and ready for us to stuff the envelopes that my mother addressed in her beautiful handwriting.

Did your family display the ones they received?

Yes, We usually had the cards in a basket of some sort on the coffee table in the front room. One basket was made out of the cards that were crocheted together to form a basket. Maybe Aunt Fern made it. She sewed all my clothes until after I went to Jr. High School. A few times we put the cards on the louvers on the doors between the Living Room and the Dining room. I think that was my idea. For a Christmas Card photo we taped the cards on the dining room drapes and moved the dining table out of the way. I loved the Christmas cards and before any were ever thrown away I would collect the prettiest ones and make other things of them, like place mats, or most commonly, littler gift enclosure cards for the next Christmas. I still save as many of the pretty cards as I can.

Do you still send Christmas cards?

Yes. But since I joined the Army in 1974, I’ve made a “Christmas Letter.” I would type a page and get some copies made. I remember looking hard for a copy machine when stationed in Germany, and putting in the correct coins to get a copy. I used green paper every year at first. The length of the letters increased as I used the letters as a way for me to remember what I did during each year. Then I’d add photos at the end. Finally with my computer the Christmas letters became long extravaganzas, with photos and clip art everywhere. One or two times I was too busy for the letter and doubled up on the years in the next letter. I never like to start writing the letter, but I’m always happy with the finished product and know I’ve got a record of the past year. Sometimes I folded the letter and put a stamp and addressed it, and other times I folded the letter and put it in an envelope. I hand address each one (haven’t figured out the Avery labels from the computer) put on a nice stamp and try to hand write a little bit at the bottom of the letter to each person. I try to not leave too much writing room.

Did your family have any traditional dishes for the holidays?

We always had turkey or ham. Since we also often had Thanksgiving at our house (unless we were up at the farm (grandparents - Senkers) we might alternate. It seems we probably also had Easter at our house, and that would be ham. Mom set up the dining room table, with a nice white linen tablecloth, and Mom’s Franciscan China with the rose pattern. We’d have a flower arrangement before the meal from the flowers from our yard. Usual guests every year were Grandpa Pearce, Aunt Pearl and Uncle Pat, Aunt Fern and Uncle Fred, and Grandma Hague (Minnie). The only extra friends I remember were once or twice Mr. Mackown a roomer at Grandma’s boarding house downtown; Bob Andrich from across the street once; and Bobby Ledesma, a boyfriend (and jockey) in Sr year High School once. One year, at least, Uncle Wally and Aunt Sue with Barbara and Janice were over; also Patti, Carol and Aunt LaVerne. Here is a photo of dinner in the dining room with Dad dishing out the turkey, Mom in the front, Dick at left, and Grandparents Senker on the right. Anyway, besides the turkey we always had delicious hot butterflake rolls, mashed potatoes (I loved the homemade lumps), and a vegetable such as frozen peas or perhaps green beans. Maybe even a green bean casserole with crispy onion rings from a can. I know cranberry sauce from a can was always on the table, along with black olives. I always would put the black olives on my fingers to eat them. I don’t know if we had sweat potatoes, I never liked them then. In fact I never liked or ate turkey because I hated turkeys ever since they jumped on my bare back when I was about 4 years old at the farm. I ran away from the turkeys even though my Dad was on the barn roof with Papa Roy yelling –“Don’t run away!” I didn’t eat turkey until I went to college. We always had pumpkin pie for desert. Usually with honey from the farm hives, and walnuts on top, also from the farm. The walnuts went into a glass nut grinder and you turned it upside down and turned the key to grind up the nuts. We also had vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. My father loved mince meat pie, so we probably had that too. He loved the mince meat pies that his Aunt Rose (Wallace) Johnson, in Oakland, would make (she added brandy).

Although not at such a sophisticated meal as Christmas dinner, but when my brother, Dick, and I ate with the Stewarts, in/from Ventura, we would have a lot of fun. We would toss the olives or peas into each other’s milk glasses. Dick and I and Linda and Ronnie. The grown-ups would eat in the dining room and we ate in the kitchen at their house, as I remember it. We’d have so much fun with the Stewarts. Mom and Dad went to school (Jefferson High) with Irma and George Stewart. Irma was with my mother starting in grammar school (Irma Baust). We also would have dinners with their other school friends, Eleanor (Land) and Jay Miller when we stayed at their house in Fresno (on the way to the farm by Red Bluff). The Millers had two girls (Eleanor Jean and Edwina) who were older than Dick and not so much hard-play fun. I was always the youngest of all.

Did you have a real tree, or was it artificial? How big was the tree? Who decorated the tree?

We always had a real tree, usually a Douglas fir. And always green. Maybe it was partially flocked a time or two. My Dad always fixed it up so it looked perfect in the house. It usually was just the right height so the top to the tree was just low enough so the glass topper could be placed on the top without touching the ceiling. Dad would drill holes in the trunk of the tree and stick extra branches in the holes to “fill out the tree.” It stood in a base of water in a metal tree stand which had to be tended to every day. It would be glorious to see the tree at night from the street with all it’s lights at the big bay window. Mom had a tree skirt to go around it and provided a pretty place to put the presents. We would all go to the Christmas tree lot and select the tree, then bring it home on top of the car. One year Dad used a photo of Dick and I selecting a Christmas tree on Manchester Ave, for our Christmas card picture. We didn't buy the white tree in the photo, but it looked better for the picture. Mom had all the Christmas decorations in a big box or two that had to be retrieved from the attic. The lights and wrapping paper and other decorations were up there. I loved it when Dad got the ladder open in the big hallway closet and popped the top to get into the attic. I loved walking around in the low attic space. After we got everything down to the living room, we'd eagerly wait to see if all the glass ornaments were still intact inside the big boxes. Each was carefully wrapped in white tissue paper and Mom would hand them to us one at a time to place carefully on the tree. We had special ornaments, and a few were specifically either mine or Dick’s. We looked forward to each of the decorations from year to year. We had bubble lights, and lead tinsel and small diameter silvery garlands. We all helped decorate the tree which usually went up a week or two before Christmas. We didn’t have the mini-lights, they were the size of the night lights today. Before putting the light strings on the tree – a very exact science calculated by my Dad, we would have to track down which light in the string was dead, so it could be replaced and the whole light would then turn bright. We didn’t routinely use popcorn and cranberries, but at least one year I wanted to string them so we had that as additional garlands. We also had a nicely decorated mantle over the fireplace. It often had white cotton felt type stuff laid out and little things on top. Mom decorated the glass hurricane lamps to look like Santa Clauses on each end. After all the presents of Christmas Eve were opened we hung the empty stockings for Santa to fill during the night. We always were excited to see the bulging socks in the morning. The milk and cookies we left would be mostly eaten, and the carrot for the reindeer would have a bite out of it.