Genealogy Chat

Hi Peeps, what a good read this thread is lol. I started my research about two years ago when my mother received a letter from Australia to say that she was the only living relative of a guy that we didn't even know existed ! He had just died and I felt so sorry that we'd never even known he'd existed. We got left a small sum of cash but more importantly some letters of his that he'd wrote to his girlfriend in the war (heartbreaking stuff as she rejected him). He never married or had kids so hence he had no family in Australia. Turns out he was my grandads step brother and my grandad didn't even know about him. Anyway, it got me started on all this and I've never looked back !! My other half used to think my other hobbies were nerdy (cross-stitch, jigsaws, crosswords) baring in mind that I'm only 29 years young ! But he now thinks i'm clinically insane !! Best Wishes Marie x

I have just read through this thread and I am crying with laughing!! Everything rings so true....!! Polish, duster and ironing board at the ready...omg can I multi-task!! My husband and I have just returned from a few days break in Scotland....my first thought was when he booked the holiday was that we hadn't any ancestors born in Scotland!! Looking back perhaps that is why he booked the holiday!! LOL. Linda

Hubby refers to this hobby as me 'talking to my dead people'. He says he hopes I'll talk to him this much when he's dead cos it will be a darned sight more than I do now whilst he's alive!!! K

Janet, I know they're just trying to wind me up and are succeeding, but it has really made me think about a 'good home' for my research to go to as that certainly won't be my home, unless the offspring develop an interest later in life. But.....I don't think I'll take the risk. A couple of cousins are also interested, so I might at least make copies of everything and pass it all on. It would be a shame for so much time, effort and money to be wasted. I don't think it will be the Ancestry Elbow that'll see me off. It's more likely to be exhaustion due to doing this all night instaed of sleeping! I'm sure you know what I mean.

O.K. I'm updating my original message on here from 2 years ago. I still don't know if Percyval Makeres is mine. Now Amanda, I know where you are coming from (God I never thought I'd use b*******t speak on here) I too have a partner who thinks I am obsessive about my 'dead rellies' as he puts it. If you seriously think that your family will bin your tree and research when you die (never heard of anyone popping off from 'ancestry elbow' but there's always a first! and it'll go down on the amusing cause of death thread to warn others) Specify in your will that if they don't give your research to the SOG or archives or FHS then they don't inherit a thing. Problem solved!

I've got the Genes disease as well and I'm on my daughters in-laws trees now lol, well as I am doing this for my grandchildren (not that they are interested at the moment) they would want to know about their fathers family wouldn't they???. Jenny

The answer to all the aches and pains is a laptop, a lap tray and 5 pillows or so. Arrange pillows nicely to prop back up against the headboard of your bed, sling a pillow under your knees... you'll be comp-related ache free in no time. (and in a slave to bring you nice cups of tea and your set for hours at a time) *grins*

I've got Ancestry Elbow! Pain and swelling in and around the right elbow joint, caused by leaning my desk whilst holding the mouse in my hand.....sometimes for several hours at a time! It now makes a disturbing clicking sound too. My husband thinks family history is a complete waste of time and humours me. My kids are the same and have threatened to bin all my research when I die. Seriously....I'm now trying to think up ways of preserving it. I now have to resist the urge to mention genealogy at work as I think my colleagues now feel pity for me. My husband thinks that certificates are £1.00: an assumption I haven't bothered to correct. He'd hit the roof if he knew how much an ancestry subscription costs! And Heather - no, you're not the only one who manages to work family history into conversations with complete strangers!

After reading all your messages i realized that i'm not alone. They are calling me the Anorak at work. I work in a dentist which is ideal for telling everyone about my family tree while i have a captive audience .They usually have their mouths wide open with instruments inside and pinned to the chair with fright. First thing i do when i get home from work is check the pc.Then i'm on it all night.Got really bad sciatica in my leg and popping pain killers for fun, but i still can't give it up.Just can't wait to find out what went on in the years gone by. All the better if i unearth a scandal.Not watched tele for months. I'm in the office on the pc and my husband now joined me on his playstation3.Nothing like togetherness.We can be in here for hours.He got sick of being on his own in the living room.

I originally nudged this thread because it was relevant to another thread I started today, but Sheila's reminded me of the fact that I started tracing my step-grandfather (my Gran's second husband's) tree back, as he doesn't have any direct descendants of his own so no-one else will be doing it on his behalf. He died about 50 years ago (although I remember him), so how sad is that? Angela

Thank goodness that I am not the only who goes through family lists in my sleep. Apart from doin g my family and my husband's I have traced the family of an aunt who has been dead years, my stepfather's family and my cousin's too. I have also helped a friend with her research. I really enjoy helping other people with their family searches Sheila

Hi Everyone This is a brillant thread! I like everyone else am thoroughly addicted to family history! And I thought I was the only one!! I must get out more! As soon as I get up the computer goes on and last thing at night I check on what is happening on the boards. I only heard about the boards in March of this year and I don't think I have missed a day So glad to hear there are others like me Happy hunting for those elusive relatives! Diana

nudge, as I think it might be appreciated! Angela

hi everyone As well as checkin for messages as soon as i can possibly get to the computer. Last night whilst spending an evening in with the hubby i could only think of what excuse to go upstairs and turn on GR. I am now addicted to this thread and laughing at all the various backgrounds of people we are but are all the same where GR is concerned...........ADDICTED!!!!!!!!!!! DEBS X

Hi V the V, Wow ! That is a conversation stopper; I don't know what to say ! Oh yeah, to have three generations living into their eighties proves that this addiction doesn't kill. Happy hunting Joan

DEREK ??? You are the first man on this thread, Congratulations! And PHEW ! I thought it was only a woman's addiction. Welcome to the sneaky madhouse - or - Are you a spy for our husbands ? Best wishes, Thread nudger (this one anyway)

The other thing Im embarrassed about is nearly every conversation I have with a stranger, somehow I manage to get round to talking about bloody family history! Is it just me boring every tradesman, person at the bus stop and cold caller to death?

Can I join the club??? I started doing genes 2 years ago when my daughter was suffering from depression and doing nasties to herself.... she had to have company 24/7 so I thought it was time I found something to do in the home...........and how!!!!! I have over 3000 individuals on my family tree. Ditto all above messages (except I do not get the aches and pains - must be I have the setup correct - family of computerites. Pleased to say daughter is now at Uni, although diagnosed with ME/CFS so still hard for her - but my stress levels are better - but it has not stopped me researching. One of these days I really must visit a proper records office - relied on pc and fellow genes ers to date. And guess what, having a lenient employer i am doing this from work in my lunch break! PS If you have not already check out the new HOT matches - cant wait for it to update again (I had too many unknowns and random individuals to get rid of - need to wait for later in the alphabet to filter in - or have I missed something?) Hi everyone - Lis (in Buckinghamshire, England)

thank you so much for nudging this thread - it's made me feel much better about my addiction & given me a laugh. I'm supposed to be going out shopping, but keep saying to myself 'I'll just look at this & then I'll go. Hubby always rings me lunchtime so I have to log off. I mooch around waiting for the phone & get back on again as soon as I've spoken to him. Oh well, better go I suppose. Angela

Don't know why I have never read this topic before... it's fantastic. Everything about you all reminds me of 'ME' As soon as hubbie and son leave for work I dash upstairs,, no, not to take a shower and get dressed.. to switch on and get up to date, the shower takes place a lot later on. and maybe get time to run downstairs and put washing in machine/take something out of the freezer for tea/make beds etc.etc. When the family are due home, I listen out for a car, switch off comp, and appear at the top of the stairs saying 'I've just been having 40 winks - so tired today' !!!!!!!!!!! This obsession makes you tell little white lies.