by Carolyn Traweek Hellen
I wrote last about my home in Alabama to say that I had finally gotten the floor leveled, the kitchen turned into a dining room, the walls sheet-rocked, taped, bedded, and painted after considerable expense. I had painted the den ceiling after breaking my foot in the process. This was all completed by the end of April. During a storm on June 13th that spawned small tornadoes, a one-hundred-year-old, 20 ton pecan tree was uprooted and fell on the house. It hit the new dining room, the den, the study, and an upstairs bedroom, its heavy branches knocking holes in the roof as it went. A neighbor called on the 14th, and we arrived there after midnight. It was the next morning before we saw the true devastation.
The study was hard hit. We threw out genealogy books and papers by the sack full. The carpets throughout the house were soaked with several inches of awful brown water from where the rain had poured in through the roof and walls that had a hundred and seventy four years' buildup of dirt.
I remembered the floods of Alicia and how I told people how sorry I was that they lost so much and that I understood how terrible they felt. How mistaken I was. I had no idea then how horrible it is to lose so much that is irreplaceable, but believe me, I now know how they felt. My son flew in from California to help his dad, which was a blessing. We now have the house back to where it was in April after spending tens of thousands of dollars. Please protect your books and papers. You never know where the damage can come from. Thank you all for your calls of condolences and cards. It meant a great deal.
At our meeting in August, we will again have show and tell and a covered dish dinner. Please plan to bring something genealogy related that you could share with the group, no matter how large or how small, and a covered dish. The tables will be arranged differently, so there will be room for everyone. We all enjoyed last year's dinner and looking at the many varied objects, letters, scrapbooks, pictures, etc., that you brought, and we look forward to seeing them again, as well as the new things you have acquired.
At the July meeting, we are once again fortunate to have Kathryn Morrow speaking to us. This time she will be speaking about the resources of the Family History Centers, something that will be of benefit to everyone. I am sure you will find it enjoyable and informative.
See you at the next meeting,
Carolyn
| From: Carolyn Hellen
Date: Tuesday, July 22, 2003 07:19:57 PM Subject: Genealogy Class Starting Sunday, July 27 at 2:00 o'clock I will be teaching a class
on genealogy. It will start out for beginners and will continue every
Sunday afternoon until we have discussed every subject concerning genealogy
of interest. The class will last about 2 hours. Registration
fee is $5.00, this money will go to the societies treasurer. A workbook
will be available for $15.00 if you care to buy one. Anyone that
already has the workbook will only pay $5.00 and can join the group at
any time. After the beginner classes have finished we will continue
on with subject such research Indian Ancestry, Writing a family history,
Your Mexican Heritage, using the Internet, using the Family History Centers,
etc. you name it! If you are a beginner and are interested please
call Doug Wilson @ 281-326-3823 and be at the church at 2 pm on Sunday
before the meeting.
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| List of items to bring for beginners classes |