Saturday, December 31, 2011

Happy New Year

May the New Year be good to you!


52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History Favorite School Subject

Favorite School Subject: What was your favorite subject in school and why? Was it also your best subject?
I did not find my favorite subject until I was a sophomore in high school, and that subject was biology. I loved learning about the structure, function, and growth of living things.  It was the first subject I ever “aced” in school. I felt smart for the first time in my school career.  I also enjoyed Anatomy and Physiology when I made it to college.  I guess it is a good thing I liked these subject since I wanted to be a nurse.  I was not disturbed by the dissenting like some of the girls in my class.  I don’t remember being a whiz at it; I think did better at the drawings of a dissection and labeling the parts in a frog.  I think the real thing just looked too much like mush.  I will admit my memory is a little fuzzy on that. 
Picture from azuna.deviantart.com
52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History                                  Hosted by Geneabloggers: http://www.geneabloggers.com/Created by Amy Coffin http://wetree.blogspot.com/

Friday, December 30, 2011

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History Worst School Subject

Worst School Subject: What was your worst or least favorite subject in school and why?
My worst subject was spelling and it still is.  I thank Heaven everyday for spell check.  I am not a good speller, I have to stop and think many times how a word is spelled.  I use my dictionary a lot because I can make up such wonderful spelling of words than spell check can’t even figure out how it should be spelled.  I would write with a higher vocabulary if I could remember how the words are spelled.  It really is annoying some times. 

To make matters worse I have been scarred for life by a couple of my teachers.  The first one was in second grade.  I did the unthinkable, well I guess it isn’t unthinkable as I did it so I must have thought it.  I cheated on a spelling test, first and last time.  I didn’t cheat off of someone else I just had the spelling words under my paper.  Like that is any less wrong.  I mixed up the words horse and house, so my teacher drags me from the back of the room to the front by my ear and made an example of me.  She guessed I cheated because no one who could really know how to spell those words would mix up horse and house.  Of course as soon as I was asked, “Did you cheat?” I confessed. 

The second incident was in 8th grade.   Another spelling test this time I did spell every word correctly but I received a zero for the grade, because, are you ready for this??  Because I made my i’s incorrectly, yes each word started with the letter i.  I made the small letter i without the initial curve into the letter, so each word was marked wrong.  It still upsets me to this day; I mean what difference does it make in the world or to life if I have the initial curve or not in a letter.  Absolutely none!!  But according that that teacher it was improper penmanship. Granted I did leave 11 years of Catholic school with good penmanship but wasn’t the importance lesson there to know if I could spell those words or not. I can still see those red circles on each word in my mind.
Improper penmanship

I am still a bit of a rebel with my penmanship and make many letters different than the Palmer method I learned.  
My Dad also was very upset with me one day for making the ends of my y’s on Mary different, I wasn’t making the full loop, I was doing a half curl like end.  He equated that with being allowed to eat only whip cream, that is how wrong it was to not make a full loop on your y.  Seriously, that is wrong.
No silly "y" allowed
So now you won't be surprised if you see some creative spelling.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History First Job

Describe your first job. What did you do? Were you saving for something in particular, or just trying to make a living? Did that first job provide skills and make an impact on your life today?

My first job was as a "soda jerk" on a food counter in a Rexall Drug Store. I worked after school and I closed.  The evening wasn't as busy as lunch time but I had my regular customers.  A lot of the dinner customers where ambulance drivers since the store was real close to Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 
Picture from best-norman-rockwell-art.com
I made hamburgers, French fries, milkshakes, and of course the ice cream soda.  This was in the age of the real vanilla, cherry and chocolate coke, plus those milkshakes were made from milk, ice cream and favoring, no pre made stuff. I also had to balance my cash register every night, so I do know how to count out change.  The other nightly chore was to clean the grill, what a nasty job that is.  Duties also include washing, drying or the dishes used during my shift, stocking and cleaning up.  I wore a white uniform and a black apron.

My hourly wage was 0.27¢ and tips.  I took home about $2 a night in tips.  I saved my tips and used my earnings as spending money. I was saving my money so I would have spending money when I went to nursing school. 

I started the job in December of 1964 when I was a senior in high school.  I wanted a job because it was too hard to go home and be with my Mom who was failing.  She died in early February.  The job did provide me with skills that helped me during my nursing career.  I learned to how to talk with people and to be comfortable with people from all walks of life. 
52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History
Hosted by Geneabloggers: http://www.geneabloggers.com/
Created by Amy Coffin http://wetree.blogspot.com/


Wednesday, December 28, 2011

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History Grandma's House

I have three sets of grandparents but only one set was still alive when I was born. These were my Mom's (my Second Mom) parents, Alfred & Mildred Corkish.  They lived on Nantucket Island.  We went there about 3 or 4 times until we moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  I really only remember the trip I made when I was 10.  I have pictures from earlier trips but no memories.What do remember from when I was 10.  
There was a piano in the front pallor but I was the only child that could play on the piano because I didn't pound on it like my brothers did I played softly.  I didn't know how to play I just liked to pretend I could play.

On top of the piano was a ship in a bottle, that I really admired and wanted.  Not that I was ever going to get it but a kid can dream. I don't remember the story about the ship in a bottle, if Grandpa built it himself or one of his sons. 
My grandma still had an ice box in the kitchen and the ice man came twice a week with a big block of ice.  Here is a picture of an old ice box I don't know how old Grandma's was but it looked a lot like this one.
Picture from macombhistory.us

There was only one bathroom on the first floor and after we had gone to bed we were not allowed back down stairs. So we used a chamber pot upstairs.  Here is a picture of a chamber pot. 

Picture from collectiblesbypj.com

There was a short dirt road to the house.  It was close to the beach about 2 blocks or so I think.  It was a wood frame house and the wood was that grey weather beaten look that is typical of New England. 

It was originally a two family house with one family downstairs and one family upstairs.  When my Mom was a kid they lived upstairs and later the purchased the whole house.  I remember it seemed long and narrow. 

Grandparents Corkish & my family 1958
I enjoyed my time I spent there and would love to go back and see the house. 

Here is an earlier post with a picture of me and Grandma, I was about 6.
Here is an earlier post about Grandma's house.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History Songs

Since I have a little extra time I want to catch up on some of the Personal History posts.  They are fun topics.
Today's topic is Songs. What was the #1 song during the week of your birth? Enter your birth date at This Day in Music (http://www.thisdayinmusic.com/birthdayno1) and find out. If you were born before 1946, you can enter the year of your marriage, the birth dates of your children or some other significant event.

When I read the title of the song I thought I don't know that song, and I really expect to but when I went to You Tube I found the song and I do remember it. 

So here it is for your listening pleasure.  The title is Ballerina.  Just for a little more personal info I did take some dance lessons in elementary school, we mostly did tap but we did learn the basic moves of ballet.  In junior college I took modern dance as on of my PE classes.  My instructor told me I had really improved since the beginning of class and I would have been a good dancer.  I think she was dreaming and I wasn't interested. 

You may have to go to You Tube to watch.





Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas

I just want to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas.  May your day be fulled with love, family and friends.  Be safe and take a moment to remember the precious gift we were given on this day.


Thank you for being faithful followers.


Monday, December 19, 2011

Something Fun, Just for Giggles

This morning I was looking at My Heritage just to see what was there.  Of course the first thing I see is something that is fun.  So since I am on vacation I decided to do the fun thing first.  So I try the look alike meter.  When I was growing up my Mother who died when I was age 1, so all I ever heard was you look like your Dad.  Which is fine.  When I hit 40 and I was given a large photo of my Mother on her wedding day I thought I look more like her, I have her eyes.

So here is my first meter with my baby photo. 

 
MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities - Collage - Morph

 And here is my second with a photo of me taken about three years ago.  Needless to say I am way older than my parents at the time of the photos.  Yup I am a good blend of both parents.


MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Roots - Old photographs


Saturday, December 10, 2011

Blog Caroling

Do you hear what I hear? Yes, it is that time of year again – time for Footnote Maven’s Blog Caroling extravaganza. 
This is my second year to join in the fun.

This year I have chosen another carol from the Forgotten Carols.  What can I say the words to the songs in that play are just so meaningful.  I highlighted the words that mean the most to me. 

I wish you a Merry & Blessed Christmas



Let Him In

I am the man who got you,
No one recalls my name,
Thousands of years will fade too,
Fully erase my shame,

But I turned a profit nicely that day,
But I turned a couple away,
I turned them away,
I didn't sleep that evening,

Though I'd sold out my place,
Somehow I've felt uneasy,
Something about her face,
Why did I wish that I'd let them stay,

I don't think they could have paid,
Or could they have paid,
Restless I left my bedroom,
I walked the streets all night,

Lost in the world I lived in,
Bound by a Heavenly Light,
Sparing of one's rights,
Are in the sky,

I heard a baby cry,
And I knew where that cry had come from,
Cause I told them where they could go,
But I didn't think I could face them,

So I walked slowly home,
Missing my chance to share in their joy,
I never saw the boy,
He never would condemn me,

I did that all on my own,
He offered His forgiveness,
And ever since then I've known,
He let's us choose each hour of each day,

If we'll let Him in to stay,
Let Him in, Let Him in,
Let the joy and the hope begin,
Let Him in, Let Him in,

Let the peace on earth begin,
And whether be in your world today,
Or a crowded Bethlehem Inn,
Find a way, make Him room,

Let Him in, Let Him in,
Let the peace on earth begin,
Let Him in, Let Him in,
Let the joy and hope begin,

Let Him in, Let Him in,
Let Him in, Let Him in.