Killing two birds with one stone

 It seems as though I often hide at home in airconditioned comfort and indulge in two of interests, tennis and family history research, at the one time during late January or early February. That was the case today.

A Working Holiday?

Family: This is what your mother did today.

In Birmingham, UK,  for The Genealogy Show.

Where's the weedkiller?

We were excited in Castletown Geoghegan, Westmeath when a lady at the church directed us to the old cemetery where I thought our Ryan ancestors may be buried. There was a little issue in accessing the cemetery!!!

Chasing ancestors....again

Research time -helping to boost Ireland's economy at the General Register Office - Research Room in Dublin.

Australian Partner

I met a new genimate. @donnyosmond, at Rootstech who won Dancing with the Stars in the US. He told me that his partner was Australian, Kym Johnson.

Photo op for Donny's fans

Penance on a rainy day

It's raining, it's pouring. Guess I'll have to stay indoors and help Mr GeniAus with family history. 

I suppose I can manage that!

 

Surprise - Lovely Blog Award

Haphazard is an apt word to describe the way I post and manage this blog. It's just something that is there for me if I feel the need to share or record something from my personal life.

My genealogy blog GeniAus, where most of my blogging effort is directed, has received quite a few awards but this little blog doesn't get nor deserve the same recognition. It is always gratifying to be recognised by readers and fellow bloggers so I was absolutely delighted when my genimate Crissouli from The Back Fence of Genealogy bestowed The One Lovely Blog Award on this blog. Thanks Chris I am stoked.

The suggestions for passing on the award, if you wish to do so, are as follows...

• Thank the person who nominated you and link back to that blog.
• Share seven things about yourself – see below.
• Nominate 15 bloggers you admire –or as many as you can think of!.
• Contact your bloggers to let them know you’ve tagged them for the One Lovely Blog Award...

Seven Random Things about Me

• I have an amazing collection of chicken stuff
• I try to swim each day
• I am a compulsive volunteerer
• I am suffer from photomania and have 150,00 digital images
• My latest fad is decrapifying
• I love my home with its peaceful surroundings
• I love getting away from home and travelling to new places

Bloggers I admire

I am ignoring genealogy blogs and nominating some other blogs I follow and enjoy

• Adventure before Dementia from Diane
• The Blogalogue from Frankston City
• Confessions of a Bibliophile from Crissouli
• The Cook and the Curator from The Historic Houses Trust
• Grandpa's Postcards from Jana Last
• Librarians are Go from Stacey
• Museum Geek from Suse
• Swimming from Sally

Where are the boy bloggers?

Just a Big Kid

I still love getting certificates. On the rare occasions I receive one I scan it and file it away in my treasures folders in both soft and hard copy formats.

As well as a lovely gift I was given a certificate from the Parramatta Family History Group when I spoke there last week.

Calm Conference Convenor

Sightseeing - Geniaus Style

So what does a genealogist do on a free day in Adelaide? I passed on the organised tours for Congress as I wanted to spend the day with Mr Geniaus before abandoning him for the next four.

The first site I visited was South Australia's Migration Museum. I won't rabbit on about that institution because fellow geneablogger, Helen V Smith, has done a superb job of that on her blog. I concur with all the positive things Helen says about the Museum in her blog post. The things that made this Museum so special to me were the artefacts and stories from immigrants that added context to the topic of migration. Below are some images from the exhibition.

The next stop on our meander down Adelaide's North Terrace was The State Library of South Australia. I was underwhelmed by the architecture and decor in this new addition that is stuck onto the historic Institute building. The three staff who helped me in the library were delightful and a credit to the Institution. I have an inlaw in my tree who died in South Australia in 1902 and I was keen to see if I could find mention of him in any local indexes. Sadly, in spite of the best efforts of the library staff members i did not find anything. Thanks to Librarian Maureen, who is attending Congress, for graciously posing for a photo and to the other female librarian for producing, in around a minute, a CD that was labelled in the catalogue as needing 48 hrs notice for retrieval. Librarians Rule!

Historic Institute Building on North Terrace

New SLSA Entrance (Right)

Librarian, Maureen

Family History Section, SLSA

A SLSA Librarian helping Geniaus with a CD