Today I shall be Mainly...

[Marilyn]

Ancestry...
chased one 4x Great Grandmother today whose first marriage was to a man 10 years her senior. He signed his name, but her mark was an “X”.
Two kids were born, before her husband died of Cholera aged 38. She remarried within 2 years to my 4x Great Grandfather, this time being able to sign her name ( wonderful).
Another 5 kids later ( including a set of twins who died as infants), she is listed in the census as a school teacher ( way to go gggg grandmother!)
She died aged 38 also. Tragic. But gosh...I was so proud that she went from being unable to sign her name, to being listed as a school teacher ( married as well...unusual indeed for her day).
Don’t we love strong women?

[Marilyn]

I don’t know how others work with Ancestry, but two of the things I particularly like to note is literacy and age of death. I find that if the husband could read and write but the wife couldn’t, the children remained illiterate. But if the wife/mother could read and write, the children could too. So I get very excited to find a female ancestor signing her name. ( I do realise that often the signing of their name was all they could write).
The other thing I track carefully is age of death. Apart from all the obvious disease outbreaks in olden days and the peril of childbirth, and the ravages of poverty, to find folk living until their nineties is heart warming.

[PanBiker]

Indeed Maz, looking at the timeline, child production and age at death. It makes you wonder how she had time to be a school teacher.

Reminds me of my relative who was in service at a house in Sedbergh and fell pregnant to the Gentry's son. They let her stay in service until the child was born then dismissed her and turned her out with her new baby. She heard of a gentleman over in Garsdale who's wife had died in childbirth and was looking for a wet nurse. She struck out across the moor and arrived at the house in a thunderstorm with babe in arms. She got the job and became wet nurse for his new baby and governess to his other two children. They eventually married and had children of their own, she became the local midwife for the surrounding dales and continued in that profession well into her 70's before she retired. She was a bit of a legend around the northern dales.

[Marilyn]

Bless her. Someone to be very proud of. Women were given limited choices in life. You must admire those that made the best of what they were dealt.

[Whyperion]

Ancestry...
chased one 4x Great Grandmother today whose first marriage was to a man 10 years her senior. He signed his name, but her mark was an “X”.
Two kids were born, before her husband died of Cholera aged 38. She remarried within 2 years to my 4x Great Grandfather, this time being able to sign her name ( wonderful).

Sometimes I think the X is put down because it is assumed the female cannot write , or to avoid embassaring an illiterate partner, anyone else think or suspect the same ?

[Sue]

Sue!!! The post lady has just been and delivered the painting I liked so much (and they didn't bend it!).

It's even better in the flesh and will get framed and hung I promise. Thank you very much, I am very pleased and you're right, it's far better hung on a wall than in a pile with all the others. It has found a good home.
Just had another look at it, the colours are so vibrant and I love the way you have treated the foliage of the trees.
Nice way to start the day.

Thank you for the compliments, you are welcome
Hence my trip to the post office yesterday, glad the Royal Mail didn’t lose it. I have had a couple of things not be delivered

[Sue]

Love the shirt Sue. Very smart and professional looking.

Thank you China, lockdown, an opportunity to stretch ones skills!

[Sue]

My family on my dad’s side were blessed with good genes, despite the hardship of life, the men invariably reached their 80 s or beyond. The women also, if they didn’t die in or just after childbirth. On my Mums side, things were not so good mainly dying in their 50 s from a whole range of things, no common denominator and not normally infectious diseases. My mum was the oldest I knew of in her family reaching 78

[Stanley]

Aiming for the valve gear!

[Sue]

Morning all

Awake early this morning, to what is supposed to be a wet day. Its certainly very grey. It could be a good day for planting out my runner beans. I am putting them in a large pot as I have no more garden space. The little I do have is for my butternut squash, also ready for planting out. I may not have a lot of time . Its pilates this morning. This afternoon the U3A is trying a new venture. It would normally be the monthly meeting and talk, so they are going to do the talk online using zoom. The talk is about old pub signs. We have an accompanying quiz which we have yet to do. Early evening I have a yoga.

I didn’t get my art project done yesterday. After history I had a clear out of Erin’s old toys. I washed all the plastic ones, and a little green chair and bagged them up to give to our cleaners grandson who is only two. Over the last couple of years he is the one who has played with them rather than Erin. We have a couple of classic toys that were Claires 40 years ago, still complete, still in the original boxes. We were going to save them for Erin but Claire says to sell them on eBay and give Erin the money as they are trying to encourage her to get rid of old things when she gets new. The afternoon turned out rather nice instead of the expected rain, so I pottered in the garden then sat out with my hand sewing. The rain and thunderstorm arrived with a vengeance about 8.30 pm.We ate my first courgettes with our evening meal. They were not very big but I thought if I picked them I would encourage more.

Stay safe everyone, have a good day.

[plaques]

We have a couple of classic toys that were Claires 40 years ago, still complete, still in the original boxes. We were going to save them for Erin but Claire says to sell them on eBay and give Erin the money as they are trying to encourage her to get rid of old things when she gets new.

As time moves on the real value is the fact that they are in the original boxes. How many times I have looked back and said I wish I'd have kept those. I agree to the de-clutter bit but there is a thing called nostalgia which should also be encouraged.

[Cathy]

I bit the bullet today and got a hair cut. 4 months since my last one. Unfortunately I had to go to a large shopping centre. It’s a place that in normal times, I visit twice a week but today was only the second time I have been there since the end of March. It was a little bit daunting with lots of people, noise and bright lights. Most people are still keeping their distance and showing patience.
Tomorrow I will return to my local smaller shopping centre for groceries etc. Less people and calmer, but I will still be in and out as quickly as possible.

[Sue]

We have a couple of classic toys that were Claires 40 years ago, still complete, still in the original boxes. We were going to save them for Erin but Claire says to sell them on eBay and give Erin the money as they are trying to encourage her to get rid of old things when she gets new.

As time moves on the real value is the fact that they are in the original boxes. How many times I have looked back and said I wish I'd have kept those. I agree to the de-clutter bit but there is a thing called nostalgia which should also be encouraged.

Exactly, I agree completely. Claire and i had the conversation a bit back. I said to Claire we would keep them for when Erin is much older, has a family, whatever. But they are Claire’s and she has said to sell them .We have kept a couple of nostalgic items. I always thought it a shame I had nothing from my child hood. Mum and Dad moved from my childhood home the same weekend I started university. They left my toys and games for the family that bought their house.

[Stanley]

I had a cupboard full of kiddies toys that were played with on visits. Often thought of slinging them out but never did. A couple of weeks ago they were all bleached, rinsed, dried and sent to Kahara who is enjoying them.
Yesterday was the start of making small valve gear parts....

[Sue]

Morning all

Yes Stanley we still have loads of children's toys in the loft. This week I have actually thrown some of the baby toys are girls had. Bob keeps coming across things in the loft and brings them down when Erin has reached the appropriate age. After that we let the girls decide their eventual destiny. I once spread all the soft toys out on the floor in the lounge and took a photo, they were then asked to claim who was to survive the cull. The rest were given to my work colleagues with children, or if they had the appropriate safety mark they went to the hospice. Sadly some of the ones made by Bobs Mum went to the tip.

Today is bedding changing and towel changing day, with rain forecast again this afternoon it looks like I will be using the drier. I make this rain near.y every day since June1 st and another week to come. At 10.00 I have online Zumba dancing, a fun exercise class run by my pilates lady accompanied by her young daughters. Briony may join us , linking in from Coventry. Then I must brave the weather and plant put my butternut squash and runner beans. I have been putting it off all week. The garden is now more or less decimated of flowers whilst we wait for some sun and the next round of roses, hosta , nasturtium, geraniums and fuchsias. These will last most of the rest of the summer .

Thats about it for today. I shall spend some time pondering how to back my hexagonal quilted pieces, whilst retaining the shape . You tube has not been very helpful so far.

Have a good day, stay safe, stay well

[Stanley]

The weather will improve after today Sue, the wind is going to change from noon onwards and the outlook is good. So gardening is going to get back on track.
I can't say the same for the shed, my knees are delicate this morning, something that's happening more and more lately. Best not to push my knees too far. So a quiet day and a rethink about losing some weight!

[Sue]

The weather will improve after today Sue, the wind is going to change from noon onwards and the outlook is good. So gardening is going to get back on track.
I can't say the same for the shed, my knees are delicate this morning, something that's happening more and more lately. Best not to push my knees too far. So a quiet day and a rethink about losing some weight!

Rain forecast here Stanley, for most of next week even though it is warmer. A couple of days of sun the rest is sun and showers. I see tomorrow is 20 % chance of rain so shall leave the bedding till tomorrow. I see 25 degrees is forecast next week, its going to be humid with the showers. Good growing weather

[Stanley]

And thunderstorm weather!

[Sue]

Yup, changed my mind duvet cover will be on the line soon.

I have a dental appointment 3 rd August. One of the first when the practice starts up properly again

[PanBiker]

Thats about it for today. I shall spend some time pondering how to back my hexagonal quilted pieces, whilst retaining the shape . You tube has not been very helpful so far.

A bit of advice from Sally here Sue. She makes quilts all the time and we have a hand stitched hexagonal one made years ago with bits of all the kids clothes etc. It has over 3000, 1" sided hexagons. Basic method though if you stitched all your hexagons together is to fully lay it out with all the levels. So this would be, backing, wadding, quilted material on top. Liberally pin all layers together, This should be sufficient to retain the shape. Our large 1" hex one is stitched round the perimeter with a tidy seam etc then it is hand tacked and then tied through with embroidery thread at regular intervals at the junctions of the hexes, (not all of them of course). I hope this is helpful. Sally makes quilts all the time for new babies and the like plus the larger ones, the method has always worked for her.

[plaques]

Sue, in one of your earlier posts you mentioned a pub sign competition or something like it. In my wanderings round Burnley and Pendle I photographed a number of pub signs, something that is gradually disappearing being replaced by a simple banner name etc. Anyhow, it set me thinking that a similar posting section could be done on OG if the interest was there. Barlick is a bit short on pub signs so they would be mainly out of town. What does the team think?

[Sue]

Sue, in one of your earlier posts you mentioned a pub sign competition or something like it. In my wanderings round Burnley and Pendle I photographed a number of pub signs, something that is gradually disappearing being replaced by a simple banner name etc. Anyhow, it set me thinking that a similar posting section could be done on OG if the interest was there. Barlick is a bit short on pub signs so they would be mainly out of town. What does the team think?

Fun, a good idea. Our U3A talk was on pub signs. I Have the quiz and the answers. He explained the different type of signs and origins. Very interesting

[Sue]

Thats about it for today. I shall spend some time pondering how to back my hexagonal quilted pieces, whilst retaining the shape . You tube has not been very helpful so far.

A bit of advice from Sally here Sue. She makes quilts all the time and we have a hand stitched hexagonal one made years ago with bits of all the kids clothes etc. It has over 3000, 1" sided hexagons. Basic method though if you stitched all your hexagons together is to fully lay it out with all the levels. So this would be, backing, wadding, quilted material on top. Liberally pin all layers together, This should be sufficient to retain the shape. Our large 1" hex one is stitched round the perimeter with a tidy seam etc then it is hand tacked and then tied through with embroidery thread at regular intervals at the junctions of the hexes, (not all of them of course). I hope this is helpful. Sally makes quilts all the time for new babies and the like plus the larger ones, the method has always worked for her.

Thanks Ian, useful. I have done a few small quilts and quilted table runners both on machine and by hand etc. So I understand the basics of tacking, holding it together, quilting through the layers etc but all mine have been rectangles, ovals or circles with standard edging tapes. Its the irregular shape at the edge that is throwing me. I want the irregular shape When I cut the backing , of course it won’t fold over in the V of the hexagons. I followed when you tube suggestion but it doesn’t work, of course the video only shows the bit that does. I have had an idea this morning to use more shaped pieces as a facing. However do you think you could put a photo of the edge for me, both sides. I work things out better when I see them.

[PanBiker]

Sally will photograph the edge of our big small hex one and she is currently making another one which she will photo with another method of finishing.

[Sue]

Thanks Ian and big thanks to Sally