Good to be home again!!!

I used to love driving. I guess I'm getting old. We spent the last three weekends on the road and I must admit its good to just stop and do nothing. First we went to a stitching retreat in Mystic, Conn. then we drove to Boston to be at my nephew Kevin's wedding then this past weekend we went to our regular decompression chamber known as the Bavarian Manor Inn. Only we didn't spend enough time there. I'm looking forward to an extended weekend at the Bavarian Manor in the spring :)

But no long distance driving for a while!!

Minnie Torkler Chapter coming to a close!! And here they are!!!

I've been working with the publisher of South of the Mountains on doing a story about Minnie Torkler and 1926 Rockland County. Almost done; I spent 3 hours at the library today squinting at unbelievably badly transposed microfiche looking up some final information. It gave me a headache it was so hard to read. I read through the final draft after the editor got to it and I must say I like the final result. I hope our readership enjoys the article.

But we have a priceless piece of history to go along with the story. I found a photo of the two of them (husband Fred and Minnie as well) on a 1924 Passport application courtesy of Ancestry.com

Ancestry .com is such a great site. I use it not only for my own family research but in the capacity of a research volunteer at the Historical Society of Rockland County. It really has become a valuable tool.

....and here is the Steamer Berlin that Fred and Minnie toured the Caribbean with in 1931. Courtesy of the HAPAG Lloyd Lines successor to the North German Lloyd Lines when they took the cruise.

Familiarity Breeds Contempt! Not quite but close!

This past weekend we went to Mystic for the umpteenth time. We go every year in October because there is a stitching seminar there  my wife participates in. While the people I meet at the seminar are very nice and we are fed well; I am getting quite bored. How often can you see the Seaport or the Aquarium?

I am the driver for the trip because Regina does not like to drive long distance on interstates. So this time I brought along a new toy. I bought a used IPOD and filled it up with music. Also since it is wifi, I could check out Twitter, Instagram, my email, etc. The hotel is nice and had free wifi so I was able to enjoy myself with my new ( to me) toy. After all how many Law and Order, Bones or NCIS reruns can you stand before you go nuts.

Television is a vast wasteland these days. There was virtually nothing interesting on while I waited for the wife to meet between sessions. Also I would have thought that there would be a movie or two that would interest me. Again, nothing! Its all garbage out there. What is the demographic they are looking for? I am college educated and retired with a love of history. So I guess it wasn't me.

Thank god for the Ipod!  :)