*HELLO: Just rec'd this from one of the lists I'm on. It's worth reading!! Enjoy! TP* FAMILY RESEARCHING: |After spending a frustrating evening pouring over illegible handwriting >|in badly damaged and out of focus parish registers - and still NOT >|finding my relatives, I thought it was time to send an open email (at >|www.ofcoursethereisaHeaven.com) to all my "Upstairs" relatives who have >|gone to Heaven (99% of them) or the Other Place (1%). The text follows. >|(Feel free to insert your own relatives names where appropriate.) >| >|"Dear ________: >| >|I am your _________ and living in the late 20th century >|here in >| ___________, _________. >| >|I am sitting in front of a microfilm projector (I'll >|explain what that is in a later email) in a special library run by the >|LDS (nice people, but more later on them, too) trying to decipher the >|small and shaky handwriting of your parish's minister/vicar/curate >|(choose one). He must have been either vertically challenged or >|had palsy - because it's unreadable! At least I think it's your >|parish! I'm not even sure of the decade. >| >|Thanks for leaving such a good paper trail! (Sarcasm intended.) >|According to family legend, you and your wife ___________ >|had _____ >|children, some of whom lived beyond infancy. Yet not a single one >|was recorded in the parish records! I can't even find your marriage >|certificate. You two WERE married, right? Didn't you know >|that there would be legions of people like me fanatically spending their >|waking hours and small fortunes looking for any and all traces of >|your lives? Were you just stubborn, couldn't afford the fees, or not >|members of the Established (or any) Church? >| >|You're wondering, "What's all the fuss, we're dead as doornails?" >|We're not sure, but I think down here we're infected with the same >|disease: Rootsus obsessionus. Of course, WE are going to leave better >|records for our descendants! (sure we will. HA!) >| >|Anyway, I'm glad I was able to vent my frustrations upward. If I >|couldn't do that, I'd have probably popped the obnoxious researcher >|next to me who is right now translating an old parish record in German - >|and out loud, for heaven's. (oops!) >| >|I have an idea.... When I'm "dead-on" (pardon the expression) to >|finding the correct record, give me some sort of sign. Make the >|projector bulb flicker twice. Or, if it must be done in the privacy >|of my home, I have a Labrador Retriever. Talk through her. That will >|get my attention for sure. >| >|Thanks for listening. I'll be better in the morning..... I'll be >|back at the library tomorrow night for Round 14, so catch me there. >| >|Sincerely, >| >|Your ___________, >| >|Peace and Gentle Sunsets, >|____________________ >| >| >| > > >