Missed opportunities

I've been working on cousin lines over the past few weeks and was noticing that many of these folks have died recently -- including one that lived to be 101. What strikes me is the lack of information I have about these people and then I wonder about the stories that I could have heard from them.

I've been a geanie-junkie for years and I got my research from my father who had been working on his research for your too. The one thing I think we all encounter is the "shoulda-woulda-coulda" syndrome. You should have talked to someone, you would have done something differently, and you could have taken time to talk to someone years ago. Don't feel too badly, you are most certainly in good company!

Now that both my parents are dead, I have been sorting through things and trying to make connections. Lately I have been looking through my mother's address books and church directories to see if anything trips as a relative in my brain. From there I've been "Googling" people to see who is around and if there appears to be family members around the areas.

I am seeking connections and have certainly found some. This week I was contacted by someone that isn't directly related, but her ancestor married one of my ancestor's children and she was trying to confirm or deny some interesting family lore. I had never heard the lore, but have been working on that branch all week to see if I am able to find out anything for these folks. I love that part of genealogy research!

We went to a dog show in Fort Wayne, Allen, Indiana and had a family dinner with the local yokels -- and yes, I mean that in the kindest way -- and after we regaled each other with tales of the family I wished I would have had a video going on the phone or camera to catch the stories and the laughing. That evening helped me understand a bit more about some of the related folks and why people acted like they did when they were alive. We even got to hear about my grandfather's tryst and how his heart gave out on the front steps and the girlfriend called my grandmother's house in a panic about what to do next... ain't life grand?

Look for the connections and try some what ifs to see how things fit, you may be pleasantly surprised.