Never thought retirement would be like this

[ndynt]

Nona, your house looks to be in pristine condition despite the loss of gardens and addition of surrounding development. You can be quite grateful for that. Have you ever thought of writing to the current homeowners or knocking on their door? My kids did that with the house they grew up in, in VA. I had no idea they were going to do that until afterwards. The owners (2 doctors that bought it from me, then we moved to a smaller property) invited them in, gave them a tour, let them take pictures of the outside, and were very gracious. Have you ever thought of writing about your experiences in the house?

What a great experience for your daughters, Lara. Personally, I would never want to re-visit it. Though would love to see one of the houses that was built on the property....half of it was built into the back hill...that all the neighborhood children would come and slide on...during the winter. Or the Tarzan swing on the same hill....where the neighborhood boys and I would bravely swing over a chain link fence....onto town shed roofs, that stored the winter snow plows.
A book LOL what a book that would be. Challenge "Mother Dearest". My mother was Paranoid Schizophrenic...with OCD and very abusive.... Though there were some good memories...My grandfather had build brick ovens in the cellar and would let himself in ..in the middle of the night and bake bread and pastries, every day. Sneaking down to the cellar and watching him cook...or if I slept in, waking up to the smell of baking bread and coffee perking.

 

[Ameriscot]

Great history, Annie. The lack of a will. Perhaps laws were very different then? Would it not be wonderful to be to obtain a pictorial history? To see how the house evolved from a simple house, built from local materials of that era. Evolving into the lovely little cape it is now. Personally, I find that very exciting. My mind is racing...thinking of how it was built, ect.

I'd love to know the history of it. A distant cousin says she has a newspaper article about the house and its history and she was going to dig it up for me and scan it. But then her husband died and I hesitate to ask again. It's been about two months now since he died.

 

[ndynt]

I'd love to know the history of it. A distant cousin says she has a newspaper article about the house and its history and she was going to dig it up for me and scan it. But then her husband died and I hesitate to ask again. It's been about two months now since he died.

Perhaps, in a few more months, she would love the diversion from her grief?

 

[Ameriscot]

Great history, Annie. The lack of a will. Perhaps laws were very different then? Would it not be wonderful to be to obtain a pictorial history? To see how the house evolved from a simple house, built from local materials of that era. Evolving into the lovely little cape it is now. Personally, I find that very exciting. My mind is racing...thinking of how it was built, ect.

He was 53 when he died (wife was 48) and with 14 kids you'd think he'd have a will. Several of his kids were grown and married, the rest were at home. But it looks like a couple of son-in-laws sorted out the estate. The married kids divided up the minor kids and raised them, using some of the money from the estate. No idea where they lived before this house as it was only built 8 years before they died.

 

[Ameriscot]

Perhaps, in a few more months, she would love the diversion from her grief?

I'll wait a while longer before I ask. Judging by her activities with her family and a nice trip she took with them, it looks like she is handling things well.

 

[ndynt]

Then she might welcome your interest, Annie. What a great family history that is. Imagine 14 children, to be divided up within the family. At 53, perhaps he felt he and his wife had many years left... At 46, my father had no will when he passed away.

 

[Meanderer]

I would guess that most 46 year olds do not have a will.

 

[Ameriscot]

Then she might welcome your interest, Annie. What a great family history that is. Imagine 14 children, to be divided up within the family. At 53, perhaps he felt he and his wife had many years left... At 46, my father had no will when he passed away.

We actually met on one of those free genealogy forums where you the name of the ancestor you are looking for. I would think that in 1845 53 was getting a bit old though. Had to be a disease as he and wife died 19 days apart. Their first child died at just under 4 years old, another at age 16, and another as a child - age unknown, and one of their kids lived to 90.

 

[ndynt]

Annie, imagine finding her that way. The death rate in children and babies was so high then.

Nancy, forgive me for hijacking your diary. You introduced such interesting subjects I got carried away.

 

[NancyNGA]

Been off here for a while. Just got back from checking on the goats.

Nancy, forgive me for hijacking your diary.

Please, you are not hijacking anything. I love it!

Nancy, I only had one sister...six years younger and very timid. So no great adventures...exploring. Though I found one passage that ended in a long narrow storage area, filled with feather beds. I would hide in there...climb on top of the fluffy beds..sinking in with a flashlight and book and read for hours.
The house has quite a history. My grandfather lived next door in what was probably a caretaker's house at one time. I cannot really understand the relationship....for he was at sea for long periods and my grandmother was deceased. He had a elderly Italian housekeeper/baby sitter. So neither could have been caretakers.
My father told me stories of when he was very young.....early '20s....during prohibition. There was a portico then and cars would drive up at all hours...flappers and wealthy men. He told me that he would sit in the kitchen with the cook and she would pamper him.
Somehow my grandfather acquired the house when the owners fled prior to a raid. He told stories of burying the roulette wheels and other gambling paraphernalia. He later dug up the beautiful roulette wheel...it was ivory and carved wood, that he readily displayed. This all occurred in a pretty wealthy bedroom community, outside Boston. When my father married he acquired the house and my grandfather went back to his smaller house, next door. Though he continued to care for the large property and beautiful gardens...until his death.

Nona, this house is getting more and more strange by the minute. Feather beds?!!!

Well let's see ...my grandfather had a slot machine in the attic and told us kids it was illegal. We were afraid to touch it, thinking the feds would come and arrest us. Then it disappeared. And when my one cousin (other side of the family) would come to visit I'd climb this tree in the back yard with a comic book and hide. She never thought to look up to find me.
LOL? :hide:

 

[ndynt]

Who would ever suspect a "girl" of climbing up a tree. Perfect hiding place. But, the fall down. I had the wind knocked out of me a couple time that way

 

[NancyNGA]

What happened today...

Surprised to get a phone call tonight from Patrick Drouhard, the expert on Fort Fizzle history. There was a mix up in the address (my fault). He seems like a very nice person. He even offered to go look at that cabin and give me an assessment of when it was built. But it is now owned by my second cousin, who I haven't talked to in 35 years. I'm afraid my cousin would be suspicious if I tried to arrange such an unusual meeting out of the blue (long, long story). Mr. Drouhard lives within 40 miles of that cabin, and he spoke at French Ridge in April, but has never tried to see his gggrandfather's homestead. You couldn't keep me away. In fact I may send him what I know instead of the other way around. I wonder if he would be interested.

I messed up in entering the NE Georgia Pea-Spitting contest tomorrow. Just had the last surgery on the dental implants today and the instructions say no excessive spitting allowed for 3 days. I was a sure-fire first place winner in the female over 50 category. The only other entry is from New York City. The surgery went well. Only 30 minutes and no hammering this time.

 

[ndynt]

That pea shooting contest thing is just too funny, Nancy. Glad your dental surgery went well. Is this the last one?
Great news about the Fort Fizzle historian. Now pieces of your puzzle may be filled in. Does your cousin live in the cabin...or just own it. Perhaps he will not question a historian's interest...if your name is not mentioned?

 

[NancyNGA]

No he doesn't live on it. The property may have been a curse in the end. There is a long history of hard feelings (e.g., restraining-orders) over ownership of it in that tiny branch of the family. I doubt if the boy, who must be 45 now, even knows I exist. But if someone gets wind that I'm nosing around, who knows, so that's out of the question.

Yes, the last surgery, but now I have to wait---a month longer than I thought. A month flies by in no time. I want it done right.

 

[NancyNGA]

Hard disk on pc crashed Thursday night. I kind of expected it. Also learned there is a Black Screen of Death as well as the Blue Screen of Death. Black screen is much worse. Dear old faithful pc allowed me to get it back up and running once Friday morning just long enough to copy some important files I hadn't backed up. Then it died completely. R.I.P

Up and running with a new system this afternoon. Chose one with Windows 10 already installed. So far it's OK. Clearly set up for touch screen navigation but things can be tweaked. I prefer a mouse. Not done tweaking yet.

I'm saving my old pc to practice on. If I have time, I may try to put in a new hard drive, just to see if I can do it. Nothing to lose except the cost of the hard drive.

Meanwhile Downstairs AC appears to have quit. Kinda expected that, too. Something has been making a clunking noise.

 

[Meanderer]

What happened today...

Surprised to get a phone call tonight from Patrick Drouhard, the expert on Fort Fizzle history. There was a mix up in the address (my fault). He seems like a very nice person. He even offered to go look at that cabin and give me an assessment of when it was built. But it is now owned by my second cousin, who I haven't talked to in 35 years. I'm afraid my cousin would be suspicious if I tried to arrange such an unusual meeting out of the blue (long, long story). Mr. Drouhard lives within 40 miles of that cabin, and he spoke at French Ridge in April, but has never tried to see his gggrandfather's homestead. You couldn't keep me away. In fact I may send him what I know instead of the other way around. I wonder if he would be interested.

I messed up in entering the NE Georgia Pea-Spitting contest tomorrow. Just had the last surgery on the dental implants today and the instructions say no excessive spitting allowed for 3 days. I was a sure-fire first place winner in the female over 50 category. The only other entry is from New York City. The surgery went well. Only 30 minutes and no hammering this time.

Nancy....Maybe you can still enter the Pea-Splitting Contest?

 

[Falcon]

That is one big honkin' pea!

No wonder she can't get to sleep.

 

[ndynt]

Hard disk on pc crashed Thursday night. I kind of expected it. Also learned there is a Black Screen of Death as well as the Blue Screen of Death. Black screen is much worse. Dear old faithful pc allowed me to get it back up and running once Friday morning just long enough to copy some important files I hadn't backed up. Then it died completely. R.I.P

Up and running with a new system this afternoon. Chose one with Windows 10 already installed. So far it's OK. Clearly set up for touch screen navigation but things can be tweaked. I prefer a mouse. Not done tweaking yet.

I'm saving my old pc to practice on. If I have time, I may try to put in a new hard drive, just to see if I can do it. Nothing to lose except the cost of the hard drive.

Meanwhile Downstairs AC appears to have quit. Kinda expected that, too. Something has been making a clunking noise.

About now you must be thinking...."What else could possibly go wrong."
It is so easy to remove a hard drive...physically replacing is a cinch. You have it backed up. So just re-install Windows? I am sure you can do it, Nancy. You can fix everything else

 

[NancyNGA]

Hi Falcon! :wave:


For Meanderer: I liked your previous avatar picture much better.

....It is so easy to remove a hard drive...physically replacing is a cinch. You have it backed up. So just re-install Windows?

Have you done it, Nona? You make it sound so easy.

PS: You can make Win 10 almost exactly like Win 7 if you want to, and are willing to put in a few hours changing settings. In the meantime you learn how to use it, so not a complete waste of time. One downside, there are very few videos out there so far explaining how to do things, not like there are with Win 7 & 8.

 

[ndynt]

Yes, I have. All you have to do, Nancy...unplug the strap looking connections. Unscrew a couple hex screws and slide your old hard drive out. Sometimes you need to take the metal casing out to reach some screws. Slide the new one in...screw it back in and replug it. You have done the hardest part with your back up done. Turn it on...run your Windows cd.

 

[NancyNGA]

yes, i have. All you have to do, nancy...unplug the strap looking connections. Unscrew a couple hex screws and slide your old hard drive out. Sometimes you need to take the metal casing out to reach some screws. Slide the new one in...screw it back in and replug it. You have done the hardest part with your back up done. Turn it on...run your windows cd.

^^^ SUPER WOMAN!!! ^^^:cool2:

I don't have a Windows CD, it came pre-installed on the old pc. Microsoft webpage says must talk only to Dell. Dell is making it hard to download online, because the site refuses to understand that the pc I'm viewing the webpage with is not the pc I'm interested in. I'd have to call them and get put on hold. Not worth it.

Maybe I'll just take the old hard drive out and put it back in again. That would be good enough practice. Ha! The case is metal, not plastic. May keep it for a while and think about it.

 

[Meanderer]

It's always a good idea, Nancy, to remove your hard drive before getting rid of any computer or laptop. The last time I was on the phone with a Dell tech, he wanted to sell me a "software warranty"! They should change their name to Sell!

 

[Lara]

It's always a good idea, Nancy, to remove your hard drive before getting rid of any computer or laptop. The last time I was on the phone with a Dell tech, he wanted to sell me a "software warranty"! They should change their name to Sell!

haha or maybe $ell

 

[ndynt]

Always, always take your hard drive out...but, then what do you do with it? LOL I must have at least 6 of them. To heavy to crush.

 

[Meanderer]

Always, always take your hard drive out...but, then what do you do with it? LOL I must have at least 6 of them. To heavy to crush.

If you don't want to use a sledge hammer or a smaller hammer on it, you can always throw it in the burn barrel. or use your electric drill on it.