Genealogy Jottings

I try to set aside my mornings to pursue my genealogy. If I do that regularly, genealogy becomes a half-time job for me. I should be able to do a lot of research and writing.

Unfortunately, that never seems to happen. Day after day, real life interferes, and I cannot stay on schedule. Take this week, for example:

• On Monday I was pressed into babysitter duty for my one-year-old granddaughter. Trust me, you cannot do genealogy and watch her at the same time. I did manage to clear out my e-mail during her 45-minute nap.
• On Tuesday I spent most of the day working on financial matters, my own and my father’s. I could have been at the Denver Public Library for a morning meeting of the Germanic Genealogical Society of Colorado, but the weather was terrible that day. I did not want to make the 45-minute drive. Besides, financial matters needed attention.
• On Wednesday, see Monday.
• On Thursday (today), I finally have the morning to myself. I will blog, update our webtree, and see what I can find on my Finnish great-great-grandfather Anders/Antti Abelson Mattila.
• On Friday, babysitting again, for a grandson this time. As a Terrible Two, he will need my full attention. I will be lucky to manage my e-mail with him around.

So this week, which is fairly typical, I have one morning to work on the genealogy-related things I want to do. I could always carve out more time by saying no to the babysitting requests, but I will not. I love every opportunity I can get to play with the little ones. Instead of spending all my mornings with my dead ancestors, I think it equally important to spend time with the living generations. The dead ones will just have to wait.