Wordless Wednesday

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun: Describe an Ancestor/Relative's Activities

Randy Seaver is leading us down the AI path again for this week's Saturday Night Genealogy Fun.  I decided to play along.

Come on, everybody, join in and accept the mission and execute it with precision.

1.  Do you know what activities one of your ancestors/relatives engaged in?  How much detail do you know about those activities?

2.  Use the FREE artificial intelligence tool Google Gemini 3 to describe what your ancestor or relative experienced in his/her activities (e.g., military service, a ship he migrated on, an occupation, an office she held, etc.).

3.  Share your ancestor/relative's activity of interest and description of that person's experiences in your own blog post or in a Facebook, SubStack, BlueSky, or other social media post.  Leave a link to your post on this blog post to help us find your post.

This turned out to be more interesting than I expected.

I had not used Gemini 3 prior to this, so I really did not know what to expect.  I used Randy's question about his uncle as inspiration and chose to ask about my father's service in the National Guard.  After my father died in 2019, I learned he had been in the New Jersey and the Florida National Guard.  He served in Florida from August 31, 1953 to August 30, 1956 and then from August 31, 1956 to June 5, 1957.  The reason for his discharge as an SP-3 in 1957 was that he was "Moving from state."

Putting these dates together with what else was going on in his life around that time was enlightening.  He married his first wife, Mary Lou Bowen, on December 11, 1956 in Miami.  My half-sister Laurie was born in New Jersey on September 17, 1957.  So he married Mary Lou while he was in the Guard, was discharged from the Guard, and they moved back to New Jersey (where both of them were from originally) before Laurie was born.

My father told us almost nothing about his National Guard service.  I opted to focus on his last year of service to keep the question more manageable.  So I went to the page from the link in Randy's post.  I noticed below the data entry area there were "Tools" on the left and "Fast" on the right, but I did not investigate or attempt to change them.  I typed my query in the text box:

"What did an SP-3 do in the Florida National Guard in 1956–1957?"

I got a couple of paragraphs I could see and then the text faded out.  All I could read was:

===
In 1956 and 1957, an SP-3 (Specialist 3rd Class) in the Florida National Guard was a technical expert who held the pay grade of E-4.

This rank was part of a newly established "Specialist" system created in July 1955 to distinguish skilled technicians from Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) who held command and leadership authority.
===

I couldn't make the page scroll, so I wondered if I had done something wrong or somehow annoyed the gods of AI.  I thought, "Maybe that's because I left it on Fast, so it's really short?"  So I opened Gemini 3 in another tab and clicked the arrow next to Fast.  I found "Thinking" as an option and chose that, then typed my query again.  This time I got:

===
SP-3 Role in Florida National Guard

You said

What did an SP-3 do in the Florida National Guard in 1956-1957?

Defining the Role

My initial focus is on defining the role of an "SP-3" within the Florida National Guard during 1956-1957. I'm starting by clarifying the rank and its responsibilities, aiming to provide a concise explanation of what this role entailed. I believe that understanding the SP-3 rank will allow the user to easily understand and answer their initial question.
===

and again I couldn't scroll down the page.  While I was trying to figure out what I was supposed to do, at some point I tried my down arrow, and that worked!  Suddenly I could see more text.  When I went back to my first query, it worked there also.  No surprise, "Thinking" has more information and more detail than "Fast", so I'm using that response for this post.

===
SP-3 Role in Florida National Guard

You said

What did an SP-3 do in the Florida National Guard in 1956-1957?

Defining the Role

My initial focus is on defining the role of an "SP-3" within the Florida National Guard during 1956-1957. I'm starting by clarifying the rank and its responsibilities, aiming to provide a concise explanation of what this role entailed. I believe that understanding the SP-3 rank will allow the user to easily understand and answer their initial question.

Clarifying the Pay Grade

I'm now zeroing in on the correct pay grade for an SP-3 in the 1956-1957 timeframe, which involved an adjustment. My previous assumption was incorrect, and I've verified that an SP-3 in 1955 was equivalent to an E-4, which is equivalent to a Corporal (not a Private First Class). It is critical to get the rank structure right. I am now working on understanding this rank's responsibilities.

Pinpointing the Grade

I've confirmed that the SP-3 rank was indeed equivalent to an E-4 pay grade, which is the same as a Corporal in the 1956-1957 timeframe. I needed to clarify this based on some conflicting sources, but I've now verified it. I also determined that Specialists were technical experts who did not command, but were compensated for their skills. I am working on the Florida National Guard context.

To understand what an SP-3 (Specialist 3rd Class) did in the Florida National Guard in 1956–1957, you have to look at a very specific, short-lived window in U.S. Army history.

In 1955, the Army overhauled its rank system to distinguish between Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs), who led troops, and Specialists, who were technical experts.

The Rank: Specialist 3rd Class (SP-3)

In 1956 and 1957, the SP-3 rank was equivalent to a Corporal (E-4) in terms of pay, but not in terms of authority.

• The "Technical" Soldier: While a Corporal was a junior NCO expected to lead a fireteam or squad in combat, an SP-3 was a "technical" soldier. They were paid for their proficiency in a specific trade rather than their leadership of men.

• The Insignia: They wore a smaller version of the eagle (the "Bird") with one arc (stripe) underneath it. This is different from the modern "Spec-4" rank you might be familiar with, as the system was still being tweaked.

---

What did they actually do?

An SP-3 in the Florida National Guard during this era was likely the "go-to" person for a specific technical job within their unit. Since the National Guard at the time was heavily focused on Cold War readiness and local disaster response, their roles usually fell into these categories:

• Maintenance & Mechanical: They were the mechanics keeping the Jeep fleets, M41 Walker Bulldog tanks (common in FLNG at the time), and transport trucks running.

• Communications: Radio operators and repairmen. In the mid-50s, this meant dealing with vacuum tubes and heavy, temperamental field radios.

• Clerical & Supply: Managing the massive amount of paperwork required for armory operations, payroll, and equipment requisition.

• Medical: Serving as a company medic or technician at a field hospital.

The Florida Context (1956–1957)

Life for an SP-3 in the Florida Guard involved more than just "weekend warrior" duties.

1. Annual Training at Camp Blanding: During the summer, they would head to Camp Blanding (near Starke, FL) for two weeks of intensive field maneuvers. As an SP-3, they would have been responsible for the technical upkeep of equipment in the Florida heat.

2. The Pentomic Era: The Army was experimenting with "Pentomic" divisions—units designed to survive a tactical nuclear battlefield. An SP-3 would have been trained in new, specialized equipment designed for this high-tech (for the time) warfare.

3. Civil Rights & Natural Disasters: This era saw the beginning of the Civil Rights movement and frequent hurricanes. The Florida Guard was often on standby for "state active duty" to maintain order or provide relief after storms.

---

Summary Table: SP-3 (1955–1958)

Feature	Description
Pay Grade	E-4 (Equivalent to Corporal)
Primary Focus	Technical/Administrative Skill
Command Authority	Limited (did not usually lead squads)
Common Jobs	Mechanic, Radio Op, Clerk, Medic, Gunner

In 1958, the Army changed the titles again, and the SP-3 rank was renamed Specialist 4 (SP4), which became the iconic "Spec-4" rank used for decades.

Would you like me to see if I can find which specific Florida National Guard units were active in your area during those years?

[My response] Yes, Miami

Since you were an SP-3 (Specialist 3rd Class) stationed in Miami during 1956–1957, you were almost certainly part of the 211th Infantry Regiment, which was a cornerstone of the 51st Infantry Division (known as the "Rattlesnake Division").

At that time, the 51st was a "split" division shared between the Florida and South Carolina National Guards. Miami served as the major hub for the Florida contingent.

Your Unit: The 211th Infantry Regiment

In 1956, the 211th was headquartered right in the heart of Miami. As an SP-3, you were likely assigned to one of the following Miami-based elements:

• Regimental Headquarters & Headquarters Company (HHC): Located in Miami.

• Service Company: Also based in Miami, responsible for the regiment's logistics, trucks, and maintenance.

• 1st Battalion, HHC: The command element for the first group of companies, based in Miami.

• Medical Company: Provided healthcare and field medics, also stationed in Miami.

Your Post: The Miami Armory

Your "home base" for drills and administrative work was likely the Miami National Guard Armory, located at 700 NW 28th Street.

• Fun Fact: This facility is now known as the Robert A. Ballard Armory, named after the Colonel who commanded the 211th Infantry during your era and through the late 1940s.

• During the mid-1950s, this armory was a massive social and military hub, hosting everything from troop reviews to community dances and sporting events.

Your Role as an SP-3

The "Specialist" rank structure was relatively new when you were serving (it was established in 1955). An SP-3 was the equivalent of a Corporal (E-4) but focused on technical skills rather than squad leadership. Depending on your specific job (MOS), your day-to-day likely involved:

• Maintenance: Working on the regiment's Jeeps, M35 "Deuce and a Half" trucks, or communication gear.

• Logistics: Managing the supply chain for a regiment of over 1,500 men.

• Administration: Handling personnel records or payroll at the Regimental HQ.

Annual Training

In the summers of '56 and '57, you probably headed north for "Summer Camp." The 51st Infantry Division typically conducted its two-week annual training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, or Camp Blanding, Florida.

---

Would you like me to look up any specific details about the 51st "Rattlesnake" Division’s operations during those years, or perhaps find more information on the Miami Armory's history?

[My response] Yes

If you were an SP-3 (Specialist 3rd Class) in the Florida National Guard in Miami during 1956–1957, you were part of a very specific era of military history. Your unit was almost certainly the 211th Infantry Regiment, which was headquartered right in the heart of the city.

Here is a breakdown of what your life and service looked like during those two years:

1. Your Unit: The "Rattlesnake Division"

The 211th Infantry was a key part of the 51st Infantry Division. Because you were in Miami, you were likely based at the Miami Armory (now the Robert A. Ballard Armory) on NW 28th Street.

• The Motto: You wore the "Paroneri" crest on your uniform, which is Greek for "Equal to the Task."

• The Atmosphere: In the mid-50s, the Miami Armory wasn't just a military site; it was a community hub. You might remember the local buzz of the city, potentially even seeing the start of the "Great Migration" and the rapid post-war growth of Miami.

2. The Rank: A "New" Kind of Soldier

You were actually a pioneer of the Specialist rank system. The Army only created the Specialist 3rd Class rank in 1955, just before you joined or promoted into it.

• SP-3 vs. Corporal: You had the pay grade of an E-4 (like a Corporal), but your job was about technical expertise rather than leading a squad.

• The "Bird": You wore the smaller "Specialist Eagle" with one arc underneath. In 1958, the Army changed your title to Spec-4, meaning the "SP-3" title you held only existed for a few years.

3. Summer Camp: Fort McClellan

For your two-week Annual Training ("Summer Camp"), you likely traded the Miami humidity for the hills of Alabama.

• 1956: Training records show the 211th spent time at Fort McClellan, AL, and Fort Stewart, GA.

• 1957: Specifically, from June 6 to June 23, 1957, the regiment was at Fort McClellan.

• The Training: This was the "Pentomic" era. The Army was obsessed with how to fight on a nuclear battlefield. You probably spent time in "Atomic War" drills, practicing how to disperse quickly to avoid being a target for a (simulated) tactical nuke.

4. Local Duty: Hurricanes and Civil Defense

As a Florida Guardsman, your "State Active Duty" was usually tied to the weather.

• 1956: In October, a "quasi-tropical storm" hit Miami, causing significant flooding and about $3 million in damage. Your unit would have been on standby for sandbagging, traffic control, and patrolling flooded neighborhoods.

• Civil Defense: During your drills, you likely participated in "Operation Alert" exercises—city-wide drills to prepare for a Cold War emergency.

5. The Gear

In 1956–1957, you were in a "transitional" equipment phase:

• You were likely still carrying the M1 Garand (the M14 didn't arrive until later).

• Your transportation was the M38 Jeep or the legendary "Deuce and a Half" trucks.

• If you were in a Heavy Mortar or Tank company (like those in Tampa/Palmetto that supported the 211th), you were working with Korean War-era steel.

---

Do you remember which specific company you were in (like Company A, B, or Service Company)? I can look up exactly which neighborhood armory that company called home.

===

And I currently can't find the papers I was sent about my father's service, so I can't tell Gemini which company he was in.  As far as the specialties go, he was almost definitely a mechanic, because that's what he did the majority of his working life.  He probably worked on Jeeps, rather than the tanks.  I'm going to look for the papers and see what else I can learn.

I found the disclaimer on the bottom of the page amusing:  "Gemini is AI and can make mistakes."  One way that appears to have played out for this query is that when I did the "Fast" method, Gemini told me that the Florida National Guard did its two weeks of annual training at Fort Stewart, Georgia.  The "Thinking" response was that the annual training took place in either Camp Blanding, Florida or Fort Jackson, South Carolina, but later it said Fort McClellan, Alabama and Fort Stewart, Georgia.  There are some other differences between the two responses, but I noticed that immediately.  Something's out of whack here.

Wordless Wednesday

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun: What Are Your Major Genealogy Research Challenges?

Randy Seaver is back with this week's challenge (a key word this week) for Saturday Night Genealogy Fun!

Come on, everybody, join in and accept the mission and execute it with precision.

1.  What are your major genealogy challenges — the family mysteries that you haven't been able to crack to date?

2.  Tell us about five of your real genealogy challenges with a short paragraph, and links to blog posts if you have written about them.

3.  Share your challenges in your own blog post or in a Facebook, SubStack, BlueSky, or other social media post.  Leave a link to your post on this blog post to help us find your post.

Okay, here's my list.

• Who was the biological father of my paternal grandfather, Bertram Lynn Sellers, Sr. (1903–1995)?  He was informally adopted by his mother's husband when he was seven months old and used the name Sellers his entire life.  See "I'm Apparently a Sellers via Informal Adoption" and "Looking for Mr. Mundy (or a variant thereof)."

• What happened to my cousin Raymond Lawrence Sellers (1945–?) after his mother put him up for adoption?  I was unable to find anything about Raymond before my aunt passed away, but her other children would still like to know.  See "Saturday Night Genealogy Fun:  Your 2024 'Dear Genea-Santa' Letter."

• All of my Jewish research is a challenge, but the especially difficult lines are those who were living in what was Grodno gubernia in Russia, now mostly in Belarus.  The Nazis were particularly thorough in destroying archival records about the Jews in the area.  So my Meckler (Mekler), Novitsky (Nowicki), and Yelsky lines I'm really, really stuck on.  See "Saturday Night Genealogy Fun:  Your Best Genealogy Research Find in May 2018."

• And speaking of the Jewish part of my family, I had a few cousins who ended up in Cuba when they fled Eastern Europe.  I have managed to acquire only four records from their time there (which ranged from the late 1920's to the early 1960's).  I don't know if going back to Cuba will help with my research on the Szochermans.  See "A Declaration of Intention — from Cuba."

• My ex's father (and therefore the grandfather of my stepsons), Karm Singh, was from Punjab, India, born when it was still controlled by the British.  The British barely bothered with records for their own people in India; they didn't really care about the Indians.  So I've gotten absolutely nowhere so far on finding any records for the family.  I have been told I would have better luck if I could travel there and talk to people in person.  See "'Finding Your Roots' – Margaret Cho, Sanjay Gupta, and Martha Stewart."

Wordless Wednesday

My First Computers

February 15 marks World Computer Day, which the computer industry uses to celebrate computers and make sure everyone knows how wonderful they are.  The event apparently always has a theme; this year's theme is the 80th anniversary of ENIAC, the "first programmable, electronic, general-purpose digital computer."  Well, I don't have anything to do with ENIAC, so I'm going to celebrate by reminiscing about my first two computers instead.

My very first computer was an IBM XT.  The Wikipedia page for it says that the official name was IBM Personal Computer XT and that it was released in 1983.  I think that I got mine just after I graduated college, so that seems to fit.  I remember that the really big deal about it was that it came with an internal hard drive of — wait for it — 10 MB!  Wikipedia also says that it cost a little over $2,000, which I know I didn't have at the time, and I don't remember how I got the computer.

IBM XT photo by Remember the dot; used under license

I was just starting to play around with the XT and figure out how to use it when the brother of a friend said he really, really wanted it.  He was doing some heavy-duty number crunching and could really use the hard drive and faster processor to help speed up his computations.  He offered to trade me his IBM PC and $500 in cash for the XT.  Well, how could I pass up a deal like that?

So I very quickly was on to my second computer, which was definitely a step backward from the first.  The IBM Personal Computer had 16 KB of RAM and two floppy drives but no internal hard drive.  I became quite adept at popping floppies in and out, as I recall.

IBM PC photo by Rama; used under license

It was around this time that the staff in the School of Letters, Arts and Sciences at USC, where I was working, also started getting individual desktop computers in our offices.  I still remember when the administrative assistant in another department called and asked me to help her figure out what had happened to her computer, which was showing only a blank screen.  I quickly determined that she had actually reformatted her C drive and deleted everything on it (yup, people really used to do that).  I was able to restore it for her and earned a reputation for being the computer "fix it" person in our building.

In contrast, I'm typing this post on a Dell Latitude 5580 laptop with 16 GB of RAM and a 476 GB hard drive.  My, how things have changed.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun: What Was the Great Love Story in Your Family Tree?

It's Valentine's Day today, and Randy Seaver has created a challenge related to that for this week's Saturday Night Genealogy Fun.

Come on, everybody, join in and accept the mission and execute it with precision.

1.  It's Valentine's Day — a day for lovers!  We all have hundreds of love stories in our ancestry.

2.  What was the great love story of the ancestors in your family tree?  What wedding had a great story in it?  Choose one ancestral couple.  Share how they met (if known) and when and where they married.  Note how long they were married.  Highlight something that suggests affection or partnership.

3.  Share your great love story in your family tree in your own blog post or in a Facebook, SubStack, BlueSky, or other social media post.  Leave a link to your post on this blog post to help us find your post.

The one great love story that I know about in my family tree is that of my maternal grandparents, Abraham Meckler and Lillyan Gordon.  Bubbie (Yiddish for grandmother) told me they met on September 15, 1937 in Manhattan, but she never told me how they met.  I know they were both living in Brooklyn (half a mile from each other!), so I have no idea what they were doing that day in Manhattan.

They were married October 29, 1939 in The Bronx, even though they lived in Brooklyn.  It was a double wedding with the younger of Lily's two older brothers, Alexander Gordon, who married Roslyn Rubin.  Technically Al and Rose's wedding was recorded as October 28, 1939, so I don't know if they married before midnight and my grandparents married after midnight.  Supposedly there's a Jewish superstition about double weddings, so the dates were recorded as consecutive instead of the same.

I have been told the caterer for the wedding was Abe's older brother Harry's wife Ida Bogus, who worked in catering with her aunt and uncle, Louis Perelmuth and Anna Posner (sister of Ida's mother).  Louis and Anna had a son named Jacob who was a singer, although not famous at the time (he did become famous under the name Jan Peerce).  He sang two songs at the wedding, although Bubbie did not remember what those songs were.  She did remember that the cantor's son sang "Oh Promise Me" and "Because."

Bubbie and Zadie (Yiddish for grandfather) were married for just over fifty years, until Zadie died on December 10, 1989.  Zadie had been ill for several years but held on for the 50th wedding anniversary party, which was held in Las Vegas.  It was a big family reunion, with relatives coming from all over the country.

I always remember Bubbie and Zadie as being very in love with each other.  Among the many things Bubbie told me was that every year while they were married, Zadie gave her a big flowery card for Valentine's Day.  After Zadie passed away, I sent Bubbie cards for Valentine's Day.

Wordless Wednesday

 

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun: Who Are Your Spouse/SO's Grandparents and Great-grandparents?

It's time for everyone's favorite weekend genealogical activity, Saturday Night Genealogy Fun with Randy Seaver!

Come on, everybody, join in and accept the mission and execute it with precision.

1.  Have you researched the ancestors of your spouse (or significant other)?  Please list the names and vital records data for your spouse/SO's grandparents and great-grandparents as in an Ahnentafel report.

2.  Have you written a genealogical sketch and/or biography for each of them?

3.  Share your list of your spouse/SO's ancestors in your own blog post or in a Facebook, SubStack, BlueSky, or other social media post.  Leave a link to your post on this blog post to help us find your post.

Of course I've researched my ex's ancestors!  What kind of genealogist do you think I am? <grin>

Now, do I have the information handy?  No, because I upgraded my computer a few months ago, and I still haven't been able to hook everything up again and make all my files accessible, including my Family Tree Maker program.

But let's see what I can do from memory . . . .

Hugh's Ancestors

Generation 3 (grandparents)

4.  Kartar Singh Sandhu, born date unknown, probably in Punjab, British India (probably in Khatkar Kalan); married date unknown, probably in Punjab, British India (probably in Khatkar Kalan); died date unknown (probably before August 16, 1947, i.e., before Partition), probably in Punjab, British India.

5.  Raj Kaur, born date unknown, probably in Punjab, British India; died possibly between 1970 and 1971, possibly in Punjab, India.

6.  Hugh Vincent McKenney, born about May 11, 1886, possibly in Belfast, County Down, Ireland; married about 1913, probably in Brockton, Plymouth County, Massachusetts; died January 24, 1961, Quincy, Norfolk County, Massachusetts.

7.  Honora McSweeney, born about September 3, 1879, Ballyvourney, County Cork, Ireland; died February 18, 1958, Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California.

Generation 4 (great-grandparents)

8.  <unknown given name> Singh Sandhu, probably in Punjab, British India (probably in Khatkar Kalan); married date unknown, probably in Punjab, British India; died date unknown, probably in Punjab, British India.

9.  <unknown given name> Kaur, probably in Punjab, British India (probably in Khatkar Kalan); died date unknown, probably in Punjab, British India.

12.  Patrick McKenney (unconfirmed).

13.  Mary McElaney (unconfirmed).

14.  John McSweeney, born about October 1826 in Ballyvourney, County Cork, Ireland; married about 1859 in Ireland, probably in County Cork; died 1910–1914, probably in Brockton, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.

15.  Catherine O'Leary, born about December 1834, probably in Ballyvourney, County Cork, Ireland; died December 14, 1921 in Brockton, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.

Well, that's what I am able to reconstruct at this time.  I'm pretty sure it's most of the information I have in FTM.  I might have nailed down some specific dates that I don't have here.

I haven't written a genealogical sketch or biography (particularly not with AI) for any of them.

Wordless Wednesday

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun: What Are Your Genealogy Highlights for the Last Month?

I'm a little late, but not too behind to jump in for Randy Seaver's Saturday Night Genealogy Fun challenge for the week.

Come on, everybody, join in and accept the mission and execute it with precision.

1.  What genealogy fun have you had this past month?  What is your genealogy research highlight of the past month?  It could be attending or watching a Webinar or local genealogy society meeting, finding a new ancestor, reading a new genealogy book, or anything else that you have enjoyed.

2.  Share your January genealogy fun in your own blog post or in a Facebook, SubStack, BlueSky, or other social media post.  Leave a link to your post on this blog post to help us find your post.

I haven't had much time for genealogy during the past month, because I've had to keep an 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. schedule, and that is way too early in the morning for me.  It makes my brain mush for the rest of the day.  But one recent blog post encouraged me to rethink a question I had posed previously.

For my mother's yahrzeit, I considered things that my mother hadn't told me, including the name of our poodle (Pepe) and how I acquired a scar on my left arm that I've had since I was very, very little.  Writing about those two items together made me suddenly wonder if the reason my mother never told me the name of our dog was because he in some way had something to do with the scar.  I'm sure I'll never be able to determine if that hypothesis is accurate, but it had not occurred to me previously, and at least it gives me a possible reason for why my mother "didn't remember" how I got the scar.

Not the most momentous discovery, but it's an example of how writing can help you look at things in new ways.

Wordless Wednesday

 

Errors of Omission?

Today is January 19, 2026, which corresponds to 1 Shevat on the Jewish calendar in the year 5786 (thank you, Steve Morse, for the handy-dandy Jewish calendar conversion tool).  My mother died on 1 Shevat; it is Jewish tradition to commemorate a person on the date of that person's death on the Jewish calendar, called the yahrzeit.  Part of how I remember my mother is by writing about her on my blog.

My mother is probably the biggest reason I became so interested in family history.  She and her mother (my grandmother) were always talking about family members, relating family stories, celebrating birthdays and anniversaries.  I grew up knowing so many relatives' names and birthdays because of this.  But something I have been thinking about recently is things that my mother didn't tell me.

One of the most glaringly obvious things she never talked about is how she and my father met.  I heard about this from my grandmother several years after my mother had died.  I wrote about it ten years ago for a Saturday Night Genealogy Fun challenge.

My mother and her best friend (who happened to be my cousin) were on their way to a party when the car broke down.  My mother was fretting about how they would get to the party when her friend said, "Don't worry, my uncle is a mechanic.  He can help us."  And that uncle was my father-to-be, and that's how my parents met.

I have not yet filled in any of the holes in the story which I mentioned in that 2015 post.  One thing I did determine, though, is that my parents were apparently anxiously waiting for my father's divorce from his first wife to be finalized, because it was only about four days afterward that they were married.  I figured out when I was in 8th grade that my mother was three and a half months pregnant with me when they were married, and once I noticed how quickly the wedding came about, I figured they knew at the time that she was pregnant.

So did my mother never talk about how she met my father because it resulted in her getting married on short notice because she was pregnant?  I'll never know the answer to that question, but it is not an unreasonable hypothesis.

Chronologically in my life, the next thing my mother didn't tell me was the name of a dog we used to have.  She often told me about the dog, though.  I wrote a little bit about him for another Saturday Night Genealogy Fun post.

This was when I was just a little baby, possibly up to young toddler.  The dog was a standard poodle, and he protected me as I were his own puppy.  If my mother was upset with me about something and yelled at me, he would stand between me and her.  And he died of an epileptic seizure.

And that's all my mother said about him.

It occurred to me after my mother had passed away that she had never mentioned his name.  Lucky for me, my father was still alive, so I asked him.  And he knew exactly who I was talking about and told me the dog's name was Pepe.

Why would my mother tell me about the dog multiple times but never say his name?  I can't come up with a good reason for that.  It's possible that she didn't remember, but she had an excellent memory, so I have trouble with that idea.  Maybe she just didn't like him?  Is that a good reason?

A very frustrating thing that my mother didn't tell me about is how I got a scar on my left arm.  I blogged about it for National Scar Appreciation Day a couple of years ago.

I've had this scar as long as I can remember, going back to when I was really young.  I have no recollection whatsoever of how I got it, what kind of injury caused it, nothing.  That suggests to me that I must have been pretty young when it happened, because I have a good memory.

I asked my mother once how I got the scar.  She said, "I don't remember."  And I took her at her word.

Many years after that, well after she had died, a little light bulb went on over my head.

My mother became hysterical any time one of her children was bleeding.  The size of the scar and its longevity indicate an injury that must have bled, probably quite a bit.  So it would have been noticeable and my mother would have been hysterical.  And yet she didn't remember how it happened?

blink blink

Um, that doesn't make sense.

Unless, somehow, she had something to do with it.  Because then it wouldn't really be that she didn't remember, but that she wouldn't want to talk about it.

There was no abuse in my family, so it wasn't anything like that.  Maybe she turned her head and I cut myself on something?  Maybe she dropped something and it hit my arm?

Maybe it had something to do with Pepe, and that's why she never said his name?

Another question that shall remain unanswered.  At least until either time travel or talking to the dead becomes more reliable.

What else didn't my mother tell me?

Poodle image by MissKaren via Pixabay.

Can It Really Be 15 Years?

I haven't been keeping up well with my blog during the past few weeks, but I knew I had to write a post today.  It is my 15th blogiversary, after all.

Lisa Hork Gorrell and I started our blogs the same day, lo those 15 years ago.  She started a couple additional ones with specific focuses, but I've kept only this general one, lumping all of my posts together.

Who knew we would last this long?

I didn't keep quite the same pace in 2025 as I did the previous year, but I had 125 posts, which averages out to about one every three days.  That isn't too bad.

I posted many more photographs from the "photo bonanza" that my sister's niece scanned.  I still haven't received the boxes of original photos, so I don't know if anything was missed or if there really are two copies of all the photos that have two scans.  But I have identified a lot more of the photos and used some unusual resources to determine more information about them.

I also wrote several posts based on "national day of . . ." prompts.  I found a few sites that promote these days (I'm pretty sure they all make money by getting companies and people to pay to have a "day of whatever" and then advertise the days on the sites).  I've discovered that they can act as prompts to remember events and stories from my family and my own life, so I've written about them.  Documenting ourselves is something genealogists are reminded to do, right?

And of course I sprinkled several Wordless Wednesdays and Saturday Night Genealogy Fun posts in there also.  Those are staples for getting me thinking of something I can write about.

I have a lot more ideas, too:  research I haven't written about yet, more "days of", more great photos to share.  I'm going to try to catch up during the next month and get back to my old pace.

Illustration:  https://pixabay.com/illustrations/billiard-striped-ball-brown-15-1433354/

Wordless Wednesday