The Box

This post has nothing to do with what research I have been doing lately or my family history really, but instead, its about inspiration..and a box.

A few minutes ago I sent Thomas MacEntee an email, one of several that we have exchanged the past few days but this one had a .pdf as an attachment. Not unusual of course to attach that kind of file to an email but the creation of this one had pushed me out of my box, as I told Thomas. I knew about digital signatures, but had the thought to learn about that stored safely in the ‘someday I will’ box.

The original file I received from Thomas, a contract for him to provide a virtual presentation to our genealogical society. “…slap your signature graphic on it” he said. Yeah, right Thomas! Of course I could have printed it out, used a pen to sign it, a stamp and envelope and a trip to the post office as he also suggested but that phrase: “slap your signature graphic on it” rang out like a huge challenge. Besides, I have been working very hard to eliminate paper waste whenever possible, oh yeah and I hate spending money on printer ink too. Hmmm, could those ideas also have been planted by Thomas?

Anyway, I tackled the task, or rather Googled it, and finally managed to create that digital signature to ‘slap on it”, but not without some trial and error, mind you.

About the time I hit the ‘send’ button it dawned on me. Yeah, he pushed me out of that box but bigger than that he inspired me. He INSPIRES me. This isn’t the first time. I’ve been ‘following’ Thomas for a pretty long time although I can’t put my digital signature on exactly when I started. I remember reading something about him…who knows where…then we became friends on Facebook and one day he wrote about blogging. “What the heck is blogging?” I thought. So I had to get out of my box and find out. Then-what-does-he-do?! HE makes a new WORD! ‘Geneablogger’. Dang it, Thomas, don’t you know I have laundry to do and a museum to run and..and…and… So, I figured out the Geneablogger thing and then he comes up with Google Docs, and Dropbox and Cloud Computing and Weebly….and….and…and….all these other things that I have to stop life for and figure out.

Thanks Thomas. Seriously. What’s next?

This is the Face of Genealogy

The Edwin Plummer Longwell Family.
Plummer, Ida Edana (Conrad), Trever, and Floy about 1899. Tower Hill, Illinois

Yum Yum Salad

My mother made this salad on holidays beginning in the 1960's or maybe earlier. I don't know where she got it, probably from a square dance club friend as they were always printing club cookbooks. This has become a family favorite, so much so that I am not allowed to get by without making it at Thanksgiving and Christmas or I hear very loud protests. Our family has grown so large in the past few years that this year I had to make two cake pans full rather than one!

Yum Yum Salad

9"x13"x2" cake pan or other baking dish

2 small packages lemon jello
2 c. grated American cheese
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple
1 c. chopped pecans or walnuts (walnuts are our favorite)
1 small container whipped topping

In the cake pan or baking dish: dissolve jello in 1 c. boiling water (stir well) and then add 4 ice cubes to cool the mixture (stir until the ice cubes are melted). Add grated cheese, pineapple and nuts. Place in the freezer or refrigerator until 'tacky' (20-30 min.). If you forget or let it set too long, break it up into smaller pieces. Fold in the whipped topping, mix well, smooth out the top and return to the refrigerator until solid (about 1 1/2 hours).