Stuck in the Past

I've always thought I had a good dose of OCD in my genetic makeup.
Why?  Because I can't become mildly interested in anything.
If I take up with an interest or a hobby or a job, I am ALL IN!
It's all I want to do and if left to my own devices, it IS all I do.
All day.
Every day.
24/7.....well except for that sleeping, eating, bathing stuff too. ;-)

Do you obsess over something or things?
I bet you do.

The thing that has me held captive lately is "armchair genealogy".
Not that I am searching for the history of armchairs but rather searching online records for family genealogy.  Having the internet and so many records being online, I can lose days sitting here just poking around in the past.....and I have!

Records that use to take genealogists months and years to search out via mail and on site location searches can be had in hours or mere minutes within a day now.
Of course you can't get everything online but for casual researchers like me and for digging into the top layers of history, the internet is 'da bomb!

Not that I am good at it yet, but I am getting better at putting 2 and 2 together.
It's like a giant time jigsaw puzzle.  And along the way I get history lessons too.  A win-win proposition in my book!

I work on one line and just keep going back until I hit those inevitable brick walls.
Then I go work on another branch.
And when I get bored with my family, I go work on the family of someone else.

I am so possessed that I've done a few people's trees and I don't even know them!
Someone posted a long gone family member on their blog and I went and built a family tree.  I'd love to share it with her but I'm scared to tell her......she might think I am creepy, ya know?
Someone else wrote a book about their great aunt's teenage journal and I traced her family tree back.

My daughter brought home a boyfriend and I started working on HIS family tree.....yah, but he was jazzed about it and WANTED to know.  It's too bad my daughter no longer dates him now.  But I did had a genealogy buddy for a short time......

I've just started Hub's oldest brother's wife's families and my brother's wife's families, though both of those have been difficult to get very far with.  Both have lines in North Carolina and for some reason, NC has some bad or non-existent records.

I have added every person who was ever connected to my family that I can find.....except for the family of the Sis-IL's ex hubby....and her new boyfriend....ooo!.....2 more families I can work on....yay!!

You should see my massive family tree now!   If I had to print this all out, I'd kill a rainforest in Central America.
Seriously.
My tree has 3572 peeps in it. 
I obviously come from some fertile clans....

My hub's tree has 312 peeps.
Hey, he's not interested in any of this stuff so I don't feel as motivated to do his side.....plus his father's side didn't come here until around 1900 and I don't read Italian or have access to records in Sicily which cuts into what I can do for free online.

And I have just started my oldest's longtime girlfriend's families.  Her grandmother seemed interested and gave oldest some basic info(name and birthdate) and I had this within minutes and sent this to oldest.

It's girlfriend's grandmother's  high school Senior photo.  So styling in those cat's eye glasses.....
Of course I can't get much more than this since she was born after the 1940 census year and I don't have her parents info yet.


So, does anybody out there want me rooting around in their family's past?
Want to know who you are named for or why you live where you do or how you got here and where your people came from?
If you have family info. for people born BEFORE 1940, email me and I'll see what I can find for you.
And I promise not to post your grandmother's high school yearbook photo on my blog.....unless you want me to. 8-)

Yes, I have a Ancestry dotcom membership and I know how to use it! ;-)

Sluggy

JUNE Food Stamp Challenge......Things I've Learned

*This post is part of the June Food Stamp Challenge which is located over HERE.*


My Final Thoughts on the JFSC.....

The past 30 days have been challenging.
Not so challenging personally in trying to stay within a $373.70 food budget for the month.
I keep myself on a rather tight food budget and lay my purchases out for inspection online and blog about being frugal throughout the year.

I did however, feel added pressure to stay within that arbitrary amount.  Since we don't depend on EBT to eat here(not that that couldn't change in a heartbeat tho!)staying within that budget wasn't a life or death situation.  If you really are on food stamps, there are real consequences to running out of benefits & not having enough to eat.
Imagine if when my allotted food budget money ran out it Really ran out!  That thought was in the back of my mind all month.

I realized that I am lucky in that I don't have a spouse or significant other torpedoing my efforts to live within a food budget.
1-I have a Hubs would loves to eat leftovers.
2-I have a Hubs who is more than happy to leave all the decisions about meal planning & food shopping to me.
Not everyone is this lucky.  Many have their spouse or SO or even their kids with their hands on the helm of this food ship too.  This can mean they are going out and spending precious food dollars on sodas or other junk foods or buying expensive meats or already-made convenience foods.  Or they are refusing to eat meals that get prepared and then place a call to Domino's for a 'cardboard w/sauce' pie at 4 times the cost of a homemade pizza.  Just 1 week of that kind of thing can lead any food budget commander spiraling down into a deep budgeting dispair!

I also am a "seasoned" cook who doesn't have to rely on pre-made, heat & eat or convenience foods to feed her family.  While I'm not a gourmet cook, I can make just about anything the family would care to eat.  Being able to cook-from-scratch a wide variety of dishes means for the most part, I can keep my costs down because I don't have to buy pricier convenience foods &  no one here gets bored with the offerings and resorts to buying take-out on a regular basis.

I am also blessed in that I have the extra storage space in my home to shop when food items are at a rock bottom price.  I can stockpile shelf stable items as well as those needing freezing temps. until the cows come home.  Not having to pay full retail price at the grocery store makes my food dollars stretch much further than someone who has little or no space to store food.

But I have learned some things along the way that I'd like to share with you all.

On the History....
The food stamp program did NOT begin as an altruistic crusade by your government to help it's citizens...it was an idea to help food producers and manufacturers.
The forerunner of the food stamp program ran from 1939-1943 at the tail end of the Great Depression.  It was different in that people purchased stamps, so it was more of a discount program giving you 100% more purchasing power for your dollars and ANYONE could participate!  It was brought about in part to use up surplus supplies of certain foods during a time of economic need and ended when the surpluses and the unemployment stats dwindled.

Though the Eisenhower administration possessed the legislation for a food stamp program,  it never enacted it in the late 1950's.  The Kennedy administration did and began the pilot program to fulfill a campaign promise.  The having to purchase certain surplus foods component was dropped but participants still had to pay for the food stamps so it was still a discount program only.

The food stamp program didn't become permanent until 1964, under Lyndon Johnson.  Shortly after, the program began to focus more extending it's benefits to the neediest citizens.
The purchasing requirement went away in 1977, meaning that this is when food stamps truly became 'charity'.

There have been many changes to the system since the 1960's, both good and not-so good.  Today, calculating who is eligible and how much someone gets is convoluted and difficult to follow for someone who doesn't work in that system.  It was so hard just trying to make heads or tails of what I was reading that it frankly made my head hurt.  I do feel that there is a lot of bloat in the system and a simplified and streamlined program would go a long way to giving more equitable benefits to all who are in need as well as save a hefty amount of tax dollars in administering the program.

On Food Access....
Being on Food Stamps can limit your shopping options.

The first thing I became cognizant of in the past 30 days has been how finding sources from which to buy food using EBT can be difficult.  I generally utilize many resources available to me from which to purchase groceries.  I frequent not just grocery and drug stores, but bakery outlets, discount stores, in addition to farm stands, and farmer's markets in season.
While I don't use convenience stores, those are yet another source of groceries....albeit a higher priced(dare I say usury price?)option for purchasing food.
Not every food store source accepts EBT/Food Stamps.  Not only does a store have to qualify to participate in this federal program but the store has to feel that accepting EBT will be in their bottom line's best interest to jump through those government hoops.

Limited personal resources can limit your access to food.
I live in a small town outside of a major metro area in PA.  We have limited grocery purchasing sources in my small town.  There are a wider array of sources down in the city.  While public transportation is regular and available in the city, it's practically nonexistent here.  Someone on EBT in my town would have a rough time sourcing food stores locally unless they lived close enough to walk or bike and not at all the sources in the city if they relied on mass transit.  Unless you are disabled or elderly and qualify to use the county's aging dept. bus you would have to have access to a car(either your own or your friend's)to get to the store.  There are taxis but the cost would be out of most EBT users' league.
I am blessed in that I have access to a vehicle so I can go to wherever I need to for food.

On The Numbers...
Did you know that over half(61% as of this writing)of the population in the USA on Food Stamps are women and children?  Only 9% of the recipients are elderly.

The people who require the best and most nutritious food we can source--our children--are in large part not getting it because of financial reasons and require help from the federal government.  Isn't that sad....that the adults caring for and responsible for our nation's future generation are unable to feed them?!

I suspect that many of these households with children are headed by single parents who either are unable to work due to caring fulltime for these children or are disabled in some way.  And the ones who can/do work must pay childcare costs to another while they are at their jobs, which again, is an added expense along with the usual rent, utilities, other payments and groceries.  The food budget is usually the only area where a parent can exercise any kind of discretion over the spending once you are living a bare bones existence.  The landlord or mortgage company wants their FULL amount due so after that's paid you may have to buy the boxed mac and cheese for 30¢ instead of the organic pasta and real cheese for $1.50 to make your own.

Now I am NOT going to get into a political/social debate about having children you can't afford or having children while you are in an unstable marriage or unmarried.  I am sure there are numbers of people in these situations in that 61% figure.  But I am equally sure that there are moms & dads who weren't always single parents, as well as couples with children who work hard and also can't afford to feed themselves w/out the government's help due to financial setbacks, bad planning, poor education, or unexpected or catastrophic health issues.  The old saying, "There but for the grace of God, go I" should remind you that no matter what your economic, health or social status, YOUR circumstances could change in the blink of an eye.
So the next time you find yourself in line at the grocery store behind that person using a EBT card to pay for their food and you are looking down your nose at them, remember that YOU might end up standing in their shoes someday, no matter how fortunate your circumstance today.

Sluggy

JUNE Food Stamp Challenge....Final Numbers

 *This post is part of the June Food Stamp Challenge which is located over HERE.*

To being with, the last 3 days(the 28th-30th) meals were.....
Monday....breakfast-oatmeal/lunch-leftover potato salad & romaine salad/dinner-soup & fried squash
Tuesday....breakfast-cantaloupe & tea/lunch-raw carrots & celery w/dressing/dinner-Turkey Club Sandwiches w/leftover pasta salad
Wednesday....breakfast-a bagel/lunch-way old leftover bbq pork and coleslaw on leftover roll/dinner-clam chowder & garlic bread

Additional cost of foods bought before June....$1.55.

When I dragged out my grocery receipts to do my usual end of the month blog post about my food spending for June I discovered I had gone to the grocery store on June 1st but my JFSC total doesn't reflect that spending.  The total was $14.50.
So my last spending addition for the JFSC amounts to $16.05.

June Food Stamp Challenge Totals
Starting Food Budget...$373.70
Spent....$315.98
June Food Budget Left....$57.72
Days of Challenge Left....00


Next week, I'll get together a donation from my stockpile and take that along with a check for $100.00 up to the local food bank. (I've added the extra $42 to atone for our eating out goof-ups during the month.)

Part II to follow momentarily....

Sluggy

Sluggy's Historic Time Machine

Finding my childhood home got me nostalgic, so I decided to Google around and see if I could find some other homes I remember.

Here is the last home my Great Grandmother lived in.  Her 12 kids moved her there from the old Homestead ROXABEL Plantation about 10 yrs. after Great Grandfather died. Roxabel was 5 miles out and this way she was right 'in town' in case she needed anything or her kids as she was well into her '70s.  She was born in 1888 and died in 1973 so I was 14 the last time I was in that house.  Both my Great Grandmother and my Grandmother died in that house.
I hope that doesn't creep anyone out....lol

Here's photo of my Great Grandparents, circa 1950-something....

They sure look like a fun couple, don't they?  Well they were fun with each other because they had TWELVE kids!

And here is a photo of my Great Grandmother with her 6 adult daughter's from the early 1960's.  You can see the old homestead house Roxabel, behind them.  My Grandmother is the one in the bright blue dress, 3rd from the left.  From right to left in birth order are Louise Frances, Virginia Elizabeth(Ginny), Rosa Bell, Lillian Grace, Doris Lee(Dot), Lula Mae.

Ok, here's the house....

I remember this house well as we use to visit 2 weekends a month plus spend more time in the summer.
The main part of the house was built in the 1700's of VA clay brick.  There was an addition on the back that you can't see, that held both bathrooms, the kitchen, den and the stairway to the 2nd floor.  I remember there were only 2 bedrooms upstairs but they were HUGE!  I guess everybody use to sleep together.

There was a brick outbuilding out back as well....it was either the original kitchen or a root cellar or something.  There was an old abandoned wooden outhouse in the backyard at that time too.
See the 2 flagpoles and the Civil War era cannon on the left in the yard?  Those weren't there then....

Next door, to the west, were 2  abandoned schools with a playground that we use to hang out in.  That was located where that newer building on the right in the photo stands.....

To the east of Grandmama's house was and still is a Church.  It hasn't changed....

That massive tree on the other side of the church is in Grandmama's yard.
Two lots east of that church is this.....

That building with the Texaco sign was an old Gas Station.  In the 1960's it was no longer a gas station but some kind of  'store. There was a scary old lady who sold penny candy out of that building back then. There were never any lights on inside that store.  And yes, the penny candy cost a penny back then!  I am old...lol
We also picked up soda bottles and could turn them in for candy there.

And 2 doors down on the east from that building is this....

Here's another shot.....

This is the smack dab center of the town....the crossroads of Rte. 40 & 47.  The building on the right side in the photo was a drug store back in the 1960's.  That building was originally lawyer's offices built around 1825.  You can see the very old brick on the side where the siding isn't covering it up.

See that big tree in front of it?  That tree is historically significant...there use to be a Historical Marker next to it in the 60's.
You've heard of Patrick Henry?
You've heard of his "Give me Liberty or Give me Death" Speech?
He gave that speech for the 1st time under that tree.
I know, I know......all the history books say he gave the speech in Richmond at the Virginia Convention in 1775.
Well here is something they don't tell you....he originally gave that speech here, standing under that tree in the summer/fall of 1774...the historic recitation of it came later.
This is also where the Henry-Randolph Debate took place....that's the event that the Historical Marker identifies.  Go look that up since I'm sure nobody today knows what the Henry/Randolph Debate was all about.lol
And to think that just around the bend in that photo is the house my Great Grandmother lived in....

But why did this stuff happen under that tree?
Because it's right across the street from this building.....

The Charlotte County Virginia Court House.
Well back in 1775 when Mr. Henry was lawyer-ing & making speeches, this building didn't exist yet.  There was a wooden framed building.  In the hot weather they conducted legal business outside.  Yes, Patrick Henry was one of those dreaded lawyer people when he wasn't revolting against the Red Coats....either revolting against some one or being a revolting lawyer....poor Mr. Henry can't win.lol

The original courthouse had a tavern in it.
George Washington was a regular there when he was in town on revolutionary business.  I've read that he was thrown out for being drunk more than a few times.  Seems George was a party animal when he was traveling!

This courthouse was built in 1823.
You may have heard of the guy who designed it?--Thomas Jefferson.  He lived a mite north of here.
Too bad old Patrick Henry didn't live to see this grand courthouse.   Patrick Henry lived a couple of towns west of here near Brookneal, VA.  Brookneal is where my Grandfather's family was from.

The 'courthouse' stands in....wait for it......Charlotte Courthouse, VA.
Original name for the town, huh?lol

This place wasn't always called Charlotte Courthouse.
It was originally called The Magazine(now that's weird!),and then a few other things like Marysville,  but it's always been CCH since I was born.  They did change the spelling since I've left from Charlotte Courthouse to Charlotte Court House.
Big improvement....

Alot of historic buildings still exist in this town due to the fact that the Yankees didn't rape and pillage here.  Some troops did come through town during the 'War Between The States' but they didn't hang around and torch anything, just pinched some livestock and food from the locals.  Not much going on there then or now except the growing and fire-smoking of tobacco.

I would show you photos of the Plantation House but Google Maps/Street View doesn't have that road in their system.  I remember staying there as well.  It's still standing.  Some descendants of my Great Grandparents pitched in and bought it to keep it in the family.  It would be cool to go back there and see it again.

But I did find a photo of this house.....

This one is across the street and 2 lots down from Grandmama's house.
And it's for sale!
And it's pretty darn cheap too.
If it only had a bigger lot I might consider buying it....

I hope you've enjoyed your time travel voyage.  Please return your seats to the upright position and thank you for flying Sluggy Air.  ;-)

Sluggy