Articles

When I was young, writing a will felt like a very adult concept. Colombo episodes, Nancy Drew books and Scooby-Doo cartoons informed my romantic notion that only rich old men had wills to instruct the disposition of their vast lands and priceless fortunes upon death. Their controversial decisions to favor one descendent over another always seemed the genesis of a murderous plot that kept Hollywood in business. The first time I wrote a will, I opted for the standard template…

I always wanted to be Irish. Afterall, Lucky Charms was my favorite breakfast cereal. Unlike other kids my age I loved the corned beef and cabbage dinner Mom routinely whipped up for St. Patrick’s Day. I became a rabid Notre Dame Fighting Irish football fan as a young teen. I even picked a four-leaf clover during recess and crafted a pressed bookmark to save my place in my Nancy Drew stories. Call it fate, destiny, kismet, or luck of the…

One day, I might have been about ten, Mom was cutting carrots in the kitchen. I asked her if my full name was Victoria. I’d had a friend at school whose name was Victoria and she went by the nickname Vicki like me. Victoria sounded so elegant, like a Queen, or like that pretty Victoria Principal I’d recently seen on Fantasy Island. Anyway, I thought it would be nice to be a Victoria. Mom stopped cutting and hesitated for a moment. I never…

I didn’t have many pets growing up. I recall having a turtle as a youngster. A stray white poodle, who we named Tuffy, found his way into our family for a few months before we gave him to my great-grandmother. I had the requisite gerbil until, sadly, I found Chewbacca expired in his cage the morning after a thunderstorm. The chaos in the skies must have caused the poor thing’s heart attack. Once for a school project, I was the…

I love to travel. Many years of experience have taught me that a light load is the way to go. My souvenirs are limited to refrigerator magnets and Christmas tree ornaments. I often feel quite inadequate as a tourist when I document $5 of purchases on my customs paperwork upon my return. Likewise, my mom searches for perfect postcards. They serve as her memories of the beautiful places she has visited. Interestingly, postcards didn’t start out as mere souvenirs. They…

Older headstones sometimes yield significant clues for the genealogist by providing a short biography of the interred – similar to one I found in the medieval cathedral ruins of St. Andrews, Scotland. It read: Here Lies the Body of Thomas Halyburton. Minister of the Gospel. He was Born at Duplin Dec. 25, 1674, And Ordained Minister of ceres May 1, 1700. In April 1710 He was Admitted Professor of Divinity In the New College St. Andrews And on Sept. 23,…