Cousins & Cars

I've been trying to figure out for some time now exactly what I want my next project to be. I need to make a decision as it's a whole lot easier crawling out of bed each morning when I have a goal.  I'm taking baby steps for now. I think that's why I signed up for the echo blog.  It'll help me jumpstart my writing.

I do know I want to concentrate on memoir writing and family history.  I'd like to write a book too but I haven't quite decided where to take that--it keeps coming back to memoir writing. Nothing like writing about yourself to keep interested in the topic. ha ha

I emailed two cousins this morning that I had located via Facebook.  Haven't met either of them but maybe someday.  My family history interest keeps focusing back on my grandpa's siblings and parents.  Not sure why but that's the time frame I'm most interested in learning about. How they lived, where they lived, what they did for a living, etc.

I'll always regret I didn't take more notes when my grandpa, uncles, aunts, and dad were alive. I have a few pictures I'd really like to identify--which is why I'm gungho to find other cousin links. Sooner or later I'm gonna find somebody who has pictures with names written on the back.

The lady I wrote this morning lives in Bend, OR and she told me she's going to a wedding in Eugene this weekend. She wrote:

 I am hoping to sit down with my husband's grandpa, he is Elizabeth Blankenship's grandson, and talk. I've also talked to my husband's aunt who, after this weekend, is going to get some stuff together. I also need to send an e-mail to Elizabeth Blankenship's other grandson, I'm hoping they have some helpful stuff (like pictures!).

I'm really excited about what she finds. Elizabeth was my grandpa's sister and she married a guy named Thomason.

Another cousin I found in Albany, OR is related to Mary Maude Holt Skaggs, a sister of my grandmother, Viola Mae Holt.  She had lots of data and pictures too. Below is Arthur Lewis Steele standing by his dad's car.(Arthur Thomas Steele)

This picture made me realize how much I wish I had taken better photos of the cars we owned over the years.  For some reason, I can remember the cars of my childhood a lot better than the ones of my adulthood. I had to call my ex-husband to find out what cars we had after we finished with the '57 Chevy station wagon that my dad gave us. (my teenage car)

He rattled them all off, remembering the colors, who we bought them from, who we sold them to, and even who hit us while driving them.
A white Mercury Comet, a 59 Chevy wagon, a blue Buick, a red LTD, and a tan Dodge wagon.

I wonder if he's correct  ( hee hee)  29 years divorced and I still have my doubts he's right.  And now I have to go round up pictures because I'm curious of what I have in my collection. Be back later......

Found a few odds and ends of car pictures but some are just in the background.  These aren't in gospel order of when they appeared in my life but I got as close as I could. I'm terribly vague on years and models so if you see anything you recognize, I'd love to hear what it is exactly.

1947 Chevy (I think) At any rate, it's the stick I learned to drive in.

International pick up truck. Also 1947 I think. Maybe later.

 1957 Chevy Stationwagon.  Had such good times in this car.

This must be the Comet we had. Mercury Comet?

Kind of looks like this is the same car. Not sure who belongs to that one on the right. It kind of looks like a convertible.

Is this a Mercury?  I can't tell.

 Same car as the one shown above maybe?

Forgot the year but this is a Horizon. Looked nice but boy, did it cause me mechanical wear and tear in the pocketbook. Seems like it was always breaking down.

First car I bought myself after getting divorced. LTD but I don't know the year. Maybe I got this before the Horizon.  I really liked this car. Sold it to an Arey.

My Nissan Sentra. Another unreliable car.

Dad sold me (or did he give me?) his blue Mazda.

Ford pick up I bought from a neighbor in Hadlock. This was a pretty good truck for me. Sue has it now.

My latest. 1999 Toyoto Avalon. The most reliable car I've ever had. Gettin' kind of hard to get in and out of, though. I'd like to have a car that sits higher.  Unless I win some money, though, it probably isn't going to happen. My social security checks just aren't stretching far enough to take on a car payment. I already complain about cable taking too much. But then you know that.

Well, the day has moved right along since I decided to go look at pictures. Jen picked up Sammy and says the kids get home from camp tomorrow.  I've got a Netflix movie to watch tonight--Blue Valentine.  Last night I watched Denzil Washington in a train flick called Unstoppable.  I'll give it a C.

Boy, the birds are zooming to beat the band across the street.  Think I'll stop and watch them a bit and then see about finding something easy for supper. I'm not in the mood to cook (again) so I may go for easy and have a waffle.