Embracing my Heritage

An elementary school project started me on pride in who I was and where I came from.

I wrote up my family tree, but only  to my grandparents on both sides.

I learned the family motto  Glory is the reward of valour

AND made the slogan mine Fierce when Roused

I begged for a clan kilt

Developed my list of special treats

                                 

And at age 29 (pregnant with my second child) I discovered I wasn't a Robertson by birth NOR by marriage ... I was UKRAINIAN on that side - from Austria (how's that for confusing) my grandfather had changed his name and decided Robertson was the one he wanted. Hence that is the name on my birth certificate and my father before me.

By 30 years of age I realized that I had no idea who I was or where I came from and my journey to find where exactly I fit in my own genealogical story came about.

I will confess to still eating those candies - in fact the photo above was taken by me of the bag I am almost finished. I would probably still be eating the jam, but my mother makes me homemade so rarely do I have to buy it. I love all plaid so didn't have to exactly give up my love of the Robertson plaid. I want to learn to play the bagpipes as my Great Grandfather Thomas Thomson did. My mother was born Graham. I have lost the Robertson heritage, but not my Scottish heritage.

Heritage is funny that way - you can just switch to the other side of the family when you really want something to fit!    AND in hindsight I always knew who I was, but maybe the route to arrive where I am was slightly off my previous belief system.

You can't pick your family you know!

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Notetaking: Keeping Track Of The Smellies and Belchums

Today I focus on the power in my pants. Admit it - you had visions of LMFAO singing and gyrating.

The power in my pants can help me stay focused when my natural tendency is to chase shiny things. To be honest I would not arrive on time ever if it weren't for my mobile device and google. 

What still needed work was my remembering what I had gone out for. There are too many times that I arrive at the grocery store while the list I laboured over is lounging on the counter at home in the kitchen. If there is no one at home to read me my list I have to guess (which rarely works out well). Adding to the problem is that after the list has been read to me I have to continue to remember as I dash about the store.

If I was only looking to record a grocery list or two the Evernote App would definitely be more then I need. I have decided Evernote is worth the extra storage it will take on my mobile since I want to organize my research notes in a way that allows me to check them at any time from any of my devices. This will make this the App useful for my family tree researching.

While searching my husband's side of the family tree I discovered he was related to Laura Secord by marriage. When I told him he was excited to hear of his connection to chocolate. Being related to a heroine of the War of 1812 is wasted on him. He just wanted to talk about creamy milk chocolate. If I had been able to just share my notes with him I may not have known just how annoying he was. I also discovered he shares a name with a relative whose home is a historical site in Ontario also related to the War of 1812.  This App may save our marriage as he will know the significance from my notes before he talks with me. How many Apps out there can claim that - the ability to save marriages?

Now back to me. I am still searching for my famous rich relatives. At this early point in my searching I had only found Smellies and Belchums, but I plan to organize and sort them in such a way as to present them as royalty! 

Cause ... 

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

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My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

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Please & Thank you!

If I were a man and wore a cowboy hat.

Recently a coworker (for privacy sake lets call her Kelly) emailed me letting me know that if I were a man and wore a cowboy hat I would look just like Clint Walker as he appeared on the front of the tv series Cheyenne Season 1.  


I promptly ordered in season 1 of the tv series from my library, and realized she is right.  

The why and wherefores of the mystery of my paternal grandfather is too big for just one blog entry. For this entry I will share that there is a missing 10 years from the time he left his family in Saskatchewan (with name #1) and when he met my grandmother in Calgary (with name #2).


If there was no mystery surrounding this one relative I might not be left wondering if I could be related to this actor. But since I know this, and many other mysteries, I am left truly wondering - could we be related.  


My grandfather would have only been 17 when Norman Eugene Walker (better known as Clint Walker) was born, but the time of his birth fits into the missing 10 years. My quick online research reveals a twin sister, but no mention of other siblings or parents.

Then again - the library copy has shortened the cover and Clint Walker doesn't actually look like the cowboy on the front of the dvd cover either. I think we can call this mystery resolved - I am not a man, I don't own a cowboy hat, and this is not my relative.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047720/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!