La versión español está después de la versión inglés.
I love being surprised by kindness, especially in this world that lately feels so unkind. San Geraldo connected by email this past year with a cousin in Norway he’s never met. The cousin found him via San Geraldo’s extensive genealogy website (www.connectedbloodlines.com) and they’ve been sharing information and stories ever since. It’s been special for them both since no one in their extended families shares their fascination with their family history.
Yesterday in the mail a package arrived from Norway. There was a card and a lovely, loving letter telling San Geraldo how gratifying it is to have connected with him. He shared two incredible photos, including this one from 1894 of his great-grandfather, Herman Nilssen Tyse, (SG’s great-great uncle). There were also two gift-wrapped packages containing beautiful hand-knit socks to keep us cozy at home. So kind. So generous. So unexpected. And to think the friendship had already been gift enough. Even the cats are grateful.
Me encanta ser sorprendido por la amabilidad, especialmente en este mundo que últimamente se siente tan desagradable. San Geraldo se conectó por correo electrónico el año pasado con un primo en Noruega que nunca conoció. El primo lo encontró a través del extenso sitio web de genealogía (www.connectedbloodlines.com) de San Geraldo y desde entonces han estado compartiendo información e historias. Ha sido especial para ambos, ya que nadie en sus familias extendidas comparte su fascinación por su historia familiar.
Ayer en el correo llegó un paquete de Noruega. Había una tarjeta y una carta encantadora y amorosa que le decía a San Geraldo lo gratificante que era haberse conectado con él. Él compartió dos fotos increíbles, incluido este de 1894 de su bisabuelo, Herman Nilssen Tyse, (gran tío abuelo de San Geraldo). También había dos paquetes envueltos para regalo que contenían calcetines tejidos a mano para mantenernos cómodos en casa. Tan amable. Tan generoso Tan inesperado. Y pensar que la amistad ya había sido suficiente regalo. Incluso los gatos están agradecidos.
Those look like they will keep your feet warm. Great old photo, I scanned about 200 from my mother’s family this last year, that had been unseen for decades.
David:
The socks are so comfortable and a perfect fit. I’ve worn them the past two nights while watching TV. The scanning of those old photos is I’m sure a pleasure. Jerry and I have been scanning since before our move to Spain. The discoveries!
How wonderful and thoughtful! And the socks are gorgeous. Merry Christmas Mitchell and San Geraldo!!
Jennifer:
Thanks so much. So happy to see the kind of Christmas you’ve had! The socks are soft and comfortable and a perfect fit. Wonderfully for lounging around the house.
Great story, and I also love delving into family history.
Plus, hot socks! Bonus!
Bob:
Jerry had a fascinating well-document family history, but it’s amazing what he’s discovered over the years. He’s even been able to find generations of my family that I knew nothing about. The socks are SO wonderful.
Cool socks!! Happy for SG to have ‘found’ a distant relative. I love delving into family history. Always a few surprises along the way.
Jim:
Jerry’s history is fascinating and so well-documented, and he’s become expert at the research. He spends hours every day working on it all… plus a couple of books related to it. He’s found interesting nuggets about my family, although much harder to trace since so many records were destroyed during WWII. Still, his family connections are of major historic importance, which makes the research I think so much more real and interesting. This cousin and his wife have been really wonderful connections. I don’t know that I really want to find any of MY unknown relations!
I love seeing old photos like that, even of someone else’s family! Life was a lot harder then than we have it now, wasn’t it. And those socks rock!
Debra:
That photo really shows how difficult life must have been. And that uncle was apparently successful. I have only one studio photo of any of my family from before anyone arrived in the United States; so that’s one photo from the mid 1890s. Jerry has a treasure trove of photos and portraits from the 1800s.
Wow, lukewarm socks! Well Bob went with hot and Jim took cool, so I was left with lukewarm or tepid. Lukewarm seems more exciting 🙂 I love old historic pictures of family. We don’t have too many, but the ones we have look like criminals. I guess nobody smiled back in the day.
Side note: I’ve been humming Norwegian Wood since I read this. I HATE that friggin’ song! I came back for the kitties 🙂
Deedles:
I almost went on an entire Norwegian Wood riff; but thought better of it. I’m also not a fan of that “friggin'” song… although I like some of the nonsense lyrics. I’ll be doing a “cat post” soon. So many photos of these adorables.
Deedles:
Well, they ARE cool and they are HOT; but I don’t know about lukewarm or tepid. Jerry has so many of those old photos. The problem with smiling was that the shutter speed was so slow, the smile ended up being lost halfway through and the face got distorted. So, yeah, lots of serious looking people… although I have a feeling some of them were serious to begin with. What a life! My family photos are mostly from the 1920s and after. Still pretty amazing (and THEY smiled more).
I love learning Spanish, and your blog is a huge help. I didn’t know the word for “wool” and am delighted 6 find that it’s “lana”…as in “lanolin”, right? I hope that’s the case!
Jennifer:
I’m so glad you’re getting something out of the Spanish version. It’s really helping me improve my Spanish, although I’m sure my phrasing and grammar sometimes leave my Spanish friends either laughing or perplexed. It IS fun to be able to connect a word with its English connections… and also sometimes dangerous. Beware false friends.
How thoughtful and wonderful. I really like the pointy socks – those should make some happy feet!
Wilma:
I have worn them both nights while watching TV (the original “House of Cards” from the BBC). Although i don’t get cold usually, my feet do. i can’t believe she managed to knit a pair that fit Jerry’s size 14-15 feet, and they’re so soft and comfortable.
Oh my goodness! That photo is incredible. I love seeing this kind of thing, and knowing that families are connected. And, those socks are fab! Even the furrballs got their gift 🙂 Love!
Judy:
One red ribbon has disappeared. The other travels around the house … and Dudo for some reason trails his string along with it. Jerry has so many of these incredible photos. This is really special.
What joy to find a kindred spirit who is also a relative.
Thickethouse:
Jerry is so hooked on his research and it’s not easy to find kindred spirits. This cousin feels the same, and he has been so kind along the way. Very fortunate.
NOICE SOX! (said in a Brooklyn accent) knit from the cuff down, I see. and who is wearing which sox? I think SG is wearing the blue pair. and the pussies – MEOW!
anne marie:
The blue pair were sent to me and the others to Jerry. But, as you can see, the blue & white pair are much bigger… as are Jerry’s feet. The red, black & white ended up fitting my size 11s perfectly and, amazingly, the blue ones fit Jerry’s size 14-15s! And Dudo is still so happy with his ribbon. Moose loses interest much more quickly.
That’s a great story. Everybody looks a bit stern in that picture, but that’s just the way it goes in early photography. Makes me wonder sometimes if the smile wasn’t invented until the 20th century. Stay cozy in your socks.
Kirk:
Well, those slow shutter speeds made it hard to photograph smiling faces, but that family, although successful, sure did struggle; I wonder how much smiling there was!
Love the picture but those socks! They are simply fabulous – such a nice connection to relatives unknown.
Cheapchick:
The socks are wonderful. Now my nightly at home wear! And, yes, this really is a special connection.