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Personally, I would rather train a screaming child or a snarling, vicious dog than train a new computer.  
And that's the truth.  I'm not kidding.  

I am, however, now (as I write ... and you, hopefully, get to read) having to train a new computer.  And the operating system is new to me. And all of the programs are in versions that are also new to me. And when you buy your software pre-installed (because some of us, who shall remain nameless, never seem to be able to successfully install new software ... never mind even considering downloading a program update) on your new Dell computer -- you can't call Microsoft for tech support. (Does Dell tell you that when you are discussing what to put on your new computer?  Nooooo.)  And is Dell's tech support very knowledgeable about MS software nitty-gritties ?  Not!

OK. Enough venting.  Now for the apologies ... and the excuses!

You may have noticed that nothing new has been published to The POORHOUSE STORY website for several weeks. You (some of you) may have noticed that the project(s) we were working on together have not been posted and you have not heard for me for several weeks.  You may have noticed that I have not responded to your e-mail for several weeks.

If you lived in my real world ... as opposed to the virtual world of The Poorhouse Lady ... you may not have had any doubt at all that I had totally lost my mind!  I had!  (I think I have it back; but I certainly don't have control of any computer yet.)

You guessed it: the old laptop computer crashed big time.  The child who spilled a HUGE Coke right on top of it still lives. (But it was a close call!)  And a company called "Mr. Notebook" (here in Austin TX) deserves huge kudos.  They did manage to save the computer ... but even more important, they saved the DATA!  (That's a euphemism for everything I ever wrote for the website or anything else ... like IRS!) [Yes, I had made a backup, but that's another story. Man, this is all waaay too technical for this old brain.]

Mr. Notebook patiently (if a little tactlessly) explained that a nearly four year old laptop is 105 years old in human years.
They warned me that if it ever seized up and flat-lined again, no amount of CPR (that's Computer & Program Resuscitation) would do any good.  They strongly advised me to get a new computer ... and transfer my data onto it.  Easy for them to say!

Well, to make a long story short (too late for that?) ... that's pretty much done.  Now I just have to learn to ride this high tech animal.  Sheesh!  The very steep learning curve is throwing me.

Sooo...this newsletter is late.  And it doesn't include as many new projects as usual.
But the good news is -- The POORHOUSE STORY still lives!  

Please give me about another week to catch up with things.  If you have not heard from me by then about something we had pending ... or if you've received no response to something you have previously sent me ... please let me know.

Meanwhile,

HAVE WONDERFUL HOLIDAYS
and a New Year full of JOY & PEACE. 

THANKS for your patience and understanding!

Linda  

Speaking (usually to myself, and sometimes in whispers) of getting older -- do you, like me, sometimes find yourself appalled to hear come out of your own mouth words that you have heretofore only considered to be sayings spouted by grumpy elders -- also sometimes referred to  as geezers?  Well, I admit it.  I now and then hear myself uttering such sentiments.  

Here are two of them that genealogy and local history buffs are prone to lament:  

          (1) This younger generation just doesn't have any respect for history or traditions. Sigh.
          (2)  The march of  "progress" is trampling over our landmarks and obliterating our local history! 

Well, I just have to say ... it ain't so!  At least not with a special group of students and their instructor from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie NY.  

For the second time (more about the first time below) Brian G. McAdoo, Assistant Professor in the Geology Department]at Vassar College has enrolled his students in a project to investigate an old poorhouse cemetery.  This cemetery is in Dutchess County, NY.  

                   Professor McAdoo's description of the project for his students was as follows:

But the most humorous (and absolutely serious!) part of his course description was this:

 And these brave souls were probably forewarned!   Because this is not the first group to do this!
A previous class worked on the Ulster County poorhouse cemetery.  Those students were:  

CESIUM
VAPOR
MAGNETOMETER

GROUND
PENETRATING
RADAR

RESISTIVITY
METER

TOTAL
STATION

November 28, 2003

Soil helps find forgotten graves

By Brian McAdoo
For the Poughkeepsie Journal