TWENTY FOUR - Learned a new skill and it gives a new perspective

Mom's wedding photo is given a new life and a new obsession

A few pitiful photographs get a make over

When you have only a handful of photographs, it's hard to feel a connection with your past. Most of us enjoy looking thru old photos and recanting old memories that are connected to them. Brother Steve and I do not have many pictures of our lives. Unfortunately there is only a small handful of our mom. There is a group called "Random Acts of Kindness of Photography" and they are on Face Book. The group help fix old photographs out of the kindness of their hearts. It is a great group of volunteers. 

Photographs bring your Ancestors to life

One of the Volunteers colorized a picture for me....and I was amazed. After thanking her for it, she told me of a site "Colorize" which does it automatically for you. You upload a black and white photo, Click and it's done! Let me just say that I have been using it every day since. I am working my way thru all the old pics and amazed at the results. I can't wait to colorize the really old photographs I found on Ancestry. TRY IT, it makes the people more real!

Hello Aunt Rita, Mom and Dad

For almost my entire life I have wondered who the Pretty Brunette lady was standing up for my mom when she married my dad. I didn't find out that she was my "Aunt Rita" until Oct 2018 during my first meeting with my Maternal cousins in Chicago. The Jenning cousins had other photos of Aunt Rita so there was no doubt it was her. BUT the Black and White photograph was just an old photo without depth. When I colorized this photo is made me feel like I was seeing my Aunt and my mom for the First time. I don't have Any photos of my mom in color....and here she was in all her glory. I felt I was actually seeing my mom for the first time, as a young 21 year old woman excited to marry. And then there is Aunt Rita. I realize that perhaps she didn't wear a pale blue dress, but the color on her face made her feel real to me.

Genealogy and research are not the only way to bring your Ancestors to life.

TWENTY THREE - Spending time with my "Brother from the same Mother"

Visit with "BROTHER STEVE" @ his Favorite look out point in BC  July 2019

Getting to know ya Brother ~ it's Amazing

I was fortunate enough to spend a few days with my "Brother Steve" this summer. His partner of 16 years is invested in us siblings getting to know each other.  I have a lot of family out west, so it is a bit hectic trying to squeeze a bit of time with everyone....but it's Veri important for my brother and I to have this bonding time. Even though I call Steve every week to chat, it is much more enjoyable actually getting to spend time together laughing and chatting.

Hey, you remind me of my sister

It's a strange feeling to listen to a complete stranger like my brother and then get a glimpse of my sister Tina. What is even stranger is knowing that Steve and Tina most likely are doing things that my mom "Lenora Jennings"  probably did. The way they laugh or a certain "look" they give when they are telling a joke...be it ever so lame of a joke - LOL 

My mother and sister were both City gals and it was a surprise to find out that Steve is a Nature lover like myself. My brother left the big city decades ago to enjoy the beauty out west. We spent our 2 days at the beach, at his garden at home and then visiting his Favorite "Look out" point in Vancouver. 

It was a ZEN visit with Good food and conversation.

How many clues are in the reports

I look at Steve's Non-identifying reports from the Children's Aid Society every few months, looking for new clues. The reports say mom was an out door kind of girl, but I only remember mom as the Ultimate Lady in her dress and manners. Mom liked the vibe of the city life. My sister Tina was always on the go and a fashionista. I realize now that it was in my sister's genes. 

I must admit it is frustrating that Ontario has this policy, and some provinces will tell all. It seems so unfair to think that even after "SIXTY FIVE YEARS" that a person is not Allowed to know about their history. Let's face it, how many of the people involved are even alive 65 years later? Something is Wrong with the system!

On the up side, Steve has a record of his physical and mental growth during his young years. Even though at times the report reads like a weird experiment, I feel it also gives me an insight into his younger life before he was adopted. I wish I had something similar to share with Brother Steve. It would be interesting to see how our lives were similar or different growing up. A bummer that both Brother Steve and I have virtually no photos of our life, but we at least have a chance to make memories and take photos Together as Seniors. We are LUCKY to have found each other!