What a day! What a day! What a day!

Judy Russell, the Legal Genealogist, educated and entertained us throughout the day with information and stories (oh, the stories she told!) about research trips to the courthouse, wills and no wills and using court records. She was self-deprecating, witty, smart, and “pretty in pink”! If you don’t already subscribe to her blog, you should consider it — it’s full of information we all should know.

Forgot to mention in yesterday’s blog post that my break-out sessions included DNA and GPS (Genealogical Proof Standard) with Angie Bush (that was the second workshop I’d taken with her — she’s great!) and Genetic Originals of Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England with Olympia’s Steven W. Morrison. Excellent sessions! Today I learned all about “America: Land of the Farm, Home of the Plow” with Jean Wilcox Hibben and Janice Lovelace’s “Beyond Online — What’s at the Courthouse?” I’m now armed with enough knowledge to make the most of an upcoming trip to the Grays Harbor Courthouse in Montesano to learn more about my pioneer ancestor Patrick Murphy.

At the end of the day, my brain was overflowing with information and good intentions, so it’s a good thing I have an amazingly complete set of workshop syllabi and my scribbled notes. A big congratulations to the Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society — your hard work paid off in delivering a first-rate event!