So, here we go again … another year older, fatter and not necessarily any wiser.
We would like to wish all our family, relatives, friends, visitors and especially our Contributors a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Please also raise a glass to our ancestors, without whom none of us would be here today.
I haven’t managed to get anything published this year, partly due to just being incredidibly busy at work (I still do) and at home. I’ve also manage to trap myself inside yet another massive branch of the tree originating in Greenwich, Connecticut. I’m currently around half-way (this is an optimistic guess) through yet another humongous branch of the Goodman Close skeleton that I originally built in April 2013 and have been chipping away at ever since. This derived from “The Descendants of Goodman John Close of Fairfield, Connecticut”; a huge piece of research by Karen Eileen Close Goodman spanning over 30 years. Again, many thanks for letting us use this Karen. So far this year I’ve added another 1,600+ people, countless images and over 100 Hall of Fame candidates … but haven’t reached a point where I can actually put the current work online. So, you’ll have to bear with me for a bit (another optimistic guess) longer. I console myself by repeating the mantra “the more I find, the less there is to find” … but I’m not sure I believe this any longer.
Following that I have a number of projects in the pipeline which will certainly add more value, but when I’ll actually get around to them is anybody’s guess. So please bear with me and do please keep the contributions coming, I will get through them all eventually.
Also, many thanks to everyone who has contacted me over the past year with various things. I try to answer everyone, so keep these coming. I’m always happy to hear about your research and offer advice whereever I can. On that subject, I met up with Stan Close in London back in June, when he was in the UK from South Africa. We had an intersting couple of hours swapping information, tips and stories; it was great to meet you Stan. It turns out that he is a Minchinhampton Close who married a Swaledale Close in South Africa, which answers one of my “disappeared” notes. Once I’ve finally published my current blockage, Stan has given me permission to use his reseach to extend those two trees; again, thanks for that Stan.
Finally, have a great Christmas and here’s to a prosperous and productive 2018. Stay happy and safe.
Andy