As mom and I read and transcribe these old documents to include them in this blog we come across many dilemmas.
Do we 'fix' the spelling?
Do we correct the punctuation? What if it doesn't make sense if we don't?
How can we show the spacing and format?
How do we show the marks that are not words at all... scrolls and embellishments?
What if a word is crossed out?
And what about the words we can't even make out?
Some of the writings are so faint that we can barely read them. Some have bled a bit. Most are on paper so frail that we hesitate to touch it. Often they are torn and words are difficult to discern. The handwriting is absolutely gorgeous. We can hardly wait to show the true beauty behind these precious words. We are reading up on how to flatten out the paper and repair the tears so that they may be scanned properly. They must be re-humidified and then taped with PH neutral tape; so it will take time.
All this and we have barely begun. The actual box we have opened is tiny... about the size of a cigar box. There are many more giant boxes filled with documents... literally thousands. And each one we read leads to other questions.... who are these people discussed? Where are the places they speak of? What about the words or terms that are unfamiliar? .... and then off we go trying to find the answers and spending more hours on this 'hobby'! What kind of Pandora's Box have we opened? We don't know, but we do know that each of these letters, clippings and notes reconnects us to our past and to a way of life that is so dear and sadly long gone. We would love to hear from you, our family, as you read these posts. You can comment at the end of any post, so please feel free to do so. I hope you are enjoying these glimpses into time as much as we are.
Comments are now open to all! Sorry if you tried earlier and it didn't work. Still learning about this stuff.
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