Hersey Photos and Wedding Dresses: Tackling the Big Projects

Yesterday we were closed at DD, but it was definitely our busiest day this week. Gave two different tours through the Beckwith House and Lori gave at least one. Ran a few errands in the morning and discovered that Lori likes epic movies and symphonic metal/rock music. That sure sparked some cool conversations.
Folded more flyers and made ‘admit one free’ cards in the morning. At noon we went to the Mitchell Depot which is all original building with refinished wood made into a restaurant and bar. Very cool and very good food. We sat in on a Kiwanis meeting, Lori was a guest speaker. Short meeting, but lunch was free and my club sandwich was big enough to rob me of the need to make lunch tomorrow. J
When we got back to the museum, there were several people there, so we were bouncing around giving tours and answering the phone. Mick Hersey brought in about 15 more photos for the Hersey Collection, so Lori let me take the reins on accessioning them. Criminy! I feel like I know this family so well by now and part of me really respects and loves them and part of me wants to string them up! I swear there are at least 4 Thomas’s (all with various nicknames) and maybe 3 Harry’s. Tricky part is all the oldest sons in each family have their mother’s maiden name for a middle name, which is very cool, but it makes it very difficult to figure out generations when all the first names are the same and the nicknames are used half the time. But I got them all accessioned and in the system. Our plan is to email Mick with questions and ask for a complete and thorough family tree (which we know he has) before we put everything away into the archives. I feel like this Hersey project is gonna be the baby I refer to in my presentation back at EC.
Gave a tour to a man and his wife and nine year old kid this afternoon from North Carolina. They’ve been on the road for 2 weeks and they’re making a military move to Alaska. Had a really great time talking with them.
Got back to the house a little early. Cindy is very sore and not feeling well, but still felt fit enough to make a KILLER dinner! She butterflied 2 pork tenderloins and beat them, then made this amazing sauté of onions, mushrooms, parsley, and white wine to put over them. Then she rolled them up and put them in the oven. SOOO tasty! Had wild rice and collared greens with it. DELICIOUS! I took pictures of the process and my plate.
After today, I am exhausted. Completely exhausted.
Judy was gone today so I collected the Hobo sensors (record exhibit and gallery light intensity, relative humidity, and temperature) on my own. Goodness am I getting my crash courses in. Last week was observe. This week is do-it-yourself. AND I LOVE IT!
Sensors were being difficult so I had to enter them into the system manually, even the ones hiding in the window cases. Yup, I got to be that girl that climbed through the secret door into the glass case exhibits. You guys reading this only see that in movies. Hahahahaha! Became obvious our Hoboware reader is dead. We’ll have to replace the whole system. Lori’s not too happy about it, but I think that’s because it’ll take more time than money. At this rate, she’d rather buy a new one and pay somebody else to install it overnight. But I may be the one who gets to do that.
After lunch, I finished manually entering all the Hobo sensor info into the system and returned them to their original places throughout the museum. Pat and I sat in the basement for an hour rehousing a photograph, which was nothing compared to the 3 hours with the charcoal drawing.
I thought I was done in the basement after that, but I was very wrong. Lori mentioned I could dig around down there at my leasure for awhile, and I was totally okay with that, but I thought I’d make myself useful and asked if there were any other wedding dresses that she wanted me to look for to be used in the wedding dress exhibit. I got my list, my gloves, and my flashlight, and headed to the basement with a list of wool suits and silk wedding dresses to find for display.
Four hours later, I had found one of the two suits, and 4 of the 9 wedding dresses, plus a pair of yellow and green stripped wedding stockings (why would you DO that??”) two pairs of shoes, and a child’s shirt made from his Mamma’s wedding gown. Needless to say, I’m a little frustrated with my progress, or lack of it, but Lori was impressed I found as many as I did. The clothing we have is either folded into stacks on card tables in the corner or hanging on racks that are crammed so close together it’s a good thing I’m not claustrophobic. Then there’s the whole BE CAREFUL rule. I had fun though! Found some really neat costumes while I was searching, and one of the wedding dresses that I did find was a white and purple gown from 1845 that was cut up and reused to make the daughter’s graduation dress. Very cool! Plus it was purple.
So today is the first day of work I’m heading home feeling dead tired. It’s a good feeling, I think. The happy kind of tired. Received news from Mamma this morning that all the beans are in back home…WOW! Hats off to all the hard workin farmers in Buckley that beat the rain! You guys never fail to amaze me! Also, in celebration of this great accomplishment, Mamma and Daddy are driving up to Mitchell to see me this weekend…I’m very excited to see them! Can’t wait to introduce Mamma to Cindy…that will be an absolute RIOT!