Tag: website

The End May be Near

Posted on by Dwayne

While “The End May be Near” can be seen as a somewhat inflammatory title it might also be closer to the truth than I care to think, for the purposes of this website I mean. I feel as if someone nefarious is looking over my shoulder.

I continue to work on troubleshooting and problem solving this website, sklapsky.ca. I frequently receive dire warnings from my domain host about the problems my site is causing to others on the host, much like a bully in a schoolyard. Except I am not the bully, and the problems are not of my making (I don’t think).

The problems, whatever they are, have been putting excessive load on my domain host. They, the host, are the folks allowing you to see sklapsky.ca on the internet. The short answer is that if I cannot fix “the problem” I may have to delete this site, so it will no longer be on the ‘net. From that point I can quit and fold my hand, or I can find a way to rebuild and continue on. Please, wish me/us luck.

Other Stuff

On another note, I believe I mentioned I was helping another family member research her history. I talked a bit about it in Better Late than Never!. Tanya, the cousin somewhat removed, is looking for a connection to the Sluchinski family for her Father. He was adopted at a young age but his Mom was a ‘Sluckinski’, or ‘Sluchinski’, and Tanya would like to make sure he has the opportunity to know his kin. I want to help her in that regard as well.

She has found some potential cousins using the DNA feature of Ancestry (a genealogical program and website). I have attempted to assist by taking her information and using it to search for other possible connections, a tie-in to her Sluckinski/Sluchinski heritage.

So far we have a link to Roman Sluchinski but that’s where the trail runs cold from my perspective. I can’t find a connection to the other Sluchinski clan from there, and I’m sure there is one. In fact a booklet I received on a Sluchinski Family reunion mentions Roman and implies he is another son of Nicholas (Nickolas) Sluchinski but for the life of me I can’t find a genealogical connection. It will come, trust me.

Cole’s Notes

I will continue to attempt to resolve this website issue. The alternatives aren’t really palatable to me. Working with Tanya will continue as well and I’m optimistic we’ll find the “ties that bind us”. In the meantime take heart, when I say “The End May be Near” I may only mean the end of this post. Take care and we’ll chat soon.

Better Late than Never!

Posted on by Dwayne

As time passes I am once again reminded that this site is waiting patiently for an update, something from me to ensure its life continues as a viable organism, a blog with some potential and purpose.

The title “Better Late than Never” just seemed to fit, but what’s that quote’s origin? This from a quick Google search…..

Geoffery Chaucer appears to have been the first person to have put the proverb into print, in The Yeoman’s Prologue and Tale, Canterbury Tales, circa 1386:

For bet than never is late. [Better than never is late.]

Now that said and out-of-the-way we can move on……

I have been persisting in the genealogy realm, almost every day and/or night I’ve been doing something in this regard. Often it’s collecting old photos of family near and far. It’s my passion (the photos) and while I can’t explain it I’ve fallen to its lure and succumbed to its pull.

Of course the other research is being done as well, but I will admit here in front of God and country I’m one of the laziest genealogists in that I’ve yet to leave my chair in search of a real story, the real deal of family history. It is my failing, or one of them, and I’ll own it.

In addition to the ongoing Sklapsky research I’ve been drawn into a quest for information on a line possibly connected to the Sluchinski family. Two of my Great/Grand Uncles married Sluchinski girls, thus my interest, and I love a great mystery.

To that end I was contacted by a lady who knows of that connection, and she is in search of information on her Father’s family. Her Dad was adopted and given the name ‘Sluckinski’ (close to Sluchinski). She is on a mission to find his real family before too much time passes. I’ve caught her inquisitive bug and now also want to find whatever connection there might be. Being that I have Sluchinski in my line I feel drawn to help.

On my own home front we have survived our move to Kelowna and have settled quite nicely. We both love it here and feel quite content in our new digs. We see the g-kids almost daily and have found ourselves going back to work, out of retirement, at the daycare the g-kids go to. Maureen teaches pre-k (pre-kindergarten) and I do the after school pickup of kids who come to the daycare after school. Not quite the life of leisure but a good life nonetheless.

So, here’s snapshot of Madden on his 5th birthday, I apologize for the ‘no edit’ status. Had to be done.

The next one’s of Ivy, hamming it up. Refusing to eat her hotdog and instead using it for a moustache.

To wrap this up I’ll say I truly enjoy the hunt, the look for info and any connections that might be made. Sometimes I just wish it was a bit more fruitful.

Take care, and I’ll (hopefully) talk to you within the year.

Ongoing Issues

Posted on by Dwayne

For those that follow this site you have likely seen some inconsistencies in its layout and display. I continue to have issues, mostly of my own making, and I haven’t spent the time required to ‘keep it up to snuff’.

One of the problems you may have encountered is the inability to log in. Hopefully that’s resolved. If you do run into any problems, or have any questions, please let me know.

Dwayne

The ‘New’ Sklapsky Family Tree

Posted on by Dwayne

Eureka, I’ve found a solution (I hope) to an issue that’s bugged me for a while, that of displaying our family tree on-line.

Up until now displaying the family tree in the ‘Ancestors’ or ‘Descendants’ format eluded me. Giving access to my web based Ancestry Family Tree was problematic and the current method of showing it is cludgy.

The other day I came across a program that allows me to import and display my current Ancestry Family tree on the sklapsky.ca website. It’s not without it’s own issues, and I’m still learning how to do some things, but already it’s head and shoulders above what I’ve been able to do up to now.

Please go to “The Sklapsky Family Tree” , or use the link in the top menu bar, and check it out. Keep in mind it’s still a work in progress but at least now we have more photos and the format seems easier to follow.

New Beginnings

Posted on by Dwayne

Whoa, are you sure you’re in the right place? Looks a little different eh?

I thought I’d mix it up a little and change the theme of the website, been the old way for over a year and it was time for a change. After all, all things must change, right?

All things must change to something new, to something strange.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

At this point in time the page will look a little in disarray, I’ll still have to set up menus and such, change header photo and make it the way I like it. Often the canned themes don’t fit the bill.

Working, broken, Fixed, broken, Working???

Posted on by Dwayne

This website has seen a few ups and downs in the last few months. In reality it has not only been this site that’s presented challenges, I have also had some moments. It’s been nothing too serious mind you, just normal ups and downs, but they took my focus away. I’m here now though so that’s a plus.

spending time here
spending time here

As I said the site became messed up a few weeks ago. That’s a technical term for unusable. The incorrect (old) pages would come up and none of the menus worked.I was able to resolve it, with a little help from my domain hosting company HostPapa, and I got it back into a working order of sorts a week or so ago. Things proceeded slowly toward normal until I broke it again a few days ago. Thankfully I figured out what happened and fixed it within minutes. Hopefully we are good now.

I’m happy to say the Facebook group page “Sklapsky Reunion” is attracting quite a bit of attention. I had mentioned it previously in a post titled Sklapsky Reunion Facebook page. Catchy title eh? The downside is you have to belong to Facebook, I don’t say ‘belong’ lightly because that’s what happens. Ultimately you can belong to Facebook, as in they ‘own’ you. That notwithstanding I think FB has some merits and that is one of them, the ability to connect diverse groups.

As a result of that connection I have some new family friends. I’ve learned a great deal about some of the branches of our family tree and expect to learn more. Hang in there, as promised more info will come.

Still Under the Weather….er, whether..

Posted on by Dwayne

I’m sorry to say that Sklapsky.ca is still under the weather. More accurately it’s under the ‘whether’, and that’s whether I can fix it or whether I cannot.

Likely you are receiving this email properly but if you try to access the website or login to view any private documents I suspect you cannot. If that is NOT the case please email me and let me know.

With a little luck I will be able to restore the site, with a bit more luck I can do it without losing anything. Being as this is my first experience with this sort of issue it’s anyone’s guess if I can do it or not.

Wish me luck, I may need it.

Almost There (the wise man once said)

Posted on by Dwayne

The private family section is getting closer. I know I mentioned it may be ready a couple days ago, however getting the site login to act the way I like and providing access to only certain sections of the website is proving to be a touch more challenging and time consuming than I envisioned. Isn’t that always the way. I am making progress however.

If you want access please let me know and I can set you up right away, you can beat the rush. (Now there’s wishful thinking). Some things are already available, and more to come.

 

Changes coming ……..

Posted on by Dwayne

Since I developed this site I have been pondering some possibilities, mulling over the various options to maintaining the privacy of individuals while still providing as much info and family history as possible. It seems to me the only real way is to provide a log-in and password to those who are interested. Access to the secure portion of the site would give those individuals the ability to see more in-depth family history and at the same time keep that same information private and away from the general public. The original, public, site would remain virtually untouched, it’s only if you wished to view the more sensitive data that you would have to log in.

As an example:

  • birthdates and other personal information could then be posted (if acceptable),
  • family member birthplaces or past residences could be shown. This refers primarily to those of the older generations who are deceased,
  • individual’s photos may be shown on the secure site, if that was acceptable,
  • other, more personal, information such as war history or service records,
  • noted life events.

Most of these points would only apply to those of the family we are researching, not generally the living.

So for any that are reading please let me know what you think. I may still contact any of you whose email address is known to me. Hopefully as summer winds down I’ll have more time to put into this project. I appreciate your input.