How many avenues do you explore?

[Phoenix]

I started off by simply looking at the families in a hamlet whom I knew to be related, then tracing their descendants. This was prompted by a whole ghetto of them living in Portsmouth: clearly the kinship and friendship ties kept them together.

But now I find I am diving down every rabbit hole, chasing spouses, and their parents, and their parents. Emma Mary Watton was a small (but fascinating!) twiglet, but this evening I've been looking at the will of her stepfather's uncle.

Is it rational? Is this sane?