Generation of a HASH OF HASHES

 # reading from file
 # flintstones: lead=fred pal=barney wife=wilma pet=dino
 while ( <> ) {
     next unless s/^(.*?):\s*//;
     $who = $1;
     for $field ( split ) {
         ($key, $value) = split /=/, $field;
         $HoH{$who}{$key} = $value;
     }

 # reading from file; more temps
 while ( <> ) {
     next unless s/^(.*?):\s*//;
     $who = $1;
     $rec = {};
     $HoH{$who} = $rec;
     for $field ( split ) {
         ($key, $value) = split /=/, $field;
         $rec->{$key} = $value;
     }
 }

 # calling a function  that returns a key,value hash
 for $group ( "simpsons", "jetsons", "flintstones" ) {
     $HoH{$group} = { get_family($group) };
 }

 # likewise, but using temps
 for $group ( "simpsons", "jetsons", "flintstones" ) {
     %members = get_family($group);
     $HoH{$group} = { %members };
 }

 # append new members to an existing family
 %new_folks = (
     wife => "wilma",
     pet  => "dino";
 );

 for $what (keys %new_folks) {
     $HoH{flintstones}{$what} = $new_folks{$what};
 }