The Joy of Being a Genealogist

It's quiet in my study/computer room/genealogy room.  Maybe that's because my sister-in-law hasn't arrived.  Maybe it's because it's only 7:30 in the morning, the long awaited morning of Tuesday, the 29th of April.  We have been planning today (and tomorrow) since January.  That has lately included a day and night watch of the weather reports.  She just e-mailed me her schedule ... she will be here by noon.  

Then the "fun" begins.  We don't travel light.  If any of you have read by daughter's blog at Growing up Genealogy, you will understand that completely.  We are the You Go Genealogy Girls and that means packing everything we can fit into suitcases, bags, totes and purses.  On this trip of approximately nine days,  I have limited myself to four pair of shoes.  I am sure I'll miss all the others that have to remain in my closet at home.  She is bringing a box of presents for her grandchildren.  We will visit them over the weekend in Topeka, Kansas.  I am sure it's a large box because she has seven grandchildren, all in one family.  

The real fun happens when we arrive in Lincoln, Nebraska for the Nebraska State Genealogical Society Conference.  This is an annual affair every May.  Because I am vice-president of the local society, North Platte Genealogical Society, I am taking two boxes of has-been books.  These will be given away or sold for next to nothing in the vending area.  I may replace one of the boxes with books that I buy in the vending area.  

The speaker for this year's conference is Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak.  We will all leave with good information and memories.  I always look forward to seeing genealogy friends I have not seen in months or maybe a year, as well as making new genealogy friends.  We are a special breed ... we talk dead people, we look for dead people and we compute dead people.  How much better can it get?  

After the conference we are locating cemeteries between Lincoln, Nebraska and the Kansas border (and maybe a few over the border).  Then on to Topeka to visit her son, wife and their seven children.  For sanity and space reasons, we are checking into a hotel in Topeka!  Also that's why we are bringing a box of presents for the grandchildren, ages 16 to 3, with twins for good measure.  

Coming back to Nebraska, we will visit more cemeteries and relatives.  I am not sure in what order that will be, but they tend to go together ... genealogists, relatives, cemeteries.  We're going heavy when we leave in the morning in my little red Dodge Neon.  We'll come home even heavier.  Then the fun begins again as we plan another trip toward the end of May.  Ah ... the joy of being a genealogist!