Happy Exhaustion

If anyone had told me that the library portion of my trip would be exhausting I would have laughed. I spent 7 hours yesterday standing, taking one photo after another. I used up 1/2 of my weeks allotment of ibuprofen as my back screamed for relief. And I don't think I stopped smiling all day! I didn't read as I worked but phases jumped off of the pages at me.

....baby fell of the bench and broken his arm .......there are no flowers here, please send seeds ........Grandfather is dead. Come when you can. ....the kids are all in school so it is quiet and I have a minute ......Joseph has a new job

There were many names that jumped out that I can't place off the top of my head and I can't wait to investigate. Birth, marriage and death announcements all sent by letter. One cousin sent a letter announcing his marriage and being the artist that he was, he sketched a picture of his new bride. Sadly she died a few years ago. How I would have loved to give her a copy of that letter! I will try and track down her daughter in NV to pass it on.

I filled my camera card twice. I haven't finished with Box #1 yet. The plan was to be on the road by now, on my way to Benton Harbor to look at various records and walk half a dozen cemeteries over the next two or three days. Instead I will be heading back to the library for the morning and hopefully finish this box. I will head out later today than planned and return to Ann Arbor on Friday to tackle Box #2. This is the last Saturday that they will be open for several months ;-) I don't know if I'll have internet access again before I get back here.

The best part of the day was a wonderful dinner out with another Geneablogger. But that will have to wait as I have to pack and get going this morning. If you are wondering who that might have been - she has a wonderful smile, which she got from her Dad :)