Genealogy Bucket List

While You Go Genealogy Girl #2 is home harvesting and freezing veggies, I will be arriving in Salt Lake City tomorrow morning.  I will also be harvesting ... genealogy "finds."  My arrival is a couple days before the arrival of my group, Nebraska Genealogy Tours.  What a fun week we have in store!

Many times I hear people say they wish they could make more time for research trips, but life gets in the way.  Sometimes it is family commitments, health issues, jobs and lack of funds.  It would be nice if we could all have unlimited time and funds to do nothing but genealogical research.  The Family History Library is where you can do extensive research in one place.  It isn't that one trip does it all, but there are enough records there to satisfy many of your research needs.

In September, while working in the genealogy section of my local library, I assisted two out of town couples who were there hoping to locate ancestral information.  None were retired ... close, but not retired.  They had both been traveling all around the United States collecting information and seeing where their ancestors had lived.  These were not "a few days" trips.  Both couples told me that this was on their bucket list.  How nice they were getting to enjoy that list before it was too late.  Life might get in the way, but it can also run you down when you least expect it.  I can only imagine the stories they had to tell their children and siblings when they arrived back home.

What's on your bucket list?

You Go Genealogy Girl #1    Ruby

A Week in THE Library

Temple at Temple Square

My one week in Salt Lake City at the Family History Library went quickly, but with good research results. I had estimated the time it would take to complete my to-do list for the book I have been writing and fortunately I was right on target.  That left me with a couple days for personal research.

When I arrived at the local airport, the shocking news was that my luggage was 5 1/2 pounds overweight.  I was not willing to pay $100 one way to travel overweight.  With it on the scale, I began putting things into my purse and carry on luggage until it was of legal weight.  However, that meant that I could not shop in Salt Lake City and I could not bring home an abundance of paper copies.

There were several groups of researchers in the library.  They came from all parts of the United States.  Even so, there was never any lack of tables or film readers.  The only problem came on Thursday morning of that week when at about 8:30 a.m. there was an announcement over the loud speakers that the photocopy machines were not working.  As the day went on with no machines and signs were posted OUT OF ORDER, some people were disgruntled and others resorted to old-fashioned research ... taking notes by hand.  Fortunately I had brought my hand-held scanner for making copies.  Microfilm could be copied only by scanning to a flash drive.  By evening the photocopy machines were back in business.

Before leaving on the trip, I ordered vault film through the FamilySearch web page form.  Once there I learned that some had been put in the proper drawers on the second floor and others were in overflow drawers.  If you are needing vault film during your visit, order it in advance and inquire about it when you arrive.

Since I was there in May and June of this year, I was curious about any changes that have been made.  There is a large machine on the third floor that will copy pages from oversized books, two pages at once.  Having found a map in the map cabinet on that floor, I asked if it could be copied.  They did it for me in three sections on the machine and YGGG #2 has promised to piece it together for me.

Three times at the library over the last three years, I have tried to locate a certain land record in the 1790s Washington County, Tennessee microfilm.  It is indexed, but the records were not entered in any type of chronological order and the person microfilming them had cut off the page numbers at the top.  Once again, I was unable to find the deed.  Once home I contacted the courthouse at Jonesborough and they mailed me a copy of it.   I thought after the third time and no charm, it was time to ask for help.

Turning leaves in Temple Square

The weather was perfect the entire week.  Leaves were turning and falling and the temperatures were splendid.  After arriving on Sunday afternoon, October 16th, I had a late lunch with some people I met on the shuttle coming in from the airport.  Then I unpacked and went for a long walk around Temple Square.  The flowers were gone that had been so colorful in the spring and strings of Christmas lights were being strung on the trees.  The next few days bulbs were planted for spring blooms in 2012.

Fall splendor at Temple Square

My last day of research was spent on the British Isles floor, the second floor in the basement.  I attended a class on Wales research which proved to be enlightening and helpful.  Then I progressed to actual research in the records of Wales.  Seeing names on those old parish registers is so much fun!  While you are researching at the library, check out the class schedules.  They are free and informative, plus a good diversion from constant research.

I met old friends and made new friends at the library.  It is fun to chat and get caught up on what we are doing with our research and about our families.  I enjoyed flying to Salt Lake City, but it meant a different type of packing than when I drive.  Even with the body scans and pat downs in airport security (because of my two steel knees), it was a quick and easy way to get there and back home.

The last two weeks have been spent working diligently on my new book.  The electronic manuscript is being mailed to the publicist in the morning.  Do I have withdrawal?  Not yet.  I have gotten behind with my own research and cleaning up genealogy files.  As usual though, I find my mind wandering to the next trip to Salt Lake City and ideas for research.

You Go Genealogy Girl #1  Ruby

Visiting Ancestors

Kimball family monument

Heber Chase Kimball 1801-1868

part of the Kimball monument

Wednesday we took our daily break and went for a walk a few blocks north of the Family History Library to try and locate the grave site of Heber Chase Kimball. I am related to him on my Mother's side of the family, of course back a few generations! We were wondering if he was to be found by the directions we had but when we came across the Heber condominiums we figured we had to be close. There was a narrow brick walkway between two buildings that went back behind them all to an old family burial plot of the family. It was really quite a picturesque little place with the look and feel of a small park. Very beautifully kept as are all the church grounds.

What an unusual place it was to find right in the middle of a City, surrounded by homes and renovated condo buildings. That was the final resting place of Heber Kimball and several of his wives and family members, marked by one large monument to honor them all. Heber Chase Kimball was an early part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints and one of the early Presidents of the Church. The town of Heber, Utah is named for him. He was born in 1801 and died in the Salt Lake City area of the early Utah Territory after an illustrious career and life with his church. The museum which is next door to the Family History Center has several personal items of Heber on display too so it was quite interesting to see those as well as to visit his burial site.

While I am not of the Mormon faith, the Latter day Saints have an extremely interesting and honored history and "The You Go Girls" really enjoyed our little day outing when we learned more about our family and payed respects to our ancestors!

more pretty Poppy flowers!

We topped off our little adventure with a nice lunch at the Nauvoo cafe in the Joseph Smith Memorial building and soon were back at the library hard at work as there are many more ancestors yet to be found.

Today we are joining our friends Becky and Carol, fellow GeneaBloggers for lunch.....so watch for reports soon!

You Go Genealogy Girl #2--Cheri

The Girls' Day in the Cemetery

view of the city from the cemetery

When the library is closed, there is nothing left to do but shop and then go to the cemetery. We restocked snacks, bought jewelry and office supplies. From the shopping center we drove north and east to the Salt Lake City Cemetery which overlooks the city. The views are spectacular!

YGGG #2 commented about so many people being in the cemetery on a Sunday. At that point I had to remind her that this is Memorial weekend. Oh yeah!! There are various parts and sections to the cemetery. We tried to drive around and through as much as possible.

Baby Zula Kimball

Thomas Tanner, blacksmith

Not far from where we entered the cemetery are the graves of Solomon Farnham Kimball and his wife, Zula Pomeroy. Solomon, the son of Heber Chase Kimball and his first wife, Vilate Murray. Lined up in a row are the stones for Solomon and Zula's infant and small children. It is sad to see graves of small children who did not survive the rigors of pioneer life.

Cunnabell Prentice Stevens

We quickly spotted the impressive stone of Thomas Tanner who was born in 1804 in Bristol, Gloucestershire, England and died in Great Salt Lake City in 1855 while the foreman of the public blacksmith shop. The many sided, large stone of Dr. E.S. Barney contains extensive information on the lineages of the Stevens and Prentice families. On one side is carved, "Cunnabell Prentice Stevens Genealogical Books for reference can be found at the L.D.S. Historian office S.L. City."

Honoring military heroes

The day was well spent and now we are going through our notes and ideas for continuing research in the library tomorrow. Yes ... they are open on Memorial Day. We couldn't be at the cemeteries where our parents, grandparents and my husband are buried, but the next best thing was to visit the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 -- Ruby

Where Did I Put It?

It's always so much fun packing for a trip. However, trying to find things after you have arrived can be a problem. I need a road map to my luggage.

Cheri #2 and I are in Cheyenne, Wyoming at her son's house. We have been here long enough to experience snow on Thursday morning and a couple days of overcast skies and rain. Snow in May happens in this country.

In the morning we will finish loading up Lil' Red and head for Salt Lake City. We were successful in our packing, except I can't find anything. I've juggled things around and that doesn't help. Cheri thinks she may have left her cell phone charger at home ... not good.

Once again Lil' Red has been packed with all our luggage and genealogy items, including computer bags, bags of computer cables and Cheri even decided to bring an extra table again this year. The photographs on this blog were taken before she finished loading the car. I am not exaggerating when I say that most of what you see is hers. Somehow we have to repack in two weeks and bring back more "stuff" from Salt Lake City. I'll worry about that when it happens and hopefully by then I'll know exactly where I put things.

Ruby .... YGGG #1

Genealogy Overdrive

I never did understand the shifting of a car into overdrive. Google searching tells me that it is a term describing a mechanism that allows an automobile to cruise at sustained speed with reduced engine speed, leading to better fuel consumption. I can certainly relate to "better fuel consumption." Does that sustained speed have something to do with cruise control?

This can also apply to genealogy ... cruising right along at a sustained speed until you hit a bump or detour. Then you crash or make other plans. Maybe the reduced engine speed means knowledge being applied to allow the brain to rest between episodes of sustained speed. I think my brain is working overtime in overdrive which is known to happen during the month of May.

Girl #2, Cheri, is working her brain overtime in preparation for our trip to Salt Lake City. Daily I seem to find something or think of something to add to my suitcase or to my research notebook, which is already bulging. We each pack differently, with #2 taking many bags. I try to consolidate, but this year I'm taking one extra suitcase instead of a large one nobody can lift into the car. My middle bedroom has been turned into temporary storage for suitcases and piles of things to take on the trip. Hope I don't get unexpected company.

My nights are cruisin' with intermittent wake ups when the brain signals something needs to be done before I leave or I need to research a long forgotten ancestor. Get up, write it down, then try to go back to sleep, which often doesn't happen. Girl #2 stays up most of the night and is now trying to reduce the hours she is up past midnight. Eventually she'll return to something more normal so when the alarm sounds at 6 a.m. in Salt Lake City she will wake up without being a grump! We will soon acclimate to the dryness of Salt Lake City, the altitude and time change. After long days of research, our brains will hopefully not remain in overdrive or make a sudden detour.

In between adding items to the middle bedroom, I am finishing a very intense month of physical therapy in order to walk like a normal person. I have matching knee scars that most people don't want to see. No shorts for me! Rigidly sticking with my calendar and with lists all over the house, how can I not be ready for the trip to Utah? I have to pre-pay my bills for late May and early June, have to plant flowers, pay car taxes, write a column and preview my lectures for June and July. Help! I'm running out of days and hours. Where is that overdrive?

This is the price we pay for spending two wonderful weeks laboring in a library full of books, microfilm and microfiche. We won't know if it's raining or if the sun is shining until we poke our noses out the door. Nothing will stop us short of a detour in making our annual pilgrimage to Salt Lake City.

Ruby --- YGGG #1

Going to Salt Lake City

The GIRLS are going to Salt Lake City to the Family History Library! We arrive at the Plaza Hotel on May 22nd and will be there two weeks. We hope to have a productive two weeks, meet old friends and new friends and come home with a lot of genealogy treasures.

In order to do this, we need a plan. We each have large research notebooks. These contain to-do sheets which begin as print-outs from the Family History Library Catalog. In case you haven't noticed the FamilySearch web page does allow you to go back to the "old" catalog, which we prefer. Just click on "Go to the previous site" which is in a blue box. We print out the library catalog entries of interest for film, fiche and books. I label mine according to the floors of the library, such as the 3rd floor being the US and Canada book floor. Then I add notes regarding why I am using that book, fiche or film. Each year my research notebook seems to grow. I never get through everything while there, but I definitely make progress, all because I have a plan.

I also want to get as much research done at home before leaving for Salt Lake City. That means making sure I have documents that are needed, such as death certificates and obituaries. The original documents stay at home. If necessary, I place pdfs and jpgs on my laptop for reference. The research papers in the notebook are either in order of preference or by family group all under each floor of the library. Sometimes they don't stay in any specific order. As I study the various individuals or families in need of research, I make a list of goals or objectives. Those dead end lines will be first on my list.

While in the library it is a good idea to not just copy or scan. Be sure you read and evaluate. Our late evenings are usually spend doing that and deciding if we need to look at film or books that were not on our list. We also rearrange our bag on wheels in preparation for the next day, then fall asleep with sweet dreams of finding our ancestors.

As many of you know, I have a little car known as Lil' Red. It is overloaded by the time we reach our destination. Last year it took three carts and three hotel employees to help us to our room. We hope to have a lighter trip this year. Last year we took scanners and a printer along with an extra table. Those will all stay home this year.

Our arrival night will be spent unpacking, arranging and rearranging. The library is not open so we won't be tempted to drop everything in the floor and rush over there. I don't take my large research notebook to the library each day, but sort through the papers that I want for the day. Those go with me in a smaller notebook. Because we stay at the Plaza Hotel next door to the library, I can always go back for more papers. Before setting out for the library each morning, I remind myself that I need to pace the day, take some breaks, walk around or go back to the room and relax. Otherwise I will not be healthy enough to finish two weeks at the library.

It is interesting to see how people go prepared to the library. Many have bags on wheels which contain their research work, perhaps a laptop computer and accessories. Others have tote bags or just carry in a notebook. We go to stay and park our "stuff" so we have the bags on wheels. A necessity is a lock and cable for the laptops. I also take my iPod Touch which I do not leave unattended. I suspect YGGG #2 (Cheri) will be taking her iPad.

We both have hand held scanners that take up limited space. They are great for making scans of pages in oversized books. There are also scanners available for public use on each floor. Our hand held scanners are VuPoint Magic Wands. Even though we will scan there will be plenty of photocopies made from books and microfilm.

All too soon our time will be over and we will say goodbye to Salt Lake City. It will be time to head Lil' Red east and head back to Nebraska. We will talk all the way home about what we found and didn't find. It will also be those hours that we can decide what we needed that wasn't brought and what we brought we didn't need. Unfortunately we will forget and not write it down. Next year we'll start all over trying to decide what to take or leave at home. Some of that lack of organization may be blamed on age!

If you are in Salt Lake City at the Family History Library during our visit, look us up. We're the You Go Genealogy Girls, Cheri and Ruby. You will find us all day long and evening on one of the five floors of the library.

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 Ruby

On The Road Again

Isn't that a song or jingle about being on the road again? After a wonderful and productive trip to Salt Lake City, I was home a few days and received word that my sister had passed away. It was not unexpected, but still the finality of it hurts. I just returned home today from her funeral. The luggage came in, some was put away and some left out to repack in a few days.

Another exciting trip is on the agenda. This time it is to Loveland, CO to the Family History Expo. The Expo begins Friday, June 25th at the Embassy Suites Loveland Hotel & Conference Center. The two day conference will feature 89 presentations by excellent speakers and 28 vendors displaying their products. There are classes for beginners, experienced and advanced researchers, along with time to Ask-The-Pros.

There are eight honor bloggers for this Expo and I will be representing the You Go Genealogy Girls. YGGG#2 (Cheri) cannot attend the conference, but will be going to the Midwest Family History Expo in Kansas City, MO, Friday July 30th and Saturday July 31st.

For more information on the 2nd Annual Colorado Family History Expo 2010, check out their web page. There you will find a complete listing of speakers, topics plus information on the cost of the conference. You can register online from their web page.

Other Expos for 2010 besides Loveland and Kansas City, include Pleasanton, CA October 8-9; Salt Lake City Family History Library Research Retreat Oct 25-30 and Atlanta, GA November 12-13.

I am on a countdown for the Expo in Loveland. So much to do and so little time. Ancestors need my attention also. And I need some sleep!

We've Lost Our Census

Saturday, June 5th was our last night in Salt Lake City after a very busy and stressful two weeks of researching and a bit of fun. As we packed for the trip home, a beautiful fireworks display erupted over the city and was visible from our 9th floor room. We just knew it was in our honor; Utah was glad we had come or were thrilled that we were leaving- either way the show was surely in our honor! Little did the presenters know that we were totally exhausted, having spent a hard 130 hours plus at the Family History Library. Nerves were frazzled, stomachs upset, eyes almost gone blind, tempers flared, and the "girls" had vowed not to make the trip again. Next year girl #1 would fly to Salt Lake and girl #2 would bring hubby along and make the trip by motorcycle.(Where would I put all the junk and copies that I travel with?) Well, maybe the fireworks weren't for us after all but a beautiful thought and display just the same.

Sunday morning came and it was time to gather ourselves, all our stuff and trappings for the trip home. We had accumulated a three and a half foot tall stack of library copies, several hundred scanned to flash drive documents plus some new books and gifts for the family which we had purchased at the new Deseret Book Store. All in all we had added a couple hundred more pounds of freight to the mix. Girl one fretted and watched as I, girl two, got Lit'l Red stuffed full. We even had room left over according to my calculations and could have made another quick round at the copy machines in the library to fill in the voids! Two hours of hauling and packing the car and we were off and heading out of the parking garage. We would quickly head for State Street and then directly onto the interstate going east. Hitting the first stop light, we remarked there sure were a lot of unsavory looking people hanging around and laying around on the sidewalks- all on a Sunday morning. Turn right, more people. Once again we determined that we were surely being honored with a grand send off and goodbye. Our hopes were dashed as we realized we were not guests of honor but intruders in a staging area for the Utah Pride parade! We tried to hail a motorcycle cop for directions out of the barred area but were ignored as he sped on by, sadly we didn't even glean a second look. Girl #1 made the decision to turn left at that time, right into the area where all the horses and riders were staging their set ups for the parade. Lit'l Red was not on the welcome list there. Getting through the horses and riders and going around several more blocks finally brought us to the I-80 interchange and we were finally able to "get out of Dodge!" (Note to us: pack balloons, masking tape and an electric sign for next year, we don't want to miss the next opportunity to star in a parade and get some free advertising for the You Go Girls.)

The first exciting stop on the way home was a rest stop only a few miles down the road. All the excitement had precluded us from making very many miles. It was shaping up to be a long day indeed. The rest stop was not the usual fairly well kept up type, but one with an infestation of prairie dogs right under foot. They made us think of the occasional "winter" mouse that might move into the garage, but these were "mice" on steroids so we made it a short stop, not wanting to be wisked away, down into their burrows and lost to history! Back on the road again and finally and surely heading East. We talked and laughed for six hours across Wyoming. We even began to talk about next years trip back to the Family History Library. The moans, groans, aches, pains and flared tempers had already begun to disappear in anticipation of "next time". What could we do without and what we needed to add to our list besides those balloons for the next parade?

Breezing across Wyoming, girl #1, the driver, finally noticed that we were nearly running on empty. Rawlins, Wyoming was just ahead for another stop and much need gasoline fill up and should be just a few short miles ahead. We were to be in Cheyenne, Wyoming around 5 pm and it was now 3:15 pm. Rawlins was a lot further away from Cheyenne than that so we were running late. No Rawlins, no gas station on the horizon. We were now running on fumes and a strange sign appeared that said "Laramie, 26 miles." Okay, so we had missed Rawlins,Wyoming many miles back and it must have been during the 10 miles we were playing "Lit'l Red gets boxed in" with those three nasty semi trucks or during the strategy meeting for next years trip. Just ahead was a small sign that said we could get gas and sustenance if we would exit next- to the only gas station that would be available for miles. We were just hoping it would be open on that Sunday. It was, and we just made it in on our remaining gas fumes! As we pulled up to the pump, a good looking male walked by. Even with our poor eye sight from days of scanning micro film in the library for those ancestors, these Grannies still knew a good looking guy when we saw one. Inside the station while girl #1 was in the powder room that guy came over and introduced himself to me. As he turned to leave, I told him that he was very handsome, patted his behind and he shivered with delight! As we went out the door, he winked his big beautiful eyes, turned up his wrinkled face in a big grin, and "FROG", the Bulldog, was heard to say: "You Go Girls--- you made my day!"

We stayed overnight in Cheyenne, Wyoming and completed the trip on home to western Nebraska on Monday morning. After a meet and greet with hugs and kisses around from my own two dogs, we had anticipated a quiet day of relaxation after the nearly 1600 mile trip. Girl #1 was going to complete the trip on home to North Platte, Nebraska the next day after a short visit once again to the final resting place of her husband and my brother. Those plans of relaxation and early to bed did not work very well when storm clouds starting rolling into the western Nebraska area in the afternoon. We had remarked that morning as we drove from Cheyenne to Alliance that the sky was strange and the low fog bank that stretched for many miles ahead of us was unusual for our area. About 6:30 pm, the storm came up following watches all afternoon. Watches changed to Tornado warnings and city sirens began to blow. The Grannies roped up the dogs and headed to the basement in night clothes. Girl #1 hobbled back up the steps to retrieve her flash drive with info from Salt Lake, just in case, and she knew all her other important files were safe back home in North Platte. The storm hide-out under the steps was full of junk which I had to clean out hurriedly , the dogs wouldn't mind, and we just wanted to get to bed! City streets flooded up over the walk way and into my lawn, roads washed out and girl #1 worried that Lit'l Red would float down the street, when the water reached the underside of her car.We got 2 and 1/2 inches of rain in an hour that night plus more over the late evening. Finally, two and 1/2 hours later after three separate storms passed by, all prompting city tornado sirens, we were able to get settled in for the night. It must have been the anger from all our ancestors that we left behind this time in the Salt Lake Family History Library, still hidden away in the dark recesses of time. We brought many back home with us but sadly many were left behind until the next visit!

Today we are both glad to be home and anxious to sort out all our goodies and get started now with the hard work of sorting our treasures, papers, documents and maybe even a census or two. The real work of all the family mysteries has now begun. After taking the shuttle to the British Isles, the slow boat to Sweden, multiple side trips to the book floor, and hours living in the micro film room we are blessed with information. Girl #1 will be busy for all summer analyzing, sorting and entering her finds, I will not even get to start on mine until later as my husband has vacation coming up and we will be gone camping but at least I can read and study some of my finds. Neither of us got completely through our research notebooks so we have a good start for the next visit. Even if we lived in Salt Lake, the research and stories would never come to an end!

Now it is time for us to once again gather our senses, and think of packing again. Soon we will be off again to Loveland, Colorado for the Family History Expo on June 25and 26th. More genealogy and summer fun. The Grannies will be once again on the go. We hope to meet you there but if you can't attend, we'd love to have you join us as we report on the great classes and fun from Loveland!

You Go Genealogy Girl #2, Cheri

Sunday: Rest and Regroup

Sunday, May 30:
After a busy and long week of study and research, the girls had a day off today since the Family History Library was closed. We needed the day to get caught up and regroup for another grueling week of "fun!" We spent this day by having a Sunday breakfast out on the town, doing a little shopping at a local mall and taking a walk around the Temple Square area. It was a gorgeous day here in Salt Lake after a few days of chilly temperatures and blustery winds. It seemed good to venture out into the real world and meet some living people for a change! The gardens in the Temple Square are beginning to mature and will be beautiful again this year. We always enjoy taking time to see and "smell" the gorgeous flowers as we tour the grounds. We discovered that there is a replica of the Temple on display in the South Visitors Center within the Temple Square. It was surrounded today by visitors and we could not even get very close to see it. It is an accurate scale model of the inside and includes all the tiny details of furniture and lighting etc. We took some photos and have included one of the real towering Temple walls as well as one taken of the scale model. There is also a video and photo website which features the Temple model here if you would like to take a closer look. It is quite an awesome little display. Enjoy one of our flower photos too, wish everyone could see the sights with us! We will soon get back to work looking for our ancestors and remembering them all on this Memorial Day. Our soldiers, fishermen, spies, mothers, fathers, crooks, laborers, and ministers--all.

To our loved ones gone: we salute you and look forward to meeting you soon, maybe even this Memorial Day, 2010- in the halls of the Family History Library.

You Go Genealogy Girl #2, Cheri

Getting Ready (Drumroll!) for Salt Lake City

In one month and one week, I will leave to join YGGG #2 in the panhandle of Nebraska. We will decorate graves (many graves) paying pre-Memorial Day homage to our ancestors and loved ones. Once done we will pack and repack Lil' Red and drive to Cheyenne, WY. Staying there with my nephew (YGGG #2's son), we will spend a few days of research in the archives and library before packing and repacking for the trip on to Salt Lake City.

Already I have my luggage set out in the extra bedroom. I have started purchasing my stash of breakfast and lunch items that I will prepare in our room. We normally eat out once a day. That allows us to take a quick break from the books an film at noon by returning to our room at at the Salt Lake City Plaza Hotel. What a great place to stay and be only steps away from the library!

I keeping reminding YGGG #2 to consolidate her luggage. After all, Lil' Red is only so big, actually not very big, but bigger than a Smart Car. It is definitely not a grab and go trip, so we need to do some planning. We can wash clothes at the Plaza, but even so we do need clothes, cosmetics, our medicines and most definitely, for me ... shoes.

Why are we going? Silly question ... GENEALOGY. We are also working on our research notebooks and studying family lineages. YGGG #2 calls or e-mails and we begin looking up more things on the Family History Library Catalog. Then we print out call number and microfilm numbers, description of the item, adding notes as to what we need to check. My notebook is bursting, so bad that I had to purchase a 3 inch one. I hope by the time I leave in May, I won't need to invest in a 4 inch notebook. Do I really plan on looking at all that film and all those books? I'll certainly try!

To make our research easier, we are taking many accessories. For me it's the laptop, 1.5 lb. CanoScan LiDE200 scanner, my travel external hard drive, plus my Skooba case for all the cords and extensions, my camera, cell phone and iPod Touch. Will somebody PA...LEASE invent something that doesn't need umpteen cords to run? I am sure loading and unloading all of my "stuff" plus all of YGGG #2's "stuff" will make us think twice about how easy it is, particularly on our backs, arms and legs.

For the past few months while recuperating from knee surgery, I have been designing and making iPod Touch pouches and sling pouches. So that I never appear out of sync with my wardrobe, I have about 30 of the iPod Touch pouches and three sling pouches made. I have three more sling pouches to make before I leave in May. They have pockets for the iPod Touch, cell phone, room key card, library photocopy card, money and anything else that will squeeze in. On the sides of the sling pouch are metal loops to hook my flash drive and key to the lock for the laptop.

Have I forgotten anything? Better start the list. Oh yes, I'll need the gel pack and bed buddy for aching bones, aka new knee. I refuse to rent a U-Haul for this trip, so YGGG #2 better start making her list and learning how to consolidate. Shove and push, it should all go into one suitcase. She will reply ... "Dream on." When we leave for Salt Lake City, guess who wins the prize for the most items. It's not going to be YGGG #1.

Oops, we better not forget the jelly beans!

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 -- Ruby

Dear You Go Girl #1:
Well, I get to carry the printer which is for us both-that is another big case(1/2 yours)! I am the old fashioned type who still has to use some paper files so that is a couple more notebooks. A reminder, I don't carry shoes and a purse for every outfit. As "Go Hubby" would say--If you need it, Mom (YGGG #2, me) will have it! "Enuf said"! P.S. If you would ride with me in the big silver beast (Excursion) just once, we could even take the kitchen sink with space to spare and if we get thrown out of the Plaza Hotel for being too rowdy, we would still have a place to sleep. He He.........!!!

You Go Genealogy Girl #2 --Cheri

Wishing We Were Going...

The You Go Genealogy Girls, as "Bloggers of Honor", have been invited to the upcoming Family History Expo in Salt Lake City on March the 18th. This Expo will be concentrated on the field of "Immigration" and should be a great one to attend. How we wish that we would be able to go. Jealousy doesn't usually come around in our usual postings but this time it has. We envy anyone who is going to attend this Expo! We will still be recuperating and organizing for the upcoming summer travels, but you can bet we will be on the road soon and we will be heading to the Family History Expo in Loveland, Colorado the weekend of June 25-26th.

If you never have attended a Family History Expo, check out their new web site and make your plans to attend the upcoming special Expo on "Immigration" or one of the other great learning weekends that are coming up this year. The You Go Genealogy Girls attended the Expo last year in Sheridan, Wyoming and had a blast. As "Bloggers of Honor", we got to participate in some fun extra curricular offerings but the learning classes of the Expo were definitely the highlight. If you would like to read of our fun trip to the Expo in Sheridan, Wyoming last summer, you can review those blogs here, here, here and here! Whew...we were busy grannies!

Everyone from the beginner to the seasoned researcher can find lectures that they will love and best of all, will learn from. The Expos offer great chances to meet new genealogy friends, enjoy good food, shop great genealogy vendors and attend excellent lectures. We are lucky that Holly Hansen and her group have worked to bring some of these Expos to areas of the country that are centralized so that many people have the chance to benefit from their awesome genealogy learning lectures.

We surely hope that you will be one of the lucky ones to attend the "Immigration Expo" on March 18th in Salt Lake City. We will be thinking of you all with envy!

Genealogy With Food

Last night my local genealogy society members met for their summer potluck.  You Go Girl #2 missed a good one.  There were about 30 people in attendance.  We had to set up more tables and chairs, plus another table to hold the food.  There's no doubt about it ... genealogists love to look for ancestors, share ideas and EAT.  They are also good cooks. 

I had to hurry home and call You Go Girl #2 to share my excitement.  This was a good kick-off for our fall meeting schedule which begins September 19th. They asked questions about my summer events and what You Go Girl #2 and I have been doing.  I briefly told them about our trip to Salt Lake City and the fact #2 took too much baggage.  Then came the exciting news about the Family History Expo we attended in Sheridan, WY in July.  I encouraged them to attend a Family History Expo in 2010.  

They asked why we always take jelly beans on our trips.  This all started on a trip to eastern Nebraska and Kansas.  We were about an hour from our destination of Lincoln, Nebraska when #2 pulled out a bag of gourmet jelly beans.  Yummy!  She broke into that bag and it was let the jelly beans roll time.  We were so high on sugar by the time we reached Lincoln that we were goofy grannies.  Have you ever seen goofy grannies giggling and acting like teenagers?  From there on out, we never travel without our jelly beans.  Except we do try to keep our intake in moderation.  

You Go Genealogy Girl #2 explains it like this.  I think you'll enjoy knowing exactly why we like jelly beans and share them with others. 

"Jelly beans are like our family members.  Some are sweet and some are more sour.  Some of our 'beans' may be white and some may be black, some may have freckles while others may not. Each precious one is an unexpected individual and we love each one for who and what they are. When they are all together, they can become quite a mixed bag!  Whether during sad times or happy times, all those gorgeous 'beans' make these genealogist Grannies very happy indeed. They are the fuel of life ... maybe the sugar of life."  

And now you know the whole story.  When you eat a jelly bean, think of your ancestors and think about us ... The You Go Genealogy Girls. 

You Go Girl #1 -- Ruby 

Day Six - Our Final Day in the Library

We have completed our final day at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.  While we are both tired and a bit grouchy, it has been fun and worthwhile.  Since I research hundreds upon hundreds of lines and surnames, I could easily spend a month here and still not complete all the research I would like to do.  Ahhh ... should I move here?  Bet my daughter and grandchildren in Nebraska would miss me. 

You Go Genealogy Girl #2 spent most of her day in the Swedish section.  It was painstaking research for her and she did find some things, but not near enough.  We decided that Minnie Anderson just wanted to continue hiding.  

Tomorrow morning we get in Li'l Red and head toward Nebraska.  We'll be in You Go Genealogy Girl #2's home town of Alliance, Nebraska for Memorial Day.  After paying respects at the grave of my late husband, I'll depart on Tuesday for my home.  Then begins the joy of unpacking a large box of copies and genealogy items I purchased.  As for me, I'll spend my summer thinking about this week and adding information to my computer files.  

Genealogy work is never done.  We'll chat with you when we get back to normal at our home bases.  

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 -- Ruby

Day One at the Library

We have finished Day One at the Family History Library at Salt Lake City.  What fun!  We lined up with the rest a little before 8 a.m. to get in the building.  Then we both found readers side by side on the second floor so we could use the US and Canadian microfilm.  

Eventually we found some "goodies" in the microfilm.  I discovered that my late husband's ancestors in Nodaway County, Missouri were gamblers.  They persistently paid fines of $10 each at one court term after another.  Guess they just liked to gamble and pay their "dues."  

You Go Girl #2 was confronted with many intermarriages within the Godfrey, Corson, Young and Townsend families in Cape May Co., New Jersey.  She is learning about indirect and direct evidence and what information is better than the next.  It's all a great learning experience.  She also was thrilled when she opened a book, looked down and found the marriage record that she needed to find.  That's luck when you don't even have to use an index! Some call it serendipity.  

The library closes at 5 p.m. on Mondays, so we had to leave.  For the first day we accomplished a good deal and hope to do more tomorrow.  Sweet dreams and we'll see you tomorrow! 

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 --- Ruby

Green with Envy

Twenty-four hours from now, we will begin our journey toward Salt Lake City.  Yes, that's right.  I am at You Go Girl #2's house, sleeping in the family room and sitting on the sofa with the dogs. We will be up early in the morning and drive to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where we will visit my nephew and do research.  Plus shop!  

Sunday morning we will depart for Salt Lake City.  People who have no interest in genealogy ask us why we are going.  We tell them and receive blank stares.  They say, "Well, hope you have fun." Genealogists turn green with envy and we know they are thinking, "Wish I was going."  

We truly wish all of you were with us, but Lil' Red barely holds us plus all of our suitcases, computers and necessary genealogy items.  However ... keep reading this blog so you will know what we are doing.  Then you can turn green and we'll never see you do it!  

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 --- Ruby