I sure was right about having my run canceled yesterday. The wind blew like crazy, it snowed like crazy and I slept like crazy. All those years that I had to work in that type of condition makes me happy to just stand at the window and watch it do it's thing. Today is cold and the wind is blowing but no snow. I feel another nap coming on.

I do indexing on line which is taking the 1900 census and converting it into an electronic data index for genealogists to use. I truly enjoy doing this work and if any of you wish to do the same just let me know and I can tell you how to get involved; it costs nothing.

I have been doing the Cuyahoga census in Ohio which is mainly around the city of Cleveland. Since Cheryl is from that country I keep hoping I will come across some of her ancestors but no luck yet. It has amazed me how much variety there was, or is, of people from all over the place. I have recorded Russians, Hungarians, French, Austrians, Irish, Welsh, English, Germans, to list a few. What makes it even more interesting is the census taker was very poor at spelling and most of the people did not know how to spell their names so I get a lot of names that are spelled as they sound. Hmmmmm. Very interesting work.

I have a relative/friend back in Iowa that thinks I am not fair to my Welsh heritage because all I ever talk about is the Irish. Not true. The Welsh are a proud and hard working people and I am proud to bear some of that blood.

Have you ever heard of the Welsh spoon? (I hope I get this right) When a man found a woman he really liked and wanted to marry her he would carve out a spoon for her. Now this is not just any ordinary spoon but one with unique carvings of various things. My understanding is that the more intricate the carving the more he thought of the young woman. Cheryl asked me if I would do that for her. Wellllllll, there we have a problem; I can't draw a straight line let alone carve something. She will just have to do with me telling her I love her and that is that. Heck, it took 25 years for her to get her diamond ring which she lost the stone out of. (Money down the drain; could have got a fishing boat or something useful.)

There is a story about one of my ancestors who lived in Virginia and had a lovely farm and home. One day he came to his wife and told her he had made the deal of a life time. He had traded the farm and home for a good hunting rifle and two hounds; he was headed to Kentucky. Can you imagine the shock that must of had on that poor woman?

He took his two boys, ages 8 and 12 if I remember correctly, and went to Kentucky to find some land. Once there he found what he was looking for, made a makeshift protection for the boys over a creek bed, and went back to Virginia to get the rest of the family. He was gone for two months bringing back the family. Can you imagine leaving your children like that and expecting to find all is well when you met them again? Mercy!!

Genealogy is a lot of fun and if you have not tried it you really should. Once it gets into your blood it is hard to let go.

Beatitudes of a Family Genealogist

Blessed are the great-grandfathers, who saved embarkation and citizenship papers, for they tell WHEN they came.

Blessed are the great-grandmothers, who hoarded newspaper clippings and old letters, for they tell the STORY of their time.

Blessed are the grandfathers, who filled every legal document, for these provide the PROOF.

Blessed are the grandmothers, who preserved family Bibles and diaries, for these are our HERITAGE.

Blessed are fathers, who elect officials that answer letters of inquiry, for--to some--the ONLY LINK to the past.

Blessed are mothers, who relate family TRADITIONS and LEGENDS to the family, for one of her children will surely remember.

Blessed are relatives, who fill in family sheets with extra data, for to them we owe our FAMILY HISTORY.

Blessed is any family, whose members strive for the PRESERVATION of RECORDS, for this is a labor of love.

Blessed are the children who will never say, "Grandma, you told that old story twice today."

-- Wilma Mauk

Have a nice day everyone.