Keeping Busy

Last Wednesday, before we went to work at the Trail Center, we went on a special tour that Sister Latey gives. She is the geneology specialist at the Trail Center. We went around to various historical areas mostly around Council Bluffs. There are a number of cemeteries in the area where Latter-day Saints were buried during the time they were here, but after they left the area we are told that some people were afraid the saints would come back and try to claim the lands they had, so the local people tried to erase all evidence of them being here. So they took off all burial markers and threw them away and buried other people between the graves that were already there. Interesting. We went to a cemetery and saw a couple of graves where the markers survived. We also went to the site of the Grand Encampment. At least we went to about the middle of the site. It gave a better feel of what a large area it covered--4 miles wide and 9 miles long. We saw some markers for the Mormon Trail and saw how tall the grass grows in the area. Again, very interesting. They gave us a sample of typical foods that the pioneers would have been eating at this time, like dried jerky, course stone ground corn with water, and a hard biscuit made of flour, water and salt (I believe). They were very hard. Not exactly something to look forward to in my opinion (unless you are very hungry, and that is all you have to eat). What did you have for dinner last night?

One of the original headstones (the one standing upright)

Tree about where Orson Hyde's cabin stood

A field where Orson Hyde's cabin stood

Thursday we went to Lincoln Nebraska to a Natural History Museum (Morrill Hall) at University of Nebraska. Ken's cousin, Mary Dawson Hall, called last week and wondered when we could get together, so we invited her to meet us there. She wasn't quite as thrilled by old dinosaur bones as Ken is, but she wanted to show me the Trader Joes in Lincoln, so after lunch, Ken went back to the museum and Mary and I went to Trader Joes. When we left the store Mary told the clerk this was my first time at Trader Joes so she gave me a free Trader Joe shopping bag. They really do have some nice bargains. I didn't buy much that needed refrigeration because we had at least a 1 hour drive back to Omaha. So far I've liked everything I've tried from there. They had some wonderful hummus!
Mary is so fun to be with!

Ken got tired of standing and this was the only chair available.

Ken wants a crystal like this

Ken's cousin, Mary Dawson Hall

Mary chose this view from the front steps of the museum

Friday we were back closing at the Trail Center. Again a couple of groups of people came in just before closing. We got a call from the director about why the Sisters weren't back to their apartments yet at about 9:15 or 9:20. (I'm not sure if he called them at their apartments or what). Apparently Ken and I can stay there until midnight if we have to, but  the sisters need to leave BY 9:00 p.m.!

Saturday we opened at the Tabernacle and the morning had more visitors than the last couple of afternoons had, so the time went faster. I brought that life story of Park and Vilate Romney that our Curtis cousins compiled. Reading again the histories there is fascinating. I also found Edward Bunker (Grandma Romney's grandfather) on the list of men in the Mormon Battalion.