Snow Didn't Stop the Trail of Tears in 1838.

I went to bed early to be rested to head to Marion, Kentucky, which would be quite an adventure for me. I was planning to go to Samuel's basketball game at 8:30 in Marion, IL, but leave early to meet Pat Evans in the church parking lot and take off to Harrisburg and eventually cross the Ohio River to Marion, KY, and meet Dallas Cain and a group of Cherokee including someone from Tahlequah. My hope was that one more person, who is especially knowledgable, might know or hear about someone who "owned" Priscilla, the little slave girl freed on the Trail of Tears in 1839.

With snow all over ground and travel advisories coming in on our little radio/warning system that someone gave us for Christmas once, it was obvious when I got up at 7 that this was not a good travel day. Before I had called her, Pat called and agreed. I called Dallas and he too had decided this was not the day to go to Kentucky. I don't plan to even go down the lane for the morning paper or for our mail when it arrives.

Gerald and his brother Garry along with our son-in-law Brian and our grandson Trent went to the annual farm show at Louisville, KY, early yesterday morning. In our phone call last night, Gerald thought the weather would still be good today and encouraged me feel competent to drive to the gathering in Kentucky. Now I must worry about their group getting home safely. We avoid going north this time of year after more than one harrowing trip back from our daughter's home in Freeport. But the trip to Louisville has not usually been a concern.

Nevertheless, I am thinking of the ones up north. Leslie is involved with the state speech contest today, which is in the Chicago area this year after being at Carbondale last year. So I know their family had to leave Freeport today. My friend Roberta's granddaughter Katie is also representing Johnston City High School at the state speech contest in radio speaking, I found out last night when we talked on the phone. And my granddaughter Tara and new husband Bryan are up north, where his family is giving a lovely reception for them. Fortunately we did not accept that invitation although we would have loved to be there.

Tara's mother had already made flight arrangements in December to be in Las Vegas to see Erin play at the opening tournament of Notre Dame's softball season yesterday. We were not surprised when Gerry managed to make arrangements to leave his lodge in Mexico so that he could be there with Vickie to see those important first games of the season.

ND lost their first game yesterday (barely) and won the second. By now they have played the third game, and I am expecting a phone call any minute from Gerald about the results of that one. I got excited when the phone rang awhile ago. I did not appreciate the recorded phone call from Bruce trying to make me rich by a home business that involves making phone calls. I am on the do-not-call list, but I still get these irritating interuptions by phone.

Grandma Shirley is taking care of Geri Ann while Vickie is away, and we were all relieved when Geri Ann got back from the volleyball game at Anna Thurday night, and the threatening tornadoes did not develop, just as I was glad to be home safely from the Writers Guild at Carterville the same night.

Except for Samuel's basketball game across town this morning,I am hoping that the Cedars don't have to leave home today. I bet the snow was pretty through their many windows and skylights. I suspect Mary Ellen is tooling around in the Lake Saint Louis area showing houses whether there is snow or not. Brianna is probably snuggling in if she doesn't have a girl friends' outing or unless she decided to run around with her mother.

One of the disadvantages of a large family is that we can be strung out from here to yon, and there is always the possibility of travel accidents. On this snowy frigid weekend, I will be glad when everyone gets back home to their own snug beds again. But I know they won't stay there long.