Off I Go

I ordered my pick-up for the ride to the airport for 3:45 tomorrow (Wednesday) morning for my 7:35 flight. I thought I had packed well, but the suitcase was awfully heavy, so I took out a few things and moved some others to the carry-on. We'll see what the folks at the airport say.

One of the things I left out is my army boots. I hope I don't have to deal with heavy snow, especially in Salt Lake City.

I have three new programs on my schedule - Palo Alto (8 February), Oakland (the ninth) and Denver (the tenth). The venue is not set for Denver - I hear there is a well-equipped room at Feldman's. The Denver program was put together very quickly by Linda Weinstein, with help from Joe Cahn. Logistics there will be handled by my wife's third cousin Gary Goldberg, whom I roomed with at the Conference in Boston two and a half years ago.

The two Bay-area programs are the work of JoAnne Goldberg and Preeva Tramiel and I appreciate their efforts in putting that together. The initiative was all JoAnne.

So tomorrow it's Pittsburgh and a few days with Aunt Betty and Uncle Ken. I had hoped to do a program in Pittsburgh, but no one picked up the challenge. Sunday will be Philadelphia, where I'll be meeting with a new-found indeterminate Pikholz cousin, together with my second cousin Rhoda. Steve will be at the program itself - maybe some others, I'm not sure. One of those I expect to be there will be featured in a new slide; she'll be pleasantly surprised, I'm sure. Mark Halpern, who organized the meeting, will also get a mention on that slide. (Rhoda just wrote to say they expect 8-12" of snow. Fun.)

Then off to New England in a rental car. On the way, I'll drop in on my eldest grandson who is in yeshiva in New Jersey. There are a few cemeteries I'd like to do on the way, but only if there is no snow on the ground.

Tuesday I'm speaking in Newington Connecticut and will see a second cousin on my father's side, whom I've not seen since our high school class' twentieth reunion. And my first cousin Leonard on my mother's side. who also lives in Connecticut. Organization there is Doris Nable.

Wednesday is the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston and the following the JGS of Greater Boston in Newton. I'll be staying Shabbes with Zale, an old friend from my Chicago days forty-odd years ago. Both the Boston programs were organized by Jay Sage, with Ginevra Morse representing NEHGS..

After Monday at my sister's in suburban Chicago, I'm off to Salt Lake City Tuesday. That evening I am speaking at the Family History Center and I hope some of the early arrivals for RootsTech will join us. The organizer there is Todd Knowles, who picked up on the initiative from Banai Feldstein.

RootsTech will run through the rest of the week, which concludes with a bloggers party at the home of one of the stars of the community. Shabbat will be an interesting challenge logistically.

Lest I forget, today, is the last day for ordering our genetic genealogy T-shirts and tote bags for hand delivery with no shipping. That's for people at RootsTech and my talks in the west.

Sunday is Tucson. I'll fly to Phoenix and drive from there (Thanks to Lara for that suggestion.)

After Denver I am back to Chicago with my son and family and a talk for the JGS of Illinois in Northbrook (Martin Fischer) and then home.

Before all that, this evening we are making an open house in honor of my newest granddaughter Nur, who is nearly six weeks old.

Talk to you all later. No promises exactly when.

UPDATE - OF COURSE I'LL HAVE BOOKS TO SELL. AND SIGN.