Travel to Missouri

Since the weather wasn't cooperating, I didn't do any bicycling with Beth and Lois. However, Lois did take us on a tour of the Otterbein College library where she serves as library director. Admittedly, it wasn't nearly as large as Ohio State's library we toured a couple of days before, but it was still very nice. It reminded me of my own days using the Arizona State University library when I was taking some graduate courses. I did much of my studying in that library since it was a place with very few distractions where one could more easily focus on the work at hand. We also saw Lois's horse (see photo showing Beth, Lois and her horse name T.J.) and cats at her house. That evening, I bought dinner for everyone as thanks for them letting me stay over and Beth and Terry's (see photo) home and taking me to various sites around the Columbus Ohio area.

Yesterday, I traveled to Kirksville, Missouri where I met Dean and Amy. They are my Aunt Ruth's cousins, which makes them my cousins, once removed. Amy's grandparents were Sylvester and Nancy Ayres, who were also my great-grandparents. A daughter of Sylvester and Nancy Ayres was Edith who was my grandmother on my dad's side of the family. I didn't know her since she died before I was born. She died of cancer in her 50's similar to Dawn. From what I'm told about her, there is a good chance I received my aptitude for numbers from her since she is the only grandparent on either side of the family that I know of who was good with math and bookkeeping.

Dean and Amy still own the home and the surrounding farmland where Sylvester and Nancy Ayres (my great-grandparents) raised their children including my grandmother Edith. They took me on a driving tour of this home and farmland and also took me to the gravesite of Sylvester and Nancy. They also showed me homesite (home no longer exists) where my grandfather, Howard Wasser, was raised and also the site of the school where Howard and Edith (my grandparents on my dad's side) most likely met when they were children.

They took me on a quick tour of Truman State. Dean is a retired professor who taught biology at the college (before it was called Truman State) and was head of the science department. He was quite proud of the university since it is one of the top-ranked public universities for its size in the United States.

This morning I'm having breakfast with Dean and Amy and then it is homeward bound. It have about 1,400 miles to go, which I'm guessing will take 3 days. I plan to be home Sunday night.

So, until later..........