Thursday August 24, 2006 6:25 am Cedar Rapids, Iowa Sunrise 6:23 Sunset 7:53 Hours of daylight: 13:30 Day 9 of our trip to Virginia.

A. Morning Musings

6:30 am It is + 18 C, with a forecast high of 87 F (+ 31 C). Another hot day, although some cloud is forecast.

Today is a driving day. Basically we head south. But at the end of the drive we meet one of the relatives on Phyllis's side. Phyllis has prepared a looseleaf binder for her of all the relatives that she has identified that belong to that branch of the family.

B. Plan

Drive from Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Bethalto, Illinois.

C. Actual/Notes

7:30 PM A great day! We were on the road early and arrived at Meda's about 2 PM. She and Phyllis immediately began working on genealogy. She then treated us to a fine dinner where we had an opportunity to have a glass of Greg Norman shiraz cabernet and toast our friend in Lismore who is enjoying her last day at work. Best wishes, Sue.

I was finally able to take a couple of pictures of the soybeans that we have been seeing on the side of the road for the last four days. We then had a very pleasant drive along the shore of the Mississippi river where we saw a river barge and watched the sun set.

A toast to Sue	Dinner with Meda
Soy beans	Lots of soybeans
Mississippi River	river barge
Sunset

D. Reflection