I get the news I need from the weather report

So far this year, every special program the battlefield has planned has been "adjusted" because of the rain. We've been able to flex enough to allow the programs to continue, but it is getting a little ridiculous. Seriously, soon someone will need to start considering purchasing plans for an ark. Today we had out dress rehearsal for our "Hallowed Ground" program. Right at two o'clock the clouds began rolling in and as soon as I stepped into the cemetery the thunder began to roll. So we had to do the rehearsal in the visitor center theater. Regardless of location, the volunteers make that program on of our best (and I strongly encourage everyone to make an effort to come and see it!).

In other news, I continue to have parts of my thesis research unfold right in front of me. I am rather excited about it. A few days ago, someone came into the battlefield knowing where all the CCC records at the National Archives are located for Stones River National Battlefield (then Stones River National Military Park) and will make the best copies he can and send those records to us. I could hardly refrain from dancing when I heard the news (actually, I may have danced a little...). In fact, my advisor had told me the day before that I needed to find a way to get those records but that CCC records are sometimes difficult to maneuver to and the easiest way is making a trip to Maryland and fetching the records personally. I won't have the time to do that, so I had an evening to ponder about the methods I could take to get those records. Then, ta-da! And with all of the photos that I found the other day, an entire section of my thesis has practically written itself. Woo. I will spend my first day off at the battlefield's archives, going through individual photos. I will probably spend my second day (in part) in Nashville at Fisk University's special collections. They have a number of slave narratives from former slaves of middle Tennessee that will help support my first chapter. Yay for research. No, seriously. I'm dork and am actually giddy about what I will find.