Memorial Day
As were getting ready to go out to the cemetery Owen galloped past me, pausing only to say, "I can't wait to see Grandpa.....and Grandma too." I nodded agreement and he said cheerfully, "sorry if I made you cry Mom." I assured him he didn't. My goofy little sweet pea.
So we headed out to the cemetery....part of me didn't feel like going but Memorial Day was very important to my father so off we went. We visited the graves and added some flags. My father's grave didn't have a flag, we'll have to call the cemetery and figure that out as the other veteran's graves had them. We put one on though and then we added flags to my mother's grave and my mother-in-law's grave as well because we figure they deserved them too. Then we walked across the ground to the Memorial Day service. A ragged high school band playing the national anthem and America....Knights of Columbus standing proudly and the color guard from the VFW. School children reciting the Gettysburg address and the Flanders Field poem about poppies. I worry what will happen to Memorial Day after my father's generation is gone. Ernie told me I looked very solemn throughout and he asked if it was because of my father. It wasn't that specific really----just sadness for the reality of what the day is and also for the aging of that generation. I find these things very moving. I remember my father, towards the end, almost in tears telling me that he didn't know who would pray for the fallen soldiers on his sister ship when he was gone. That's what Memorial Day makes me think of.
Afterward I gave the boys and hugs and kisses and thanked them for coming. Leo looked at me sideways and I laughed as he said, "well, Mom you kind of forced us." I told him I knew that but that he'd been very gracious about it and I really appreciated it because this was very important to his grandfather and thus to me. He nodded seriously. Driving home the boys were giggly in the backseat but kept piping up with facts they'd learned about Memorial Day during the presentation....when it was started...that it used to be called Decoration Day...so it was a good outing.
Back at home we waffled about whether to turn the air conditioning on. It was breezy outside though so Owen and I went out and ran through the sprinkler. We managed to convince Ernie to do it as well but no luck with Leo. However exciting news spread through the neighborhood that our beloved neighbors' Vicky and Greg had opened their pool so that perked up Leo and they took off running. Ernie and I sat outside enjoying the breezes while he smoked some chicken wings. I made a salad of some farfalle pasta, vinaigrette, cut up leftover asparagus and baby radish leaves that we got when we thinned our radishes in the garden.
Delightful.
Happy Memorial Day.