MEMORIAL DAY

 

My front entrance

What an awful night I had.  I woke up at 2:30 a.m. with my head pounding.  I sat up for awhile until it let up some and then tried to sleep again.  I slept for a little bit and woke up around 4:00 a.m.  Head pounding again and feeling a little nauseous.  I sat up for around half an hour and then took my thyroid medicine thinking I would just stay up.  I thought of my sister leaving for work while I was sitting there fighting this headache.  But instead of staying up, I fell asleep again.  When I finally woke up my headache was better but it was 10:00 a.m.!  Oh my!  The parade starts around 10:30.  I had to get a move on.

I had fallen asleep on the sofa, so I ran upstairs and got dressed.  Then I grabbed a quick breakfast so that I could take the rest of my medicine and headed across the street where the parade route is.  I have lived in this house for 36 years and think I've missed only 2 parades in all that time.  Maybe one.  So you see the parade is part of my life.

It was a perfect day for a parade:  sunny, around 80*F (27*C) and a nice breeze blowing.  I got there after the parade had started.  My camera battery had died so before I left the house I began charging it.  I was just standing there watching the parade and really wanted to take pictures.  So I went back home, grabbed my phone, and started taking pictures with it.

One of the string bands.

The Girl Scouts

The American Legion

The Police Fife and Drum Corps

 After 20 minutes I knew the phone wouldn't work out so I went inside again, put the partially charged battery in my camera and brought the camera and a folding chair out to the sidewalk.

Another string band.  I tried to get a video of them, but with the sun I couldn't see what I was filming and it didn't turn out.

The R.O.T.C.

Irish Thunder

They came from Cinnaminson, New Jersey

The parade always ends with the fire engine.

And the police.

The Viet Nam Memorial Society is directly across from my house.  Joe just joined the group a couple of months ago.  They take veterans from all conflicts, not just Viet Nam.

Around 3:00 p.m. there was a memorial service across the street for the fallen servicemen from their group.  It was beautiful and touching.

The Irish Thunder group had come back to help with the ceremony.  They played the songs of all the branches of service.  Then several people read the names of those who lost their lives and a bell was rung after each one.

After that there was a gun salute and the bagpipes played "Amazing Grace" with a lone piper finishing and walking away by himself.  It brought tears to my eyes.

For dinner I made barbecued pork chops, baked beans and potato salad.  We had red, white and blue cupcakes for dessert.

Now it's back to real life and a busy week.  It was good to have a day to relax.  And about 8:00 p.m. the headache finally went away.

Until later...

Kathy

COOK-OUT AT MY SISTER'S HOUSE

Yesterday Joe and I headed for my sister's house in northern New Jersey for her annual Memorial Day cookout.  We left at noon which was later than I wanted to leave but it worked out great because the traffic was so light.  We got to Elaine's house around 2 p.m.  Lunch was just about ready, so we joined the others in the yard.

Joe and our friend Rich

Everything was so delicious.  I piled my plate with all my favorites.  I made the potato salad and Joe made the deviled eggs.  I also had a burger and some honey glazed wings.  I was so full.

Besides Elaine, Joe and I, our friends Marion, her husband Rich, and Frank were there.

Elaine is a great cook and also great on the grill.

This is Frank's dog, Sydney.  He kept barking and barking at me.  I have no idea why because he never did that before.

After awhile my allergies were really bothering me so I went inside for awhile.  The guys were already inside talking.

Look at this pretty red, white and blue wreath my sister has on her door.

We were celebrating three birthdays:  Joe, Marion and Frank.  Elaine had cakes for them.

Here's my sweet sister, Elaine, and our friend Marion.

We sang "Happy Birthday" and they blew out the candles.

And of course eating the cake and the opening of the gifts.

We all hung out for awhile.

Frank with Elaine's dog, Cody, and his dog, Sydney.

Then it was time to go.

We left at 8:00 p.m. and pulled up in front of our house at exactly 10:00 p.m.  It was an uneventful drive for which I was thankful.

It was a wonderful day.  Thank you, Elaine, for letting me use some of your pictures even if I didn't ask you first.

Kathy