Friday, May 25, 2007

Memorial Day Weekend: Boon or Bust

What exactly is it that causes you to eat way too many goldfish crackers just before you have to squeeze into a bathing suit for Memorial Day weekend? I haven't found the right excuse, although I nearly found the bottom of the cracker box. Ugh.

The weather is dreary and the traffic will be nasty since everyone wants to get out of town early... before everyone else. It took my dad an hour to get from Bunker Hill to I45 and Crosstimbers today. That's insane. My dad likened it to the madhouse on Hwy 290 during the Hurricane evacuation. Boy, I can't wait to get in the car, in the traffic, while Dora and Elmo play from the DVD player. It seems I'm on a bit of a negative roll.

I am looking forward to the long holiday weekend, although I might buy a MooMoo to wear. Maybe my dad still has his "sans a belt" pants that I could use. Ha! Honestly, I think holidays like Memorial Day and Veterans Day are really important to honor. Each day, I pray for our soldiers protecting us and I am regularly reminded of the sacrifices my maternal grandparents made in the Marines during WWII. In fact, I asked my PaPa to share his thoughts on Memorial Day and asked him for insight on what to post here. PaPa is a fiesty Marine. (Once a Marine, always a Marine!) but he shares his thoughts here:

"Memorial day used to be a day when people decorated the graves of their kin, military or not.
I assume that practice continues today but I have not been a party to it. Gram grew up in that environment as her parents were pillars of the American Legion. I really think Aunt Mitt, (my mother-in-law) was more interested in the partying after the parade and ALWAYS bringing home the left over baloney and cheese. I got burned out of their activities early into the marriage as I grew sick of hearing "war stories" from veterans who didn't know and/or didn't really engage in combat.

I fully appreciate that it takes one helluva back up for each front line fighter but combat bragging rites are not earned by the rear echelon forces.

If it's not too late for your blog, I'd suggest a word of praise for our domestic services like the nurse on duty in the ER to take care of that holiday accident; the trooper on the interstate tending a broken body when he too would rather be home with his kids; etc., etc."

I hope you use this holiday weekend to think about the freedoms we have because others sacrificed and continue to sacrifice their freedoms for us. Have a safe & happy Memorial Day weekend... wherever & however you honor it.

Until the next nap time...