What did you guys do for Memorial Day this year??
I went camping at a pair of lakes, and went 4-wheeling up a mountain. Caught a bunch of fish and drank alot of beer, too.

I also spent some time thinking about my grandfather...it's Memorial Day after all, and he was a WWII vet. I got some time alone on a big rock overlooking the valley and did alot of remembering. It was a good place for it...

I hope everybody else had a good weekend!
BDV

 

I took time to look at old photographs, and remember the many people I have helped in times of war. I ate more than usual too, but not as much as I used to, I drank a few pints of water, and watched humming birds attracted to the Flag. 3 deer came to say hi this afternoon, and the skunk wandered past. I am eternally thankful that I am now retired from the career that took me to every country on earth, to every war zone in 25 years. I have seen too much of man's inhumanity, I just wish that they would see the pointlessness of it, and stop. How many more brave souls are we to remember, before there is no more war?

Peace, my brothers, Enjoy life, drive a Ford, and don't forget.

Theo.

 

I got off work at 7 a.m. Did my monday morning workout. Cleaned the back yard and prepared the grill for the steaks. We had an early lunch because my daughter had to go to work at 1 p.m.

After lunch we went to the cemetery where my mothers ashes are buried. It's only been a year and a half since her passing. At the enterance to the cemetery they put up these flag poles with large American flags. Three on each side. There were many plots with small flags planted on them. Lots of people visisting grave sites of their loved ones. My mothers plot is not far from the enterance. After placing some fresh flowers in the holder we sat down on a bench close by.

After we sat down, my eyes were drawn to those big American flags flying at the enterance. My wife and daughter were making small talk but my focus was on those flags. I couldn't take my eyes off of them. My eyes began to tear up as a big lump formed in my throat. As I stared at those flags I remembered my dad and how much I miss him. A WW II vet who served in the south pacific. I thought about what he might have been through as he didn't talk much about the war. My mother had said he had nightmares for a long time after he came back but wouldn't talk much about it. His ashes are scattered upon a mountain side as per his request, back where we used to live and where I spent my teenage years.

I have a nice portrait of my mother she had taken after my dad died, but I don't have one of my dad. Somehow we don't have many pictures of him. I have their wedding picture. I have one of him in his soldiers uniform but not many in his later years. Just a few snap shots. But his loving face is forever ingrained in my memory.

When I was fourteen my dad bought me my first gun. A .410 bolt action shotgun. I was so excited. We took a drive up into the hills not far from where we lived. Just him and me. He lectured me on gun safty, then the moment I've been wating for. We blasted a few cans and patterned the gun on the hillside. Afterward we headed home to do some gun cleaning. I broke out my Hoppies gun cleaning kit. We sat outside on the patio with my mom, and my dad showed me how to properly clean and care for my gun. Brush, solvent, clean wipe, oil. Oil the action, stock, wipe down everything just before putting it in the soft padded gun case. After each use of a gun cleaning patch I'd toss them into an empty coffee can we had on the table. This is a memory I go back to time and again.
The smell of the gun powder, oil and solvent.

Today, when ever I clean my guns, I put the used cleaning patches in an old coffee can I have on my work bench. I don't get the chance to shoot that often anymore. But sometimes when I'm alone in my garage, I take off the plastic lid and smell the contents. The gun powder, oil, the solvent, and for a moment my dads face comes alive again and the memory of my dad and that special day fills my senses.

Today, Memorial Day, was indeed special for me, remembering my mother and father. Some how, this time it was those flags that brought it all back.

Thank you Father, for my parents, the memories and the many blessings you have given me and my family.

 

Ummm, worked on a model of a B-17, and remembered the folks who flew that kick-butt plane. Me and my roomate had a party, people started showing up friday night, they did not leave till 8 monday night. I think there are about 15 cases of beer lying on the ground.

 

I droped a new 428 in my 69 mustang. For any one that has done this with headers you know how big a fight this is.

 

Thanks, DailyDriver, for a great post. No one could have defined "Memorial Day" any better than that. I live just west of Waterloo, NY, the birthplace of Memorial Day. They still celebrate it there on the 31st- no 3-day holidays for them!

As for myself, there were no special plans because the weather man had predicted three days of straight rain. Of course, that meant we had three days of SUNSHINE. Got to drive the Corvair in the local American Legion parade. Their ceremonies started at our local monument in front of the school, which included our high school band playing a medley of patriotic songs you had to hear to believe. Very moving. The parade's grand marshal has always been a local person, usually a well-decorated veteran. This year, our grand marshal was all the POW-MIA's; a small chair on the back of a truck, with the black POW-MIA flag draped over it represented those still missing in action. After the parade, the ceremonies concluded at the village cemetery, where we had bagpipers playing "Amazing Grace." A bugler then played "Taps," and just as you thought he was finishing, a second bugler, high up on the hill overlooking the cemetery, picked up where the first one left off and finished the tribute. I'm getting choked up just writing this. Leave it to the Legion to know how to honor those that gave the ultimate sacrifice.

 

I stayed in Waterloo back in January...it's a good thing they have Memorial Day going for them, cuz they don't have much else.
There's a steakhouse there (Abigails??) that was pretty good, too.

BDV