Memorial Day 2011

This morning I went with my folks to the Memorial Day Ceremonies at the Lynden Cemetery. They are put on each year by the local V.F.W. (Veterans of Foreign Wars). Every year the local Boy Scout troop participates by "posting the colors," i.e. putting flags in stands by the speaker's podium. Last  year, we had some Marines there to "raise the colors" (send the flag up the flag pole), but this year the Boy Scouts did that, too. Here's a video of the Boy Scouts raising the colors while the local middle school band plays the national anthem.

Sergeant Sara Bernardy, U.S. Army, Iraq War Veteran

The flag goes all the way up to the top, then comes back down to half-mast because Memorial Day is specifically in honor of those members of the military who have died in the nation's wars. It's a somber, touching ceremony. This year, our speaker was a woman army vet who had served in Iraq, again, a local, a graduate of Meridian High School, I believe they said. She gave a very becoming soldier's speech, modest about herself while praising the bravery of others.

Since we had our family picnic yesterday, my parents and I had no agenda for the day, so after the ceremonies and our visit to my brother's grave, we went out for brunch at Dutch Mother's Restaurant.

As it was cold and cloudy outside, I did not carry out my earlier plan to plant flowers all afternoon. Instead, I took a nap. About the time I fed my dog dinner and took him for his walk, the sun came out. My dad was out on the patio down by the firepit, where we had our family picnic yesterday, so I sat and chatted a while with him.

A light dinner for myself, a little laundry, and now I am going to make four sandwiches, one for each day of the coming work week. So it goes.