Memorial Day 2008

I walked to Memorial Park at about 11:00 this morning...in time to see most of the memorial service put on by the American Legion and the VFW. This is the thrid year we have lived here and the third time I have ventured over. It is only three blocks from us. They have speeches, young and old extolling the sacrifice of our fallen warriors. They read the names of those killed in each war from Newberg. I think that is a painful, but necessary reminder of those folks. Those that do not come back are easy to forget.

A police sargent recites the Gettysburg address from memory. Last year he had a major mental lapse and stood there until it came back to him. He did a lot better this year...just on pause. Two years ago he spewed it right out. I know he knows it...just the timing I guess. That is part of the reason I do not sing solos very much any more.

Speaking of which, I spoke at church yesterday: two services. Yes, it went ok...I guage the success by the comments of the old folks. If the older ladies stand and tell me a story similar to mine, I know I sparked a thought or two. I talked yesterday about learning the KJV of the sripture that was the words to a solo that Edwin Lewis (voice teacher) had me learn and how I memorized the words by singing while I plowed with the JD...and probably injured my hearing. Anyhow, that sparked lots of comments.

Amy and Truman came to church. Ashie was still running a fever, so he and his dad stayed home. Tru came up and sat with me for the children's serman...cowboy boots and all. (See Amy's blog for more cowboy comments.) There were lots of kids yesterday and we had a great time talking about birds and flowers how they toil not neither do they reap.

The whole family came over for after church lunch and we all watched the last 50 laps of Indy...part of our Memorial Day tradition when I was a kid. We didn't have a roof to tar like we did at Luacres, but then, we listened to Indy not watch it. Danica Patrick looks much better in HD that Maury Rose and Billy Vukovich did in my mindseye when listening to the race.

Later in the afternoon we are going over to celebrate Asher's family day...the day he came to his new home from Korea. Amy has some Korean dishes ready. She was going to have a larger group, but with his fever, it was too iffy with kids around. This bug is a three day event the mothers are reporting. So we will help him celebrate. He is better today, though.

I leave in the morning for Central Wisconsin and my first 'round the country talk for Siemens. We family camp this weekend with folks from church (Amy and the boys are going along since Bren will be in Boston this weekend.) My on line class has started (got a call from a student while at the park) and my mentee joins church on Sunday...busy week.

Memorial/Decoration Day makes me think of flowers and trips to Graceland and Castle View...I hope those close by were able to do some of that, too.