Memorial Days Remembered

This has been a Memorial Day weekend to remember. We've had a lot of storms go through our area. Tornado sirens went off last night a couple of times. I don't get scared anymore, just nervous! I walk the windows just like my Dad did. I did talk to my neighbors out of my bedroom windows last night. That was a new experience! We were very fortunate -- all we got was a lot of rain and some hail. The hail wasn't all that bad either, just scary. Further to the northwest of us wasn't so lucky. Seven people were killed in Iowa during this Memorial Day weekend. Five in Parkersburg and two in New Hartford. I've been to both towns at one time or another in my life. The last time I was in Parkersburg was about 2 years ago. The pictures that they've shown on TV are unbelieveable! Homes completely destroyed. I hope and pray that none of us every have to live through anything like that.

I spent the majority of this weekend doing what I love . . . scrapbooking. I'm working on a book for Jim's Dad and as usual, having a great time doing it. I'm not sure I'll ever outgrow my love of this fantastic hobby. I subscribe to a couple of magazines and get some ideas from them but usually just use whatever I have to do what I want. I take parts of other articles, pictures, etc., and use them the way I like them. Might not be right, but it's my way!!!

I sat here the other night and went down memory lane. Remembering what we did on Memorial Day (or Decoration Day as it was called when I was in high school). From 8th grade until I graduated from high school we always had a slumber party at Pam's house. It was tradition. And we always had to march in the Memorial Day parade. The majority of the girls that attended that party were also in band. Some times it was extremely difficult to march the 2 or so miles to the public cemetery cuz we were really tired! But we sure had some good times. When I was in 8th grade (yes, I still remember some of my eariler years) I ended up in the back row of the band with mostly juniors and seniors. I think we were the leftovers. I can still remember marching along with them and all the fun we had. Made me feel like I was part of the group and being only in 8th grade that was important. We never did get much sleep. Took walks very early in the morning, called boys we knew early in the morning. I'm sure their mother's appreciated us and they probably did also. It was always the same boys we called. Wonder why? I'm sure if I look through my boxes of pictures I'll find plenty of those parties. I know I slept the majority of Memorial Day.

It was also a time to go to the cemeteries and place flowers on the graves of our loved ones. We'd pick lilacs from our lilac bushes, honeysuckle, peonies and other flowers growing in or near our garden. We went to a lot of cemeteries. My mother's parents were buried in the Postville Cemetery, my Dad's parents in the Monona Cemetery, my grandmother's sister in a private cemetery in the country. My aunt and uncle and cousin Jane were also all buried in the Monona Cemetery. As I got older and got married Harry and I still visited the cemetery on Memorial Day. His parents were in Luana, and mine at Swede Ridge. Swede Ridge is a little country church and cemetery outside of McGregor. It's a very beautiful place on a summer day. Overlooks farm fields. A fitting place to bury my parents who spent their whole life on a farm. My nephew Jer (my brother's little boy) is also buried there. It was just something we always did. Put flowers or plants on the graves of our loved ones. I've gotten away from that habit the last few years. That's sad.

I still love and honor my parents, my little nephew, my grandparents but just don't get up there any more. My excuses are many. Not enough time, gas too expensive, flowers and plants expensive and have to be off the graves after the holiday. Really not good enough, is it? We honor our dead on Memorial Day -- we honor all the men and women who lost their lives serving their country. God Bless them all. I think that's enough walking down memory lane for today.

I talked to my daughter last night. This is her holiday to work. She was out earlier in the evening babysitting her friend Katie's triplet neice and nephews. I remember when they were born -- March 31st. And they're beautiful children. I haven't seen them since they've been walking and getting into everything. Barb says they're a handful, but all healthy and happy. That's the important part.

They had storms in the Des Moines area too. Congratulations to my daughter!! She has accepted a position with one of the clinics with Methodist Hospital. The great part about this position is no more weekend work or holidays. Wooo Hooo! Congrats Barb! Here's hoping all goes well in the new position. Leaving a job is hard. You leave behind friends and in Barb's case patients. She told them they could find her at her new clinic. It's exciting and nerveracking going into a new job. Here's to you Barb! I know you'll be an asset wherever you are. I'm very proud of my daughter! Does it show???

I'm furstrated at the moment. I'm putting this book together of Jim & Mandy's wedding and went to add pages and none of the page protectors I have fit the book I'm using! Guess I'll start all over with a new book. I buy albums and page protectors when they are on sale at Hobby Lobby -- now I have to remember to buy page protectors that fit into my albums I bought. We should all have such problems!!!

Back to work tomorrow -- oh darn. But it is a short week. Have a food distribution on Saturday. Hope to spend some time with Bill. He usually comes to all the distributions and sits and talks to me for part of the time. My job is mainly to take applications on new people that come in for the food. It gives me some time to talk to him and some of the other people that volunteer for this program. I'm usually really tired when I get home from there. So take a nap and then, hopefully, get to work.

We have an all jeans week coming up at work. June 2nd through June 6th is hygiene week at work. We're getting together with the local Dollar General stores to promote our hygiene program. So . . . if you want to wear jeans through that week you bring a hygiene product or $1.00 a day, to cover buying some. I think we should do this more often with other projects. Everybody likes wearing jeans to work. Unfortunately we have a board meeting that week. Have to see what the boss thinks about wearing jeans to a board meeting!!

I'm getting hungry so I think I better go find something to eat. Hope everyone is having a great weekend. Stay safe.