This Is My Country & Freeform Friday

Memorial Day Rewind

Hi guys. First I'd like to say thank you to all of your for your kind words and sentiments on the death of our dear friend Cindy. It means quite a lot and always helps.  How sad that so many of you have also suffered some very diffucult losses, but I guess that is something we all have in common in the end, isn't it.

Yesterday was an especially hectic day and boy am I glad that's done and this week for that matter. Well, almost. Still work on the plate, but oh how I love Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Playing a little catchup today. Didn't get a chance yet this week to post our Memorial Day. On of the things I love about the pictures I take each and every year at our parade and services, are that they could probably be any town in the good old U. S. of A.

We walk uptown in time for the start. (OK, I was late this year, but I still hoofed it uptown and finally caught my group right at the beginning of the parade).

The engines lead and the kids wave.

(Nephew Matt, friend Charlie's grandson Cayson, my great nephew Cayden, and Charlie's grandaughter Makenna, sister Di and bil Al in the back.)


Veterans of all ages step off for the march through town.

Uncle George riding co-pilot in the jeep.

More firefighters.

The Marine's marching with colors. Nice unison on the step, eh? You'd think they'd practiced or something.

My high school's band sounding the call.....'This Is My Country'.

Then the boy scouts, the cub scouts, and of course the girl scouts too. (Hi back Sammy).

The laying of the wreath at our town's War On Terror monument.

Applauding our veterans.

Marching along following the parade. That's the way we roll. More bang for your buck. More parade, more exercise......

...more friends and neighbors along the way (hello Roys).

Mom and Dad ready for services.

Benediction. Playing of Anthem. Terribly sad stories of war time friends and family lost.  Laying of wreath. Taps and tears, well at least on my part. Always. Pledge of Allegiance in closing.

Jaunt back to sister's house for Memorial Day BBQ with family and friends.

(Uncle Norm, who served on Guadal Canal and fought in the Pacific Campaign, including Bougainville, in WWII  and Mom.)

Decked out in red,white and blue to celebrate all the wonderful things and ideals that our service people have fought for including freedom, and against, most notably...tyranny.

(great niece Sophia aka punky brewster)

Sound and look familiar?

Freeform Friday

There could be no other freeform Friday this week. It's a double shot for my pal Cin. Man do I miss her. Click here if you're reading by email.

And click here too if you're reading by email.

It's sunny today, but there is supposed to be rain moving in for the weekend. I'm ok with it. I haven't even done Spring cleaning and it's almost Summer, so maybe I'll get some of that done. I know, it's sounds thrilling, yes? I hope you have bigger plans for your weekend. What's on the docket?

Thanks again for your kindness this week. You guys rock.

Be well,

Nothing But A Heartache

So Long, Too Soon

Boy, this year just keeps throwing curve balls. We learned Sunday that our very dear sisterfriend Cin had passed away. She'd been fighting lung cancer, but I think we were all still in shock, not expecting the worst or at the very least, not expecting to lose her so soon. I know I was in shock. 

She's been my sister Gloria's best pal since high school and an honorary part of our family. A third sister, an extra daughter. I just mentioned her last week in my Mom's birthday post.

She could always make me laugh whether she was being silly or irreverant.  Her and my sister raised a lot of hell together. I was too young, but boy could my sister and my brother tell you some stories. So could my parents.  In fact, one that still cracks me up is my father going to 'retrieve' his daughter Gloria at a house party. Well, when he got there, he didn't find Gloria but he did find Cindy who we barely knew at this point. He said, 'don't I know you? you're coming with me" despite her pleas, and promptly removed her from the party and brought her home. 

Cin and Glo had to drag me around with them at times, and dubbed me Diddle Bain. Yup, you guessed it, their code for 'little pain'.  To this day, Cin called me diddle.

I will truly miss that, but what I will miss even more is just Cin.  She could brighten my day with an email or a Skype call like nobody's business.

I will remember her learning to drive a standard in her Saab and jerking back and forth as we left Cumberland Farms....must have been the 'diddle bain' tag along that day. I'll remember our day trip over to my sister's college with another chum who's gone, Dean (another 'diddle bain' day). I'll remember doing the Texas two step with her around Gloria's house when she was visiting from Louisiana one year. When Mack the Knife plays, I'll think of Cin because it was her and my sister's song. I'll always think of her at Mardi Gras, as she lived in Lake Charles, Louisiana for years now and always did it up right starting with black tie formal dress up for the Mardi Gras Ball. I'll think of her whenever I tailgate because she loved to tailgate for a football game. And I'll definitely think of her when I enjoy a beer or two and when my pool is open and I'm floating about, two more things she loved. 

She suffered her fair share, but always looked on the bright side and knew there was always someone worse off.  At the time of the unexpected death of her husband Ron (who I called R2 since he was 'ronnie ray') last August, she joked through it all, and somehow muddled through the loss of her one true love. She was amazing. In the end, I think her broken heart made it too hard to fight the cancer.

I understand, but it sure doesn't make it easier. 

I am so grateful that her niece Susie had been with her in Louisiana to help her, to be Nurse Susie, and to simply be with Cin in the end. It's a true blessing.

I'm so glad you were a big part of my life Cin. So, so glad.  I couldn't have loved ya anymore.

Love ya always, 

diddle

Sunset Meadows

Oh the sunset the day we learned that Cin has just passed was striking.  I'll just say, whenever I get 'bubble's of light' in a picture they seem to appear around the sun. Not in this one. This bubble of light is ascending towards the heavens. Enough said.

Peace out my friends and be well,