Memorial Weekend

People are already clogging the highways, airports and bus stations. It’s reported 30 million people will be traveling this weekend! Police and highway patrol officers are out in force pushing ‘CLICKIT or TICKET’. For a week or more, spot announcements on radio and TV have been warning people of consequences if caught not wearing seat belts. Volunteers, at the rest stop on I 10 outside of town, will serve free soft drinks and coffee to drivers and passengers caught in traffic jams if their driving lane is closed due to an accident.

I plan to put new flags on the graves of my brother, Mickey, ex Merchant Marine, Mom and Dad who was in the National Guard. They are buried next to each other here in the local cemetery. Two brothers and a sister are buried in National Cemeteries, Elbert, an ex Marine, in San Mateo California, Charles, also an ex Marine, in Houston, Texas and Adeline, an ex Wave, in Riverside, California.

I have been flying a flag at my house for years. I leave a light on inside the house that shines thru the window onto the flag at night so I never take it down. It hangs from the corner of the porch and can be seen thru the pecan trees by people driving past the house. Sometimes, I have to untangle it from the pole when the wind wraps it around. I replace it with a new one when it gets dingy from weather.

After 9-11, flags sprouted everywhere. Even on barn roofs and walls of buildings. It seemed as if savings banks were in competition to have the largest flag and tallest flag pole in front or on their building roofs. . I don’t see as many flags now as I drive around town. Maybe the flags just got soiled and raggedy and were taken down.

I know it’s Memorial Day when the Indy 500 race is on TV. This year I’ll root for the young 23 year old girl everyone is talking about. They say she has a good chance to win. Wouldn’t that be something!!