Memorial Day Weekend Memories

We didn’t get much of a break weather-wise over the three-day weekend.

It sucked because going into the weekend, I thought about some of my Memorial Day memories.

Growing up, Memorial Day weekend was the weekend where we were dragged from our beds on Saturday morning to plant the garden.

We had a big garden, and we were rudely awakened by my dad who wasn’t messing around.

Five minutes after we opened our eyes, we were in the dirt.

Tomatoes, peppers, cukes, eggplant…

…and on and on.

Of course, there was plenty of banter.

Sometimes there were fights.

There were a lot of laughs.

And by noon, we were usually free.

We’d swim, and play hoops.

When we got older, we introduced beer to the event.

The Yankee game was on in the garage.

And then the grill got going.

My father was an excellent cook, and his chicken and ribs were standard fare.

I have no idea how much money he spent on food, but there was always plenty.

The neighbors would stop by and by the time we sat down for dinner there were usually a dozen people there.

More laughs, more hoops, the sun shining, beer, fights…

…and then we’d build a fire in the back and hang out back there.

I know I sound like an old dude when I talk about the fact that we needed to have friends over or go to their house to connect.

No phones.

No staring at a screen.

Sitting outside with a fire crackling…

…just talking and breaking balls.

Making a game out of everything.

The sun always seemed to be shining. I was badly sunburned one year (I’ve only been sunburned twice in my life).

We’d eat another time or two…

…and we would repeat that sort of day over the next couple of days.

So, this past weekend?

Rain destroyed everything on Saturday, and I did what I could, I made ribs.

They were great.

I got the round of golf in on Sunday (the swing is back, baby) and then it rained some more.

Plenty of screen time.

A few shows.

Made too much food for just three people.

Memorial Day is also the day when we think of those who died in our never-ending wars.

That’s one thing that’s never changed…

…I still have the thought that we needed to thank those people, for sure, but I also said a prayer, in the hope that we can stop sending kids off to die.

There needs to be another way.

Hope you had a great weekend.