Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day weekend is always one of my favorites.  I love thinking about dear ancestors and honoring them as we visit cemeteries.  I love being outside in the sun under blue skies.  I love being with family.  I love eating yummy Memorial Day foods, like tutti frutti ice cream and barbecue something.  I love swimming.  We got to do most of those things this weekend, and I am glad for it.

Saturday morning, after cleaning at the church, Georgianne came down and met us for a drive to Eureka.  Normally my mom and Mikayla and Guy would come, and sometimes Eugene and Sharea and their crew, but they all went to Moab for several days, so it was just the five of us.  We had a nice chat as we drove out and back, and amazingly, it was not windy in Eureka.  It’s always windy in Eureka, but this year is wasn’t.  Where in years past we have had our lunch blow away and sat shivering in the gale force winds, we could have had a lovely picnic this year.  Too bad we didn’t pack anything.  We stopped at the Santa Queen for lunch instead.

Great Grandma Georgina and Grandpa George Richards.

We had planned on going up to East Lawn Sunday afternoon to decorate Dad's, Grandma Hare's, and Jeff's graves, but the day got away from us somehow.  My visiting teachers came, the home teachers came, dinner came, and our trip to the cemetery did not come.  We wanted to go with other family members, and as the Moab group didn't get home until the afternoon and were tired from their trip, it just didn't happen.  But we still had Monday!

Monday morning I went for a long bike ride with my neighbor and then we were headed off for more cemetery visiting.  Blythe, however, had been up in the night with a fever, and she felt crummy all day.  Once she installed herself on the couch, she didn't want to go anywhere.  She pretty much spent the day there watching TV.  Our plans to go to the Murray and Salt Lake cemeteries were thus curtailed, and the schedule a bit simplified.  Brandt and I drove up to East Lawn with Grandma Sue, Mikayla and Guy, and Eugene and Sharae.  The kids all played in the huge sand pile and we sat under the trees and talked and laughed.  To say we all really, really, really miss Dad doesn't really convey how much.  I am reminded of him all the time, in funny ways.  I am so grateful to know we are bound together for eternity and that I will see him again.  

As we lay on the grass, this was the view up into the trees above us.

It was quiet and peaceful and cool in the shade.

Brandt would tell you the best part of the day was the afternoon when we went swimming at the Cutler's house, our cul-de-sac neighbors.  They opened the pool form 4-10 to anyone who wanted to come.  There weren't that many people there when we went, and the water felt wet and wonderful.  Unfortunately, Blythe was still putting in couch time, so she didn't get to swim.  We are super lucky to have such a fun pool right across the street.

As I said, for this Memorial Day weekend I got to do most of my favorite Memorial Day things.  Visiting cemeteries?  Check!  Outside under blue skies?  Check!  Being with family?  Check!  Swimming?  Check!  Eating tutti frutti ice cream and barbecue?  No check.  Sad face.  We didn't make ice cream or barbecue, but the summer has only just begun.