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To all of our tubenet veterans, I hope you've all taken sometime today to reflect on your memories of the shipmates, and buddies, who've past, or are still living. I know, that during my twenty years of active and reserves time, my path has crossed with some real characters. Very fond memories. the ties have always been stronger, even than the college fraternity days. Memorial Day is a special time. I hope we've all have a had a good weekend.

What did you do to make it special weekend.

I've ridden 400 miles on the motorcycle this weekend, smoked a nice cigar, while basking in the sun at the headwaters of the Mississippi, with my son. Stopped and visited a few rural cemeteries along the way that were particularly well dressed for the event. A nice ride through the back roads of northern Minnesota.

I visited a couple of cemeteries over the weekend and today will be spent just laying around the pool waiting for my wife's and my families to arrive. The brats are pre-cooked and ready to toss on the grill. It's 2pm and I'm finished with my FIRST margarita.

Yep... it's time to think a bit about all of the strife around The World. Think about those guys out 'tent camping' in Afghanistan and the peacekeepers in Iraq. I spent a few years in the Navy during the Viet-nam conflict. We did what we had to do... as did those who went before us.

Peace

Brought the grill out to the in-laws place and was supposed to grill today but it started raining about 4:00 this morning and hasn't stopped yet so mom cooked inside and we'll try again tomorrow or next weekend.

Hanging out with the kids during the morning rain... a little yard work when the weather cleared... community band concert with my clarinet playing wife this evening. A good day.

I played a ceremony this AM--a great speech by a LTC Blackhawk squadron leader, BTW.Then the hotdogs and hamburgers with the kids and grandsons, which has plum wore me out!I think an early night is called for.

Played a very satisfying concert with my church choir,102 strong yesterday, and orchestra. About half of the orchestra were homegrown and the other half pro friends. I got to catch up on things with them, work and family stuff. A couple of really nice pieces, Rutter's Distant Land and Wilberg's Shennandoah, topped my list of favorites. Had about 2000 in the audience, special guests from local vets to actives on leave. All in all a very nice day of reflection.

Hi-
Beach-sunburn-grilled food...

Regards-
mark
jonestuba@Juno.com" target="_blank

Played for a ceremony yesterday afternoon -- great turnout, beautiful weather, very moving. Other than that, it's been a quiet weekend here.

I got my Rob Stewart OTS EEb out of storage to play in a 6 piece ensemble at the Redwood City (CA) Civil War Cemetery ceremony, then over a few miles to the San Carlos VFW hall for another memorial. Pretty good turn-out at both. Lots of questions afterwards as to what exactly my tuba was...

Went up to Warrenton, Virginia to visit with one of my sisters and her family. Grilling, chilling, picking and grinning ensued.

I was blessed to have the day off, but my wife went to work. She had to make up a snow day (working in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools).

I took our new dog to the dog park. She's only 12 pounds, but she ran with the 100+ pound dogs just fine.



Practiced some Bach on the F tuba.

Caught up on some much needed sleep.

Dylan King wrote:I was blessed to have the day off, but my wife went to work. She had to make up a snow day (working in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools).

It's pretty bad when a school district must be in session on Memorial Day, of all holidays! And just to get in the mandated quota in a meaningless day where absenteeism must have been through the roof. This is a day of reflection and of honoring those who have kept us free by the giving of their very lives; to show this kind of disrespect I find simply outrageous. Shame on Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

School was at less than 1/2 capacity yesterday.

In spite of beautiful weather, I stayed OFF the moorsickle...we have way too many fatalities on Memorial Day to want to join the hoards on my bike. Hung the new flag that I got for my birthday, spent some quiet time in reflection (Dad was a WWII vet; my sister went out to the grave site at the VA Cemetary where he and Mom are interred, called me on the cell phone and we had a good chat.) Didn't get a group together to play at the VFW hall this year, we took it off. Flag stays up until 30 May, which is always "real" Memorial Day for me.

I did grill my fool head off, though. Steaks, burgers and brats, along with some corn and potatoes.

Thanks to all vets, and current duty personnel.

Ate, drank ouzo and played cards with some very good friends.

On Sunday, my quintet played a ceremony at Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery near Verdun, France. Many of the French people still thank Americans for their roles in World Wars I and II, even though it was our grandfathers and great-grandfathers that served then. Another quintet was at St. Avold and the marching band was in Normandy. The folks in the Normandy region set new heights for hospitality of Americans and it's great to see how they honor WWII veterans and especially how they pay tribute on Memorial Day to those that gave their lives on French soil for the freedom of those they did not even know.

chhite wrote:On Sunday, my quintet played a ceremony at Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery near Verdun, France. Many of the French people still thank Americans for their roles in World Wars I and II, even though it was our grandfathers and great-grandfathers that served then. Another quintet was at St. Avold and the marching band was in Normandy. The folks in the Normandy region set new heights for hospitality of Americans and it's great to see how they honor WWII veterans and especially how they pay tribute on Memorial Day to those that gave their lives on French soil for the freedom of those they did not even know.

A lot of us would do it again today, if the need arose. Glad you could play there!

It's not a holiday here. I worked.

We drove South on the holiday to avoid traffic to Tampa, Florida where there are more skateboard parks that I would have believed possible.

Yesterday was Independence Day here in the Philippines and I taught too. I'm getting a whole new perspective on what holidays mean.