I really was going to write a blog yesterday, even though my wife told me it was a holiday and I didn’t have to, but the day kind of got away from me. The day included a parade, a BBQ, and the beginning of the dreaded tech week.
Our Memorial Day began with the realization that a party was going to be arriving at our house later that day, and if we could see part of the floor through the disaster, that might be nice. So I started cleaning. Cleaning went, oh, not well. I guess I would say it went medium rare. I managed to clear the table off so we could put food on it later, and I even vacuumed a little.
Then it was time to leave for the big parade. My mother had told me that she would meet us there at 10, which I knew was a lie, because it was my mother, and so we planned to arrive at 10:30. Sadly, it took longer than I thought to get there, so we arrived at 10:45. I called my mother, who swore she was almost there, and when the parade began at 11 she was just arriving with my sister and their 400 children.
I would describe the parade, but you know, it was a parade. Marching bands, floats, fire trucks, etc. The big deal for everyone was the candy that was being thrown from the various floats and trucks. The children had one of three reactions to the candy:
1) Pushing the other kids out of the way and grabbing all the candy
2) Getting pushed by bigger kids and grabbing candy
3) Sitting on the curb crying because they did not have any candy
We tried to explain to kids in group 3 that they actually had to reach out and take the candy if they wanted any, but it was admittedly terrifying out there with all the pushing and such, so you couldn’t really blame them. The solution was to combine all the candy once we got home and divide it out equally, which made all the kids in group 1 cry, but hey, life’s not fair kids. Besides, once you are grownups you will find that the strong aggressive ones do get to keep all the candy, so I think you’ll come out ahead eventually.
After the parade we had a barbecue at my house. Of course we don’t actually have a grill anymore, so my brother-in-law brought his grill, and all the food, and drinks, and plates and napkins and silverware, and pretty much everything. All we had to provide was a house, cleaned medium-rare.
The party was fun. We made the kids go play outside, since it had finally stopped raining for the first time since February, and the grownups got to lie on the floor and moan about how tired they were. At least that’s what I did. The food was good, the family was good, but eventually it was time for everyone to leave, they to their houses and me to my first La Rondine tech rehearsal. And that’s where I am right now, writing this blog while they adjust the lights and whatnot.
Overall, it was a good day, and I do want to say thank you to the men and women who have died for our country, and who we celebrate today. Though I do fervently wish for a world in which a military is not necessary, I am happy to have them there as long as we live in this world. I hope you all had a great day too. Talk to you tomorrow!