Memorial Day

In what has become something of a tradition for us we went down to Austin today for Memorial Day. You may remember our trip last year where we raced down there but were late for the parade. We really, really didn't want that to happen again so the FP Gal and I woke up very early to get us on the road. She woke up DF and I woke up Relia. I don't know that this has ever happened to us before.
We ate and dressed and packed and were on the road by 630a. We made good progress and even had time for a bathroom break. It was 828a when we pulled into the parking lot for the parade, a full two minutes before its listed beginning. Except that the schedule was wrong and it started about 850a. Oh well, better early than late!
We used the extra time to meet up with family. Pop-pop, of course, Uncle David and Aunt Donna, Andrea and shortly thereafter Uncle Jerry. Not a big crowd watched the parade but our family was well represented there. In fact, we almost outnumbered the parade participants. The Austin parade has really shrunk. Many of the units are just barely represented now.
On the plus side, we used the sidewalk space to let the children run wild and free. Or something like that. DF toddeled and toddeled all around. He left short little finger and mouth prints on all of the storefront windows. Relia was her usual charming self as well. (Look, I've got a mirror and I know how to use it. Very little credit for my kids cuteness goes to me. But man, o man, are they cute!)
Off to the cemetery for the service there. After last year's 21 gun daddy wetting, we made certain that Relia was empty this year. DF wandered around with the FP Gal chasing. (She had given me the camera but I forgot I had it, darn it. I did get some picks of her holding him though. Maybe she'll add them for me.) My former principal gave a short speech before the wreaths were laid. It was frankly the most non-apologetically patriotic thing that I've heard in a long time. Very long on recognizing the hardships that soldiers go through and recognition of what they've meant to our country. It was bracing.
The shots were fired and there were no accidents this time. Pop-pop raced over with Relia and they got one spent shell. (Military types are welcome to correct me here.) Then we took a short walk over to my maternal grandparents graves and cleared them. They both died too young. My fraternal grandparents graves next and while Grandma Erna lived a good long life, this Grandpa also died too young. Makes you think.
Off to a playground, the one at Sumner school. Pop-pop told us that they're putting in air conditioning there so that they can go to all year round school. When she heard that the FP Gal started doing the math to figure out if we could move to Austin or not. The math still says 'no' but this definitely moved the dial.
Off to Culver's for lunch with the family. Everyone listed above plus Amy, Ricky and their kids Montana and Devon. The FP Gal's folks were driving back from Iowa and they even timed the trip well enough to meet with us. By this time the kids were just running on fumes. Poor DF even rested his head down on his place mat from time to time.
We finally broke for home only stopping for gas first. Both kids were asleep before the tank was full. Eventually the FP Gal fell asleep too. Somewhere around Northfield Relia woke up and her first words were, "Can we stop at Pop-pop's first and get a cookie. Please?" I had to break it to her gently that we were far away from Austin.
One by one the rest of the family woke up and then we were home!