Chariton Valley News Press
Memorial Day Weekend!
The unofficial start to summer. The weekend that used to take me a month
to prepare for and was over in 72 short hours.
Memorial weekend used to be the first weekend Larry and I
were brave enough to pack kids, food, horses, and tent for a trail ride and
campout. The kids couldn’t wait – I could. When the kids were little, we had a
stock trailer, tent and Rubbermaid boxes full of camping gear for these
weekends. We would shut the front gate on the trailer and try to organize all
the boxes and saddles so we could still get to everything before packing like
sardines into the single cab pickup and heading out for some family fun – aka
chaos.
When we pulled out of the driveway, the sun was always
shining. We would get to camp and the kids would bail out of the truck to find
their friends. Jake would grab his tractors and trucks out of the back of the
pickup and head for the nearest pile of dirt he could find. Much to my dismay,
dirt was never the only thing he scooped and hauled with all those horses
around.
The thing about camping with my kids when they were little
was - they never seemed to mind if we went somewhere with “primitive”
accommodations. Translated? They
didn’t have to shower for two days unless I drug them - kicking and screaming -
to a friends house nearby. They were adamant that riding the horses to the
nearest creek, tying them to a tree, and taking a swim in the heat of the day
sufficed. Oh, wait, - the inevitable memorial weekend monsoon was good enough
for them as well. The monsoon even washed their clothes while they were
“showering”.
These days, campouts are a lot less chaotic even when both
Joni and Jake decide to go with us. Our horse trailer has a dressing room where
I can keep all the camping supplies stored year round. It even has a semi
comfortable air mattress to sleep on. Jake is more interested in socializing
than playing in the dirt these days and doesn’t mind the shower anymore. Everybody
can saddle their own horse, fix their own plate, clean up their own mess, and
even lend a hand when it comes time to cook.
Larry and I tend to avoid the three-day holidays for
campouts though. Equestrian friendly campgrounds are full months in advance
these days. The thrill of “primitive” camping is long gone. That went out the window
the day I shut the trailer door and turned that beautiful air conditioner on
for an afternoon siesta when it was too hot to ride. Yes, I’m a wuss.
That doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy the break from the workweek
when a holiday grants us an extra day off work. My honey do list is pretty
extensive this year. We have lots of little projects left around the house to
fill that extra day nicely. Add to the list, bonding with the new addition to
our household. Larry and I adopted a miniature Australian Shepherd dog this
week. She is adapting pretty quickly – the cats, not so much.
I’m pretty sure I witnessed Zoey do an eye roll that rivaled
anything Joni or Jake could master in their day. She quickly found a hiding
spot far, far away from anything canine. Chloe on the other hand worries me
just a little. The evil gaze she threw poor Shylo last night as I was petting
her came straight from a psycho cat horror movie. I’m hoping the long weekend
with Larry and I supervising their interactions will help them all adjust.
As we use the extra time at home for projects and family, we
will also stop and take to heart the real reason for the holiday weekend. Memorial
Day is not the “official” start to summer or just a break from the grind of a typical
work week as so many retailers want everyone to believe.
Memorial Day is a day set aside to remember and be thankful
for all the brave men and women who have fought and paid the ultimate sacrifice
to protect our freedoms. Freedoms to own a home of our choosing and design,
spend time with family and friends, attend the church of our choice, speak
freely, and own firearms for both recreation and protection. It saddens me when
people forget the sacrifice it takes by the men and women of the armed forces
to protect all those liberties.
In a perfect world, our government wouldn’t have to set
aside one day a year to remember our lost heroes. A perfect world would mean there
would be world wild harmony and no need for wars, conflicts, peacekeeping
missions, or deployments. Families
would never be in fear of the phone ringing while their loved one is serving
overseas. No family would ever feel the deep-seated pain of grief at the loss
of someone they love due to conflict and war. The world would not harbor evil
with its sights set on harming those who enjoy freedom everyday.
But a perfect world we do not live in so we will continue to
honor those heroes every chance we get. The Salisbury Steak Festival this year
revolves around
“Veteran’s – Our Heroes”. What a wonderful opportunity to once again say thank
you to the men and women of the armed forces who have selfishly served our
country and the younger generation filling the voids as they retire. Our three
day weekends would not be filled with bbq’s, trail rides, family, and honey do
lists if it were not for the brave men and women who courageously gave their
lives and those who continue to bravely fight today. Thank you today, tomorrow,
next week and next year!
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