Memorial Day Weekend

Well--even though astronomically it hasn't happened yet and won't happen for another almost four weeks--the official start of Summer is here!

Yup--Memorial Day.

Break out the pools, the grills, the bikes, the Summer fun equipment because we are gonna have a party.

Memorial Day, although with somber beginnings, has become the start of the Summer season. Many municipal pools open on this weekend--and around here they should be fairly cold given the weather we have been having right up until this week.

A lot of people have forgotten the reason that Memorial (or Decoration) Day was established. Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (May 31 in 2010). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War (it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the Civil War), it was expanded after World War I.

And so from this somber remembrance, we also enjoy the start of a summertime season that includes Independence Day and ends on Labor Day in early September. More than 92 days of heat, travel, vacationing, and sunburn.

Take a moment though on Monday, to remember our fallen heroes--the men and women of the military services from all of America's wars who died while in service to this great Republic.

I will be traveling--so I am sure to enjoy spending time with family and friends this weekend. We are going to do a test run with Cat--to see if we really want to pack ourselves into the car for a long ride to Florida in July. I wonder how Makayla will do riding with the top down?