How do you all observe Memorial Day...? Partying or solemn reflection?

[Niagara]

10. Growing up, my mother had several artificial flower arrangements on a

headstone saddle that could be placed on top of a headstone.

My mom would take the artificial flower arrangements out of storage every Memorial weekend, my mom would drive out to the cemeteries and place these flowered headstone saddles on the headstones of deceased family members.

My mom had several different artificial flower arrangements and she drove to several different cemeteries to place them. The artificial flowers would flow over the headstones while making our deceased family members commemorated and making their final resting place beautiful.

Of course these headstone saddles with the artificial flower arrangements were always collected on Labor Day weekend, cleaned off with a gentle spray of the garden hose, completely dried out in the sun and put away back into storage for the following year.

There were also headstones in the cemetery that had tiny American flags and a veteran star grave marker announcing that this particular deceased person was a veteran and served in the military.

I do remember having some family orientated cookouts around Memorial Day.

I don't have an issue with friends and family getting together to break bread and to spend time together. I don't believe that there's enough quality time spent with our loved ones.

However, if cookouts turn into drunken brawls with class 4 fireworks going off, that would be a completely different scenario.

I work this Memorial Day and that's alright with me. It won't be a long day. It's also my SO's birthday on Monday.