Memorial Day Memories and a Me-Me.....

I know Memorial Day is for honoring and remembering our fallen war heroes...and I do, altho I've not lost anyone in combat. I'm choosing to let my memories linger on my beloved parents and Gram Lottie. That's the thing with photographs...they freeze and hold a love one in time. This picture of my parents and my Mother's mother was taken years before I was born in 1940. I can't help but wonder what dreams they dreamed for the future...aging seems to have given me more cause to wonder about their dreams and what came true and what didn't. When I was a child, we honored Memorial Day in my family. By the time I was old enough to remember, there was a grave with our name on it, my baby brother. And Gram Lottie's husband, my maternal grandfather, who died before I was 2. Back then Memorial Day always came on May 30th. No extended weekend to slip away to the cabin or lake. Just the day...for remembering and for taking flowers to the cemetary. By the 30th of May, WI generally has lilac blooming. Those and lilies of the valley. Our bouquets were generally one, or both, of those flowers. The scent of lilacs colors all of my memories of this Day. I won't be going to the cemetary, which is some 40+ miles away, tomorrow. I was there on Mohter's Day with DD#1. I put a new joint stone on the graves of my parents this spring, she took me to see it. And I visited the fairly new grave of my favorite paternal aunt, Lucille. She is the one who got me started piecing quilts *VBS*. She died in Kansas City, MO back in April of 2007. I was unable to be at the cemetary when she was interred, but have now paid my resepcts to her. There is only one member of my Father's family is still living, and none of my Mother's. It definitely moves one to the outer edge.
I've been tagged by Norma of Random Stitches for a me-me. Since I've never done this one, I will *VBS*, Thanks Norma!
1. What I was doing 10 years ago. 1998~I was living alone with my golden retriever and recovering from my first cornea transplant. Doing pretty much what I am do in 2008, enjoying retirement and making quilts.
2. Five things that are on my "to-do" list today. Put my new red chair on my little patio, water the plants, shower, cut more scraps to sizes and work on my Orange Crush Mystery quilt.
3. Snacks I like. Crackers and hummus, chips and salsa, apple slices and carmel to dip them in, cookies and milk, fresh popcorn.
4.Things I would do if I was a billionaire. Rescue ALL the "golden oldies" at the Golden retriever rescue in MN, fund as many 'no kill' animal shelters as possible, make sure my kids all had homes they owned,provide college money for any and all the grandkids, give my sisters enough to make sure they were secure and comfortable.
5. Place I have lived. Wisconsin, Mississippi, Oregon, Michigan and back to Wisconsin to stay. In WI, I have always lived with 100 miles of where I was born.
Now I'm suppose to tag another 5 or 6 people, so.... I tag YOU, and YOU and YOU and those two hiding over there in the corner *VBS*. Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone!