Awake: 4:37am Temp 57 sleep 5+33 Sunny overnight @ Nicktown
We drive to 8:00 am Mass which was dedicated to the living & deceased
local veterans in the area. A lot of uniformed guys, their wives &
children attended this Mass.
The famous Nicktown Memorial Day parade & dedication begins @ 9:00am. This
is why we drove to church in lieu of walking….it gave us a little more
time to change into lighter clothing, get the camera, hat, water bottle,
etc., then walk back to the main area of town.
This Nicktown parade for yrs has kept the reputation of being well
attended & today is no exception. Estimates of close to 1000 people were
lined up on both sides of the main parade route, the parking lots, in
front of the school, the church & the cemetery.
Candy was thrown for the kids from the passing wagons, fire engines,
tractors, etc…..& something we have never experienced before: travel size
toothpaste tubes from a local dentist were also tossed to the crowd. K & I
managed to scarf up (2) tubes each. I thought it was a great idea.
@ the cemetery, the sound system was tested & a welcome to the dedication
by Bill M. who just happens to be a distinguished member of our coffee
club group I might add. Then Father Job gave the invocation. Next a
POW/MIA flag recognition followed by a music selection by the Northern
Cambria High School Band. Next the distinguish guest speaker: Raymond A.
L. spoke for about 10 min. Then the Memorial presentation was made…a
veteran’s prayer…floral & wreath presentation….fire queen recognition….
salute to the dead…taps with echo….the National Anthem & the closing
prayer by Father Job + closing comments by our coffee club MC, Bill M. A
loud applause was heard throughout the cemetery for a job well done.
K & I mingle with some of the crowd for maybe 45 min afterwards.
Back to our bus for breakfast & then we drive to Indiana & visit with the
Foote family. Our timing was off as Melissa & the boys were napping &
Kevin was working on the Space Pak air conditioning system. He didn’t want
me to help…. “just relax…maybe read a magazine or something” he says.
Well, I was surprised to hear him talk like that….but K & I needed to do
some light grocery shopping anyway so we did. They were awake when we
returned & we spent the afternoon in the backyard with Matthew @ his small
pool. It was the best way for Melissa, Matthew & Kathy to keep their cool.
High temp in Indiana today was 91.
I was prepared to finish connecting the bathroom wiring into the main
breaker box in the basement but Kevin discouraged me from doing this & I
didn’t really understand why. Later, I was walking & looking around in
their basement & then I found out why: Kevin didn’t finish running the
wires thru the joists to the breaker box & he admitted it would have taken
at least (2) hrs to finish. So it turns out, he was really into running
more takeoffs from the plenum than running simple wires thru the joists.
He admitted the unfinished bathroom could wait but not the air
conditioning.
@ 3:30 Kevin had the outdoor grill in the back yard smoking: the 4:00pm
dinner of hamburgers, roasted ears of corn, baked beans, salad by Kathy &
all the condiments for our hamburgers made for a wonderful Memorial Day
treat. We also celebrated Kevin’s birthday early because we will soon be
out-of-towners. Back to our bus @ 6:30.
@ 7:00pm we visit my cousins Bernie, his (2) sisters, Ethel & Lou Ann, &
Lou Ann’s husband, Herk. We always have a good time talking with these
people & their side yard swing is the best setting for our talks. Ethyl
served us homemade brownies and Crystal Light blackberry drink; both quite
good. (3) hrs later, the air has cooled, the ladies are donning sweaters &
someone is getting tired. It was a busy & terrific day.
High temp=84 Lights out: 11:02pm
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