Memorial Day (For Me)

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Today proved to be Memorial Day for me. I visited memorials to my parents.

First I went to the National Cemetary in Bourne, Massachusetts. Last summer we interred about half of my father's ashes there. We had a wonderful, moving military service with color guard and folded flag (which I now have). So today I visited the site to see the final marker.

I left Dad a "100 Years of Nichols Hockey" DVD that I got when I visited Nichols. I figure he would enjoy it more than me.

Then I went to beautiful Heritage Museums and Gardens in Sandwich, Massachusetts. My mother had been a devoted docent there, and we spread her ashes in the Lily Garden, as well as some of Dad's. Currently a cool new water feature with a flume is being installed in the Garden, so I am afraid Mom and Dad are now part of the aqua system! But I do believe they long ago served their purpose of nourishing the area flowers.

Mom's memorial is a bench in the American History Museum. Currently it is in a Horseless Carriage exhibit.









The plate says "In Memory of Mary Fay Jones, Beloved Mother and Wife, Devoted Docent." My family decided on that rather than "Are Your Dogs Barking? Then This Bench is For Parking" (though I think Mom would have preferred the latter).

Dad also has a couple of memorial bricks along the walkway at the Windmill at Heritage.

Those of you my age, who still have your parents: Cherish them, and garner all the wisdom and history you can from them. You will miss them more than you know. Ask anyone who has lost parents.

And those younger folks who may find your parents embarassing: You will be amazed how much smarter they get as you get older. So treat them as treasures. Besides, they brought you into this world, and they can take you out!

My fun stop was at Hasbro Headquarters in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Here I am with Mr. Potato Head. I am on the right.

The guy who took the picture saw my plates and said "You have come a long way to get a photo of Mr. Potato Head!" Yeah, well, I have made a few stops along the way, my friend. And I have a few more.

I stopped near New Haven, Connecticut, and will buzz through Yale in the morning. Then on to Doylestown, Pennsylvania, the home of my college friend John Willingham.