The Hogsty

Morning. As of this week, I have been in Wyoming for 46 years, so naturally I celebrated the occasion by driving though Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico in a single weekend. My son and family were supposed to go to a wedding in Eagar, Arizona, but his wife and son had to cancel at the last minute. I texted my boss about 5 a.m. to tell her I was headed south for a couple of days, jumped in the car with my son, and drove 28 hours between 7:00 a.m. Friday and 5:00 p.m. last night. I love road trips, and once my son got over his predictable grumpiness ("I hate sitting on my nuts getting nothing done"), he had a pretty decent time, too. The trip home was especially fine since we took a route up through the western mountains of Colorado.

So. How was your weekend? Sunny and 46 degrees here, headed for a high of 70+.

Morning all.

Memorial day Monday.

Other than getting over my colonoscopy, the weekend has been pretty tame, took a drive to Riverton to pick up some meds, tried out a restaurant there.

Getting ready for another walk around the koi ponds at the Hot Springs park this morning.

Morning!

Some history about Memorial Day:

Memorial Day is an American holiday observed on the last Monday of May. It honors the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Here’s a brief history and significance of this solemn day:

Origin: Originally known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day originated in the years following the American Civil War. The Civil War, which ended in the spring of 1865, claimed more lives than any other conflict in U.S. history. As a result, the country’s first national cemeteries were established. Citizens in various towns and cities began holding springtime tributes to the countless fallen soldiers by decorating their graves with flowers and reciting prayers. The exact origin of this tradition remains unclear, but one of the earliest Memorial Day commemorations was organized by a group of formerly enslaved people in Charleston, South Carolina, less than a month after the Confederacy surrendered in 1865. In 1966, the federal government declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day. Waterloo had been celebrating the day since May 5, 1866, with community-wide events where businesses closed, and residents decorated soldiers’ graves with flowers and flags1.
Decoration Day: On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Northern Civil War veterans, called for a nationwide day of remembrance later that month. He designated May 30, 1868, as a day to decorate the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion. The date was intentionally chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle. On the first Decoration Day, General James Garfield delivered a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, and 5,000 participants decorated the graves of the 20,000 Civil War soldiers buried there. By 1890, each Northern state had made Decoration Day an official state holiday. Southern states continued to honor the dead on separate days until after World War I1.

Modern Observance: In 1971, Memorial Day became an official federal holiday. Many Americans observe it by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings, and participating in parades. Unofficially, it also marks the beginning of the summer season. Each year, a national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day.

Remembering and honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice is at the heart of Memorial Day, and it serves as a poignant reminder of the cost of freedom and the bravery of those who served our nation.

Had one decent day all weekend...... and I rode the whole day. Looking like rain all this week, then I go into the hospital Friday to have some large stones removed from my kidneys..... not a great way to start a weekend.