Happy Memorial Day! For a change I took the day off and just switched my work day to next Friday.

I wanted to take the day off so Allison and I could sing in the Annapolis Memorial Day parade with the Girl Scout choir. We had to be down to Annapolis by 9am and already it was about 80 degrees out. We sang four different patriotic songs and practically ran through the parade(they had a fast pace this year). We were all sweating by the time we got down to the docks. This year we did not sing in the Naval Academy ceremony at the end of the parade, so Allison and I headed over to Kilwins for ice cream. Yes, there is another bit of Michigan here in Maryland. Allison was happy to have Superman ice cream and I had the Moose Tracks.

Tom and Scott spent their morning at Game Stop. And Tom cleaned up all the camping equipment out of the garage to put away his new used car! He decided he'd better pick out a car for himself since Allison will need to start driving soon. He picked out a Pontiac Vibe(4 door hatchback looking car) from Car Max on Friday. It looks like it will work for him-he likes that he can lower the back seats and put in camping equipment. I just don't like that it seems to have that cigarette smell and someone must have had a dog since the inside door on the passenger side is peeling off. Tom thinks a dog scratched the lining while sticking its head out the window.

Welcome Back from India Eric! WE loved reading your email and checking out all the cool photos. Sounds like you had an incredible trip !I am always amazed at how much you appreciate the United States after visiting another country. There's No Place Like Home!

We also spent Memorial Day doing some housework. Tom spent 3 days unclogging my kitchen sink! After gallons of Drain -o and countless hours of snaking the pipes, he decided he either broke through the clog or the pipe! Guess we will have to wait and see. He just couldn't bear having to call a plumber in on a holiday weekend(or any time for that matter). He thinks the pipes clogged where they hooked up the newly remodeled line to our previous, original pipes when we redid the kitchen. I hope that does not happen again! I meanwhile was busy reorganizing and cleaning out our shed and parts of the garage. Tom started putting away all the camping gear in the attic. I am sure by the time we get it all washed and put away, it will be time to pull it all out for another trip! I also spent some time doing yardwork-edging in 99 degrees is probably not the best idea, but I never seem to have any time to get it done!

At least I talked Tom into turning on our air conditioning. Summer weather came early to Maryland this year!

In the evening after dinner, we all went over to our neighbor's house to congratulate their daughter on her high school graduation. She opted out of the family party because she thought all her friends would be having parties instead. Turns out she only went to one party and none of her family members came to visit from Ohio except her grandparents. We were invited over on Monday night for cake and we dropped off a graduation gift.

I sent some official Memorial day photos-Allison in Annapolis after the parade at the docks, Scott waiting to put the flags out at the Veterans cemetery and our all American car collection(red, white and blue!).

So Tuesday we will all be back to school and work. If we don't melt first!