Another Memorial Day Parade down Main Street Sylvania

     Sitting on our front porch on Main Street Sylvania watching the Memorial Day parade go by.

Just for today, sad news, Ukraine news, gun violence news, and sports news take a back seat to American patriotism news and remembering America's soldiers.

This is my 4th annual Sylvania Memorial Day Parade.  I've been here that long, moved here right after returning from Ukraine.  It's how I'm measuring my days since then.  The memorial days have all been different.  One year with family and grandkids, another with my sister and some of the grands, this year with neighbors and artist friends Kay, who knows my daughter Elissa, and Judi, who lives right downstairs.  Friends stop by and we offer tea, lemonade and snacks. Emily used to live in the front apartment a few years back.   Gene owns the place and remembers his flying days with the Air Force. We chat and laugh. Kay and Judi have lived in Sylvania and area for years and years. Judi remembers some of the people who lived in some of the old homes up and down Main, from the days she had a yarn shop and other endeavors. Kay remembers high school days.

Norman Rockwell
 yahoo images.

Nothing like celebrating this holiday in small town America. Norman Rockwell would have had plenty to draw, and Sinclair Lewis might have done another novel on life in mid-America.  I hear some of the old jazz Kay might like too, along with the high school bands who strut down Main between the army vehicles, real veterans, old cars, city officials, boy scouts, brownies and girl scouts, karate students and baton twirlers.  In this special way, we remember our vets and our soldiers.

It feels like times past in some ways and, frankly, the nostalgia is warm and embracing. No cel phones, smart phones, texting, internet or web.  Just a slice of small-town comfort, the kind that Norman Rockwell painted.