DFO: Back home in CdA after a wonderful week in Denver. I was impressed by lead stewardess on my Southwest Airlines flight No. 918 who reminded everyone as we were landing in Spokane that (Monday) is Memorial Day. She then asked all the vets to punch their call lights in their seats to allow other passengers to know that they’d served their country. The loaded plane then burst into applause. Additionally, the veterans were asked by the stewardess to de-plane first. Wonderful return to our area. The pouring rain after the Denver sunshine didn’t diminish that moment in the friendly skies.

Question: How did you observe Memorial Day?

Ryan Wahl attaches an American flag to a pole on Tuesday at Fairmount Memorial Park, as crews place 2,240 flags throughout the cemetery. Every flag has a number and is put in the exact same spot year after year.

Each of the 2,240 flags raised in Fairmount Memorial Park is meticulously plotted in the same location each year so families can pay tribute to the veterans they’ve lost.

The flags were displayed with the caskets at the veterans’ funerals. Since 1970, families have donated them for display in one of four cemeteries in Spokane. Between Greenwood Memorial Terrace, Riverside Memorial Park, Spokane Memorial Gardens and Fairmount, about 3,500 flags will fly this year for Memorial Day on Monday. Each flag bears the name of the veteran and a number to track it. Asia Hege, SR. Full Story.

My dad’s flag flies here. We’ll visit his grave and see his flag on Sunday. Who will you be thinking of on Memorial Day weekend?

Joe Heller/Hellertoons

Apparently, DFO is taking this whole vacation thing seriously. He didn’t even leave a Wild Card for today! So here’s one for those who are indoors or can figure out how to combine blogging with lake activities and barbecuing. We visited my Dad’s grave at Fairmont Memorial Park yesterday. The view from the bluff is spectacular and the acres of flags never fail to move me.

Memorial Day weekend is traditionally when folks fire up their barbecues for their first time. Not us. We bbq all year long. Well, except for this year when the grill got buried beneath several feet of snow. That put a crimp in the cookouts.
So what will be on your grill this weekend?

* Hamburgers

* Hot Dogs

* Steak

* Chicken

* Other