It doesn't mean nothing has happened. Just two factors: Too busy doing to write about what we are doing AND given the opportunity, I'm a slug. Really. I put the "pro" in procrastinate.
Last summer was as wonderful as previous ones with our annual trip to N. Myrtle Beach and a couple of trips to Dollywood, Carowinds and the Smokies.
Then in December, Bobbie and Carol took the ultimate Disney Sister's trip. 5 days in DisneyLAND then 5 days in DisneyWORLD.
Emily and I decided not to stay home and pout, although there was some of that. We took a long weekend and went to Dollywood for their Christmas Spectacular.
Later in December Carol, Emily, Andrew and I went back to Dollywood. The shows are all different from the regular season and they were delightful. The weather was a little cold and damp, but warm enough for the Roller Coasters to run so all was well.
A quiet Christmas. Carol got Strep Throat so Bobbie and Bill cancelled their visit. We continued our tradition of going to the Children's Mass at Our Lady of Nazareth, even though we don't have young enough children to "qualify" anymore.
I've gotten involved in KAIROS, an international prison ministry which I will blog about later.
The BIG news of 2014 is that Emily is graduating from Salem High School.
As an Honor Student with a 3.5 GPA !
She will be going to Virginia Western Community College and plans to earn a Surgical Technician's Certificate.
Carol went to visit Bobbie and Bill in Baltimore for the Memorial Day weekend.
Which left Emily and me home alone again. I had shown her some pictures of Rolling Thunder and one of them was of "The Saluting Marine." For 12 years Staff Sgt. Tim Chambers, USMC Ret. has been at each Rolling Thunder. He stands in the middle of the parade route in full Dress Blues, at attention saluting the bikers for the entire parade - FOR OVER FOUR HOURS.
Emily said she wanted to go ride just so she could see him "up close and live." I told her that we would TRY. I had never ridden there before, had no idea what was involved, where to go, when to get there, etc. etc. etc. She has learned that I am willing to do almost anything with her as long as she keeps her expectations VERY LOW. It has worked extremely well and this turned out to be another example of what an excellent plan it is.
At 07:00 we got off I-66 in Northern Virginia.
Topped off the bike and got onto the George
Washington Memorial Parkway.
We had traveled 6 miles.
But we didn't mind because there was a very good reason we averaged 6 mph. We were almost to the
parking lot when our line was pulled to the side so
the Nam Knights could ride past us. Certain
veteran's groups have priority reserved parkingand they lead off the parade.
We were in the fourth row from the last people allowed in the North lot.
Emily was still talking about "that Marine" and it looked like it was working out as hoped. All we had to do was hang out until around 14:00 or 15:00 when we hoped to be heading to DC as part of the parade.
There would be about 250,000 bikes leaving before us.
There is no way to get a picture from our location that adequately shows the number of bikes and bikers that were there. Emily was standing on the bike to take these. Check out some other web sites for panoramic pictures from the hills around the lot.
The first of the vets pulled out at precisely 12:00.
We started our engine at 14:00 and were on the
ramp leaving the parking lot at 14:10.
AGAIN, the Good Lord had put us right where we had to be to accomplish what we had wanted to do. Without us even knowing anything about how to do it.
The six hour wait didn't exactly FLY by but we had a wonderful time talking with the people around us, eating vendor food, walking around and walking around and walking around looking at the bikes.
Em's favorite.
NO HE DIDN'T SIT IN THERE THE WHOLE 6 HOURS !!!
But it is how he arrived and how he rode in the parade.
The owner put him in there occasionally so people could take pictures.
Rolling Thunder's idea of a "mister". It never got hot enough to need it but the kids enjoyed it all day.
The people were friendly, sharing and incredibly patient. Too many examples to tell them all, but I will give you one example.
Early in the day, a lady was walking around giving away kickstand pads which are used when you park on grass or soft ground to keep your bike from falling. I said, "No thank you, we seldom park anywhere but pavement." Much later in the morning, some more experienced folks told us that the parking area at the end of the parade was a big field. a BIG FIELD, within yards of the Mall? Who knew?
I told Em that I was going to go back and see if I could find that lady and get a pad. I walked for 30 minutes or so and never found her. I went back and told Em, "I hope the ground is hard in that field, I couldn't find her. She probably gave them all away and left."
We had talked with the couple next to us for a few minutes. It was their first time, too. Apparently she overheard my conversation with Em because about 20 minutes later she came back and said, "I found her and got two. Here, take this one." All day. Everybody. Just there to have a good time, make new friends and honor our veterans.
When we rode by "The Saluting Marine", Em was taking video. She didn't have time to switch her phone to still pictures but she saw him and she was happy. For the first time he had a disabled vet in a wheelchair sitting in front to him.
We finished the parade and parked the bike. We had no clue where we were. The parade went up Constitution Ave, crossed in front of the Capitol and came back down Independence Avenue. Then we just followed police directions to the parking area. I knew were we close to the Mall. I could see the Washington Monument in the distance but we did not know where any Rolling Thunder things were.
So I asked the first two guys we saw,"Where is the vendor's area? My daughter has
some money burning a serious hole in her pocket."
They told us and then said that they were going there.
But first they were taking a slight detour to see the Marine.
I'm sure many of the other people knew where he
was, too. But I am also certain that MANY did not.
We were led to the right people and followed them to
the curb so Em could take this picture.
WOW.
That was "up close and live."
Emily was VERY HAPPY.
We did a lot of looking and a little shopping. Then we agreed we were tired and headed back to the bike.
We walked over. While we were waiting for others to finish talking to him, we talked with his Grandmother. His Mother was with him too but she was talking to some reporters so we didn't get to talk to her.
Em now has a spot in the middle of her back that will never get washed and no one is allowed to touch. I don't know the adequate word, but "happy" certainly doesn't cover it.
Those of you who have followed my Blog know how many times I have done EXACTLY the right thing at PRECISELY the right time with NO IDEA why or how.
Just another case of that happening.
God really is Good. All the Time.
