We arrived in Colorado Springs late Wednesday night. Thursday was a beautiful day, nice and cool. I really enjoyed watching the thunderstorms come in over the mountain. (sure made me long for the times when I lived in Tucson). We have had alot of meetings for the memorial service. Friday we had a 5 hour practice session for the ceremony. There are over 500 uniion members from across the US and Canada participating in this. With over 140 of them in the bagpipe and drum band. (DH is dissappointed that he never heard back and wishes he'd brought his pipes to participate.) I've held up pretty well until last night. The family of our member never showed. Our Union President provided the picture and obit. that is in the memorial book, as well as how to have his name listed on the wall. So, we've had to sit in on the family meetings as well as our Pres. is presenting the flag to DH; as we are here to represent not just our union but now the family. We were closer to him than anyone on the job and certainly closer than his family. (they lined their pockets with his money and ran) Last night was the meeting where the readers of the names read off the names to make sure they were correct, pronounancation was correct. I began crying and my knees buckled when they got to Captain Bevans. I don't know how the widows and widowers are doing this. Today will be hard day. Our union President's wife is here as well, she is having just as hard of a time. (She's french braiding my hair right now as that's the only way we could come up with for it to fit under my uniform hat) I will post what pictures I can after I get home, though it will no doubt be Monday or Tuesday before I get to it.
I have been able to do a little shopping. We'll be driving down the road and the union pres. will go, "turn in here! I see a scrapbook store". I've only gotten to shop in one as the rest were closed and the one I shopped at was closing. But I thought it was too funny that even Ray knew I need to shop a little. I did get to a bead store and they too were going out of business, 75% off!!! I bought over $200 in beads for next to nothing! I never have that kind of luck!!! Found a rubber stamp store (actually Ray fournd it and made Alan stop at it, LOL) Though I didn't see anything I wanted, or thought I could live without.
Gotta run as we have a final practice before it's time to get dressed in our Class A's and get started with the ceremony. Have a wonderful weekend!
Kenda