Memorial Day: a Parade and Yet Another Party

What's up, kids.

Mitch affixes our Lodge signs to a truck Morgan lent us.

So I didn't end up getting nearly as much sleep as I should have had, following yesterday's Collierpalooza, Despite going to bed around midnight I slept like crap, as did Erik, who picked me up around 8:00am to start getting stuff around for this year's Memorial Day Parade. Like we've done the last few years, we planned, organized, and recruited folks to accompany us in the parade for Centre Lodge #273, Midland's local Masonic Lodge. We usually get between seven to ten people to help out, and this year we had seven - not an ideal turnout, but better than nothing I guess. Masonic bodies are pretty elderly these days, and you can't really count on those guys wanting to walk a few miles in full sun on a Monday morning, so Erik and I always end up doing the heavy lifting for this every year.

An EV truck that Morgan got for us from his Ford dealership.

As we've done in previous years, our rally point was down on Revere Street, off Main Street downtown, where we were queued up next to the Midland Shriners (and their little clown cars.) Abby was once again marching in the vanguard of the Midland High Marching Band, along with her Varsity Pom teammates. Kris always organizes a group to march for her church, First United Methodist, distributing flyers and candy and whatever, but this year she ended up marching in it herself. Which left Alayna the sole Hough who wasn't participating in the parade at all (surprise, surprise), but she was good enough to take some pictures of us all as we marched past her vantage spot on Rodd Street, towards the tail-end of the parade route.

After the parade, Erik and I - accompanied by Mitch, who helped us out this year - had our traditional, post-parade lunch-and-beers up at Big E's, and following that we packed up a couple coolers and drove over to our girls' friend Julianna's house, whose parents had invited our families over for a driveway cookout for the afternoon. Pretty low-key, but the weather was about as perfect as you can get, so it was definitely a good time.

So here's how the Houghs spent Memorial Day '26 - enjoy. . .

Abby and the rest of the MHS Varsity Pom Team shuttled over to their staging area downtown via bus, and rallied at the second street over from Revere Street. Those groups meeting on Revere Street (like us Masons) make up the first section of the parade, while Abby and the Pom Team/Marching Band lead the middle section. Kris' church was rallying on the third street down, so they and the other organizations on that side street were bringing up the tail end of the parade.

This weird lady was sitting on her bike and staring at us for a solid twenty minutes before driving her wonky bike over and asking us where in the parade she was supposed to be at. Turns out she was supposed to be riding behind the Shriners, so we had to endure her weirdness for about an hour as we waited fellow Masons to join us on Revere Street.

Meanwhile, two blocks over, Kris and folks from her church were ready to roll with their banners and handouts.

Kris managed to walk a block over and get a pic or two of Abby as she and her fellow Chemics awaited the start of the parade.

The Magnificent Seven

Abby and Brooklyn

Killing time, still awaiting the start of the parade.

Pic courtesy of one of their coaches.

We ended up pulling ahead of this giant, inflatable eagle that the Shriners brought a long - they swapped places with us this year.

The infamous Shriner cars.

The parade finally kicked off at 10am, and as we marched onto Main Street, we passed by Midland High's position and I was able to snap a quick pic of the team in formation.

As we passed the third street, where the rearguard of the parade was waiting for the first and middle sections to pass, Kris took a couple pics of our Lodge marching past I once again helped carry our Lodge banner.)

I actually prefer carrying the banner to throwing out candy - it's way easier.

A little while later, Kris got some pics of the pommers and marching band as they marched past her. 

Entering downtown (the weather today was just PERFECT - mid-70s and nothing but sun.)

Throwing out candy to the gathered throngs.

Passing in front of our century-old residency (our Lodge owns the top floor of the building.)

Turning onto Rodd Street. The guys throwing out candy had to restock from the back of the pickup truck several times over the course of the miles-long route.

A couple blocks later, Steven and Alicia were watching the parade and took a few pics as we marched by.

The candy was holding up decently this year - we've run out by this point in the parade before, so folks bring more to throw out nowadays.

The Shriner Cars were tearing ass behind us, regularly zooming past us within arm's reach and then taking giant loops around us to return to their starting position. If you weren't careful these things would probably take your leg off.

Alayna, Sebastian, and Samson (yes, Alayna brought the dog a long for the hell of it) were a few more blocks down the road, on the opposite side.

A short time later, Abby and the Pom Team lead the Marching Band past Alayna's vantage point.

Running low on candy, but definitely not complaining about the weather.

Probably the biggest turnout we've ever seen for a Memorial Day Parade - both sides of the street were pretty packed a long the entire route, all the way to the end.

After stowing all the parade crap and partying ways with the other members of Lodge, Erik, Mitch and I drove up to Big E's for our traditional lunch and beers.

Taco Salad was on point today, for sure.

After packing up a quick cooler, Erik picked me up and we drove over to Julianna's house, where Kris, Courtney, and the girls were already hanging out in the driveway, soaking up the glorious, glorious sun.

Bought a sixer of this recently, and figured the weather today almost demanded I include it in my afternoon lineup. Tastes exactly like the original, just half the calories (and a slightly less ABV.)

I lasted a little longer than these guys in the full sun, but eventually I retreated into the shade as well.

After a couple hours hanging out there, we decided to call it. Most folks had to work early the next morning, and Yours Truly had to get up at like frickin' 4:30am in order to be at my school by 6am for our annual 8th Grade field trip to Cedar Point (which I'll cover in tomorrow's post - stay tuned for that one.)

All tuckered out. This is what a full day of sun and beers will do to a guy in his mid-40s. See ya next time, Internet.

- Brian

Swan Song

Welcome back, kids.

So today's installment is Midland High Orchestra's Spring Concert, which I think is Alayna's last orchestra concert ever (unless you count that Senior recital thingy that she has later on in the month, but I'm not sure what all that entails.) Anyway, this was pretty run-of-the-mill as far as high school orchestra concerts go - started at like 7pm, lasted an hour a half, was at Central Auditorium (notorious for giving one a sore back after extended sitting), and we were all home by 9pm. Now, usually these Spring Concerts run a little longer, because Mrs. Mammassian (the orchestra teacher) likes to acknowledge all of the seniors in the orchestra halfway through the concert, detailing their progress over the years and talking about their future plans, but she announced earlier that they would only be mentioning the seniors briefly this evening due to complaints (the last couple years have run looooong). I guess the plan is to do a much more in-depth senior awards ceremony next week or something.

Who knows, I got like one or two senior awards thingies every week this month, it's nuts.

Anyway, as always I was forced to cut all the video from this post (because each of the songs they performed were between five and ten minutes in length, which exceeds Blogger's file limit), but I did throw in some pictures for you guys. 

Enjoy. . .

Following the Concert Orchestra (which neither of my children participate in) kicked things off with three songs, Honors Orchestra came on to do one. Both my kids are in that one, but for whatever reason I completely forgot to take a video of it - totally out of character for me, I don't know. The only pic we got of it was the one where they're standing up for applause (not this one here, the one before it.) Anyway, the last ensemble to perform was the Symphony Orchestra, which as you know both girls are in.

Symphony Orchestra (feat. Alayna on violin and Abby on Cello.)

Alayna and her stand partner kill some time with Rock-Paper-Scissors while Ms. Mammassian repairs some kid's violin string between songs. Seriously.

Abby and the cellos.

Violins

The two opening songs were good (second one started off with a couple rough measures, but they locked in after that.)

Between this second and the final song, Mammassian once again took the time to acknowledge the Seniors in the Orchestra. Alayna was called up first, which we were not prepared for - the video that I did get (which ran long so, sadly, you can't watch it) cut off at the beginning where she's reading Alayna's name.

Again, just a quick acknowledgement of the Seniors that are sailing off into the sunset this year.

Dad got one with his phone, too.

Lexi (of course, she's like second-in-command in the Orchestra behind the teacher) presenting Ms. Mammassian with flowers from the Seniors.

The last performance of the evening saw the orchestra joined by the Meister (however you spell that) singers, along with alumni from the band, choir and orchestra (including our neighbor, Dave, on bass second from right.)

That last song was awesome, and the ensemble on stage rightfully got a standing ovation.

Afterwards, we had to fight the throngs of spectators in the auditorium to make it back to this back room where performers can mingle with audience members after they put away their instruments and crap. The Larsons came out to watch Alayna's final performance, so we made sure to get a pic of them with her.

Sisters.

Dad and Cindy drove up from Clare to watch the girls' showcase this evening, too.

One with Lexi.

With Mom.

That one Sara chick that she works with at Taco Bell.

Those two and their respective boyfriends (as you saw earlier this month at Prom.)

One with Sebastian.

The Houghs, 2.0

With Ms. Mammassian (she always insists getting one with her following these things.)

Thus concludes the Cannonball's final orchestral performance. Fittingly, she left her music binder (at left, here) at Central Auditorium when we took off at the end of the night.

- Brian