Memorial Day Tradition with the Hoarder

The Hoarder Mom grew up in a little piece of Virginia that is actually nestled between Kentucky, Tennessee and west of West Virginia. Memorial weekend is a big deal there. The weekend is spent decorating the graves of ancestors; the ones you know and the ones you know only though stories. As people walk into the cemetery, you are asked if you brought "flares". The heavy southern accent makes "flowers" sound like "flares", so the first time my husband attended a Memorial Weekend "down home" for Decoration Day, he seriously inquired when the fireworks would begin.

A few years ago around the time my father (the original hoarder) became ill with rectal cancer, the parents came up with this grand idea to buy a second hoard ...er, I mean home in this small area of Virginia.  My mom lived in VA until the ripe ol' age of 2 before moving to Michigan with her mom and five siblings to join their father who left the coal mines to work at Ford Motor Company.  So as you can see, this is a very very important place chock full of experiences and memories for someone who lived there until two.  

It used to be fun to go there for Memorial weekend, when my grandparents were alive and would take us. When my great aunts and uncles were still alive. Before the second hoard home was purchased as a weapon to be lorded over everyone who coveted it. (Although I am still trying to figure out who wants to take it from her so badly and who is jealous that she has it.) Before my dad was buried at Miller's Chapel.

My meedle leedle seester, goes there every Memorial weekend. She likes to hang out with the second, third and beyond cousins of whom there are very few left. She likes, as do I, to walk amongst the grave stones to remember the ones we knew and the ones in the family stories. She likes to go to put flares on dad's grave and talk to him. I would like to do that too, but not with the mother around.


"Dinner for tomorrow is cooking. Will try to make a couple chocolate pies tonight. Gas in Virginia was $3.29 a gal. Will leave the kitchen door unlocked."

NOTE: I started this entry some time ago and don't remember where I was going with it. My HM is now dead and she will get the flares on Decoration Day.