Veteran's Day 1968

I've always liked this holiday... maybe because it's one of the first holidays that I remember clearly.

Our family and the G's (and perhaps others too) were going to have a picnic in the park off Hesperian Blvd. in San Lorenzo. Of course, the night before my parents were up late skewering the marinated beef chunks for shishkabob, and getting everything ready for the coolers. Parties like these were no small matter... we never just ate hot dogs and hamburgers (those were what "Americans" ate), we had full out steaks, chicken and the fun shishkabobs, as well as pancit (rice noodles), rice (still in their rice cookers), macaroni salad, lots of soda and all kinds of funky desserts.

I didn't know what Veteran's Day was, except that we were going to be in the park all day with the families... good times. (If I ever find the picture taken that day, I'll repost it here.) But maybe since all our dads were in the Navy, it meant something more to them...

When we woke up the next morning, my mom said that our "uncle" Tito Tony called and that his wife and the mother of buddies, Tita Tessie, was in labor. Dad said, "Yes, she had a boy! Get up so we can see them all!" I was so excited because there was going to be a baby around, and now I was old enough to take care of it (or at least handle it)!

But when we got to the park, I heard the REAL news -- Tita Tessie had a girl, and her name was Cynthia Lee. Dad was just teasing us so we would get up!

So ever since then, November 11 has always been Veteran's Day AND Cindy's birthday. She's not a little baby anymore... she just married herself a wonderful Welshman and had her first baby, Jack (pictured above).

This one's for you, Cinch -- Happy Birthday and love to Steve and Jack!