Reminiscing

My friends, Paul and Emily, with their extended family members, have made a tradition of going downtown Jax every year for the tree lighting ceremony and the boat parade. Photos from The Landing were posted last night and again tonight of their activities, many of them featuring their daughter, Sarah. They hotel rooms along the river's edge from which to watch the boat parade from the comfort of their room, but actually go in the flesh to see the tree lighting and hear the caroling, followed by the fireworks display. Thanksgiving weekend is quite action packed downtown. They have invited me to join them in the past, and I respectfully declined, allowing them their family time. 

When Justin was a little boy, we began the 'tradition' as a family of going to the tree lighting, have some dinner at The Landing, and enjoy the beginning of the holiday festivities. The food court had something for everyone with the Chinese restaurant where I got my meal. I think my former spouse got Mexican or perhaps a burger. Justin likely had hot dogs, but that much I don't remember. I do hope we fed him...He loved the fireworks, ooohed and aaahed over the colors and the banging, lights reflecting in the water, and such.  One year we took him to see/hear the fireworks for the 4th of July and he said, "They have fireworks in the summer, too!!" He only knew about the ThanksLiving ones!

Fast forward to the mid-2000's and there I was at the boat parade with Jesse's family, watching for Justin on his father's boat taking part in the parade. We were freezing!!  We sat on the porch at a restaurant from where we had our dinner, and after the parade, we walked over to the Times Union Center for a free concert by a semi-local band. For Christmas that year, Pam gave me a CD of their music. It was an unexpected day and event, and this memory came back to me as I thought of Paul and Emily making theirs.

A year or two after that, Justin, our friend, Olivia, and I were at the tree lighting ceremony on a lovely evening. Her folks, Owen and Sandy, came downtown to meet up with us, and we ended up at a sushi place upstairs overlooking the river. They had stand heaters on the porch but eventually it got too chilly for us outdoors so we moved inside. Twice Sandy ordered a sushi tray, NOT an inexpensive purchase, and the four of them just dined away. I did not eat sushi since we'd eaten dinner in the restaurant below the sushi place, so I was all set to simply enjoy the company. We sat there for a couple hours and had such a good time doing so. I don't think Justin drove yet so that means I must have driven us down there. Those details escape me but I do remember the impromptu fun had at The Landing on this weekend in past years. People come and go from our lives but at least some of the memories live on...