2009 Memorial Day Trip

As usual, Dennis and Deb took their Memorial Day trip to the Oxford/Norwich area.
This year's trip had a wonderful if sad dimension in that it coincided with the death of
Virginia Cook, Mother of Dennis' first wife Gay and Grandmother of Andrea and Rob,
Dennis' children and GreatGrandmother on Jack, Charlie, Clare and Sammy.  Virginia's
passing brought Rob and his family and Andrea and her family to the area and enabled
them to particpate in some of the annual Memorial Day activities, including parades,
cemetary visits and a picnic at Uncle Doug's! Dennis and Deb (and Nancy, Tom and Mikey)
stayed in the "Memories" B&B in Norwich, joined Michael and Pat for dinner in Oneonta
and played golf - solo on Saturday in Franklin and with James (Andrea's husband) on Sunday
in Cincinnatus.

The pictures below depict some of the events alluded to above. First is a view of Dennis and
Mother awaiting the Oxford parade (on the corner of Albany and Greene Streets - our usual
rendezvous spot). Next is the Oxford band marching smartly in the Oxford parade (the band
goes to the McDonough parade also. The middle picture shows many of the family waiting for
the McDonough parade. From the left: Clare; Belle (her head only) talking to Sammy next to his
Father, Rob; Nancy's back; Dennis, Tom and Mikey (in background); and then Andrea, Jack and
Charlie.  The fourth picture is set at the McDonough cemetary, near the grave of Joe Zukauskas
(Mother's second husband and the step-father who helped raise Dennis, Doug and Nancy) and shows
Andrea managing her lively boys.  The next picture is of Rob and his Grandmother interacting at
the chicken barbeque - an annual event in McDonough that follows the parade and the cemetary
proceedings.  The next to last picture was taken later on Memorial Day (before everyone departed)
at the "cabin" (the first visit by several family members!). From right to left: Mikey, Dennis, Rob,
Jack, Nancy, Tom, James, Sammy and Doug. The last picture was taken by Doug's swimming pool
and shows Clare and Grandpa Dennis revealing that at 14+, Clare is as tall as her Grandfather (and
prettier too!)



Pictures by Deb