With my brother's voice echoing in my head, IronMan and I headed off to my first Beaches Remembrance Day ceremony. Given it was a sunny, warm Sunday, there was a good lot of people. A small parade of bag pipers and a WWI reenactment contingent closed, and rightfully so, Queen St E for about half a kilometre leading up to Kew Gardens.

Bernice, I think that was her name, was our MC. I say "I think" her name was Bernice as the audio system could best described as 'shoddy.' Poor thing was 90 if she was a day and she had to apologize thrice - for leaving the programs in her car, for leaving the flag that was to be blessed in her briefcase (in her car) and for the absence of her cohost. I just hope he wasn't left inside her car. With the windows closed. It was rather hot and sunny for a November Sunday.

There were a number of wreaths to be laid, and while I don't want to be disrespectful, if there had been one more, I'm sure it would have been sponsored by the local Starbucks. The usually reserved IronMan giggled as HE cracked that joke.

Wondering home, I thought of all those that made the ultimate sacrifice which affords me the opportunity to stroll about at my leisure on a Sunday afternoon. When I think of WW II, I think of Churchill, the Queen and all things English. So, as IronMan headed off to visit his 102 year old grandmother, I put my mind to make a proper English Sunday dinner.

Roast beef was on sale this week so that was step 1. I had also purchased rapini, granted, not English, but good for us none-the-less. Of course there had to be yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, gravy and dessert.

As I started to clean up, I realized I had dirtied 6 pots and pans, additionally, there were mixing bowls, knives and other assorted kitchen crockery. An awful pile of dishes for 2! Not very much like the war, what with the rations and drab fashion, but I did my best.

With my belly full and a glass of wine in my hand, I would like to thank all the veterans for making it possible.