We have been experiencing the typical November days with rain and overcast, but today, November 11, dawned with crystal clear skies and brilliant sunshine.  You could see the mountains all around the horizon.

Granted it was a cool 7 C.

I have to admit that we do not always attend the local Cenotaph ceremony for Remembrance day, but we decided this year we would.

The combination of great weather and the recent events meant that our local event drew at least 2000 people versus the 500 in previous years.  We were a long way from the actual Cenotaph stage but we could watch the parade that was, as usual, lead by the Veterans marching in with their service medals and trying to keep pace but with many using walkers and wheelchairs.

When I was a teenager, I attended this ceremony several times in Regina, and there would be hundred of veterans marching in.  Now in our community there were at best 30.  They were followed by the local militia, members of the Comox base and various cadets.

Pat and I decided a couple of days ago that we would attend the ceremony and, as a tribute, prepare our meals on November 11  to commemorate the RCAF veterans that served in England.

So when we got home for lunch I made Bacon Sandwiches.

When the Lancaster bomber crews in the war were about to about to head off late in the evening after briefing they were given a treat of Bacon Sandwiches.   With the rationing going on this was a real treat.

Pat and I had bacon sandwiches , granted the bread was toasted and I served them with tomatoes, lettuce and mayonnaise.

For supper we had bangers and mash with peas.  I am pretty sure the bangers served in the mess those days were not the kind of variety of sausages with portobello mushrooms and apple, etc  but the thought was there.

I realize this blog may seem that I make light of the day, but during the 2 minutes of silence I did reflect on a memory.

About 15 years ago I was in a small town Uden Netherlands with time to kill and discovered a small memorial graveyard.  It was a graveyard  that included many Canadian RAF Lancaster crews that had crashed nearby.  Maybe 400 tombstones all grouped in crews of 7 as their bodies were found.  The pilot would have been 22 and the crewmen were 18 or 19.

When I walked around and read the names I thought of when I was 18 and 19.

How trivial my life seemed compared to kids that were loading into a Lancaster with a significant chance they would die, and yet were rewarded with a Bacon Sandwhich….