Nothing like a lazy day on the river. It demands sleeping late and easing into the day, so that’s exactly what we did.

I joined Cyd and Rick this morning for a poignant celebration of those among us who are or were first responders, served in the military, and supported on the sidelines as steadfast family members. After the formal part of the program (please stand if you …. ), the floor was open to anyone who wanted to speak. Quite a few heeded the call and gave moving tributes to family members past and present. One man spoke of an uncle at Iwo Jima and another on the beaches of Normandy. Another spoke in recognition of the walking wounded whose traumas are not visible but nonetheless real and debilitating. A woman spoke on behalf of the thousands of unrecognized women whose service and sacrifice were at times denied by our own government. A nurse gave a brief tribute to Vietnam era medics, 90% of whom were killed in action, and yet another recognized the human loss when the Pentagon was hit on September 11. A man shared the story of his grandmother who sent five sons to war, all of whom returned. The whole celebration was beautifully done and moving. Had Dan chosen to attend he would have been the one who served the longest, 34 years. His closest contender was 29 years.

The day was overcast and warm, so I enjoyed relaxing on the top deck before an al fresco turkey wrap lunch. The ride was smooth and quiet all day. A well used train track runs along the west side of the river. We passed quite a few grain barges being pushed up river, saw lots of birds, and passed an enterprise where grain was being loaded onto barges. From what I could tell, today it was corn. The shoreline is a brilliant green smothered in trees and the water a muddy brown.

A presentation on wildlife along the river took us to happy hour followed by dinner, a stroll along the riverwalk at our next dock, and finally the evening’s entertainment, Travis Turpin. All in all a nice down day that’s left us rested and ready to explore tomorrow.