Memorial Day the American Way
So you won’t lose your cool before the festivities even begin, buy the air conditioner first: www.honeywell.com (Available at Target). Now you’ll have a cool place to do all your planning.
Pray for good weather, and get your yard ready for company. You’ll probably need to mow the lawn: www.snapper.com and www.craftsman.com (Available at Wal-Mart, Home Depot or Sears).
If you need lawn furniture and you’re handy, try www.bobvila.com. If you’re the opposite of handy, stick to local manufacturers (yellow pages) or try www.mountainwood.org.
American Flags and beach umbrellas (among other seasonal items) can be found at https://unionshop.aflcio.org/.
Over-achiever in the lawn decorating department? Not to fret. Try: www.craftsfaironline.com/Home.html for American made flower pots and planters (and many other things you’d probably never think of yourself).
Garden supplies to help you fill the pots and planters: www.Osh.com or maybe you’ll want to plant a tree. If so, go to www.arborday.org.
You’ll want to make sure you’re dressed before company arrives: www.americastore.com can help. Or, if you’re feeling very patriotic, try www.flagclothes.com.
If it’s warm, and the winter love handles have miraculously melted, bathing suits can be found at www.ujena.com & www.americanapparelstore.com.
And for goodness sake, put something on your feet, whether it’s sneakers, www.NewBalance.com or flip-flops or sandals, www.okabashi.com/
Now, you can’t have a picnic without food. Start here:
Chips & snacks: www.pringles.com
Chocolate chip cookies: www.newmansownorganics.com
Animal cookies: www.glennys.com
For the basics, try www.naturalvalue.com or http://organicsny.com/
And don’t forget your neighborhood Farmer’s Market.
American made cloth bags to carry all the goodies home in: www.clothbag.com
You’ll need some beer. www.marinbrewing.com/ and www.budweiser.com will help you out; maybe wine, www.volcanowinery.com/ has some. And, naturally, fruit juice for the Designated Drivers, health conscious and underage. www.floridasnatural.com/juices_list.php.
Want more exotic drinks and desserts? Ambitious hosts can find blenders & ice cream makers at www.kitchenaid.com (available at Sears & Macy’s)
Another semi-important item: Something to cook your food on would be good. Try: http://www.whalenco.com/ for grills.
And, unless you have an extra large dishwasher or a shy teenager who likes to play in soapy water, plastic cups will be mandatory: www.berryplastics.com/wps/portal
Your more civilized guests would like a plate to hold their food, and some utensils to get it to their mouths: For them, you can find American made silverware at www.bedbathandbeyond.com and plates at www.piecesofvermont.com (plus maple sugar candy and Vermont Cheese!)
There are some people who will try to fit more than a picnic into their long weekends. There’s suggestion for those energetic daredevils too:
Avid golfers can find their clubs & balls at www.titleist.com
For the tellers of tall “tails,” www.sageflyfish.com has fishing paraphernalia.
Fisherman who don’t like to get their feet wet can buy their boats at www.polarisindustries.com.
And if you fish or sit in a boat the way I tend to, you’ll want to bring a towel or two, which you can find at: http://tomorrowsworld.com/.
People who enjoy fighting mosquitoes and sleeping on rocks (I mean being in tune with nature) can find their camping gear at www.wiggys.com and www.warmlite.com.
And for the motorcycle lovers: www.victory-usa.com and www.harley-davidson.com can help.
Whatever you’re doing, make sure you’re well protected: Bring your sunscreen www.bronzosensuale.com/pages/bronzof.asp (this website might be a little risquÃ?© for the kids), sunglasses www.oakley.com and don’t forget a hat! www.arizonacap.com
Given too much time and sun, the kids might start getting restless. Give them something fun to do to. There are yoyos at http://www.yoyojam.com/. (Hint: get some for the adults too because you know they’re going to be jealous if you don’t.) Or, if your liability insurance is paid up, maybe this is more your style: www.bestamericantrampolines.com
If it’s a great party, no one will want to go home. But you’ll want them to be able to see their way to the cars when they do finally leave: Find outdoor lighting at www.rockscapes.net/
And if you or I have forgotten something, you can find more American made products at these two websites: www.usstuff.com/ and www.madeinusa.org/. As they also suggest, and because things can change, you’ll always want to double check the manufacturers labels, tags and/or list of ingredients to make sure the products you’re investing in really are still made in America.
However you choose to observe Memorial Day this year, may yours be a fun, safe celebration and an honor to our all our American heroes.
