Hot Memorial Day In Store for Grand Rapids

The forecast for Monday (so far) is sunshine with a high in the lower 90s. Sold!

Here's a partial Memorial Day checklist of some of the stuff you might need.

Think of this as one more of your hastily-scrawled refrigerator notes, and together maybe we can avert some panic.

1. Double check your Memorial Day service schedule and mapquest it ahead of time if needed. Also make sure you have flowers, folding chairs, parasols/umbrellas, sunscreen, bug spray or anything else you will need at the event.

2. Wash out your cooler and buy or freeze ice early because convenience stores sell out on hot holidays. If you need more freezer space I guess you'll just have to eat all of that ice cream. That's just terrible.

3. Dig out your beach toys early; balls, buckets, shovels, kites, Frisbee, etc. because by now they could be absolutely anywhere.

4. If you have a portable grill check it out or buy a new one if needed and get it fueled up and make sure the food gets on the proper freeze/thaw curve.

5. Clean out the car and check the oil and tires and get it fueled up and ready to go. Also go through any camping and fishing gear that you plan to use, repair anything that's broken and replenish any depleted supplies.

6. What the heck, bring the kids along too.

I hope that helps. If you think of anything else, pop it into the comments below and we'll pass it on.