I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July, which I prefer to call Independence Day. I have a terrible feeling that the post-Cold War generation doesn’t really know what we’re celebrating with all the fireworks and picnics.
Do yourself a favor: buy the soundtrack to Hamilton, the musical. It’s a rip roaring good time that will actually teach you about the revolution.
“Scratch that; this is not a moment, it’s the movement
where all the hungriest brothers with something to prove went…”
We had a fabulous Holiday.
It began on Saturday when Jay asked if I could watch the kiddles while he and Ty played golf.
I said no. I’d planned on working on a painting and I know I can’t work and watch the kids. So, with golf out, plans changed.
Then, our niece Lizzie and her husband, Kyle, who just bought a house in the neighborhood dropped by! They were out for a walk and decided to say hi. I’m so glad they’ve moved in! They live right between our house and MJ’s, which is a mile away. Little by little, we’re taking over the neighborhood.
Jay and I ran to World Market and bought new Adirondack chairs for our front yard.
We’ve been known as ‘the house with the chairs’ for decades. For the last few years, we’ve had four, painted pink, red and blue. They’re old but in decent shape save the need for a new coat of paint.
When we saw that W.Market had them at 50% off and we had a coupon, we decided to spring for new ones and give the others to our kids who have houses and firepits of their own.
It took us a while to decide on colors. Red, fuchsia, blue were easy but the yellow was gone…so green or white? The white looks fabulous in summer but the green will look great in the snow…
We went with green. Its Jay’s favorite color and I thought white wouldn’t hold up as well.
I painted all afternoon. Ty and the kids came over and the kids ran through the sprinkler while the men put the chairs together.
For awhile, Babydoll came upstairs and watched while I painted. She was very good: she pulled a chair up to my drawing board and asked questions while I worked but she didn’t disturb me at all. Babalouie tries to sit on my lap while I paint, which doesn’t really work. He was too busy playing baseball in the back yard to come upstairs.
When I had gone as far as I could without wrecking the portrait, we all went down to the back to enjoy the new chairs. Ty took the kids down to the pool at the park.
For dinner, Jay fried up the fish he’d caught out at Tim’s place the day before. We ate out on the deck. The fish was fantastic. I love seafood and fresh caught fish is one of my favorite things. We also had cucumbers in bleu cheese, cantaloupe, beans and cottage cheese. For dessert, ice cream sandwiches and popsicles
I swear, the food might be the best part of summer. Or maybe its just eating the food outside.
After dinner, the men sat on the new chairs and had a cigar while I piled the kids into the stroller and took a walk.
Megan had been out of town all week. Her plane landed at about 9:30. Babalouie watched some baseball with Coach while Babydoll and I watched Looney Tunes on the porch and Ty went to the airport. Babalouie was out like a light five minutes after climbing into Coach’s lap.
“Nana, I have a good idea.” Babydoll said to me. “Let’s go lay in your bed.”
“But your Dad will be back with your Mom real soon. Don’t you want to see her?” I asked.
“I’m so tired.” She replied. “You can wake me up when Mom gets here.”
So that’s what we did.
Sunday after Mass, Jay suggested making us breakfast or going out to Bunny’s. Jay makes world class breakfasts but we hadn’t been to Bunny’s in months and Zack and Josie were vocal in their support of not messing up our kitchen.
It was old home week at Bunny’s: our friend Kris was hostess, her Dad was there and she told us of yet another member of an ancient St. Thomas the Apostle family having brunch on the other side of the bar. Jay had to go say hi to everyone.
We got a booth by a window and a winning pull tab paid for brunch.
It was another hot, sunny day. After brunch Zack took off with friends, Josie had to go to work and Jay and I trekked south to Ty’s place. A bunch of his buddies were there for the evening with their girlfriends, wives, kids and dogs. Two of the couples had pitched tents in the back yard and were spending the night.
WE had brats with all the fixin’s and fireworks that had been illegally transported across state lines found in the barn.
The men folk shot off roman candles in the roping arena while us lady folks put up our feet and enjoyed the show, hoping no one needed first aid before the fun was over.
No first aid was called for.
Jay and I were home by 11.
Monday, I baked a cake first thing in the morning. We were going out to Pam and Steve’s place (they have a pool) later to see all the Pivecs. July is a crazy month for birthdays* on both sides of the family so I figured we couldn’t have too much cake.
I’ve never gotten up on a morning in which there was such a thing as too much cake.
Anyway, I had to get the cake baked and out of the oven in time for Jay to do his huge pan of wings.
The House smelled like Heaven before lunch time.
We packed up the car with our suits and treats and drove west.
For the third day in a row, we ate, drank, laughed and played with some of our favorite people.
We were home long before dark. For the last ten years or so, we’ve watched fireworks from our front hill. The park across the street lost about a dozen elm trees back then, clearing our view of the Lake Cornelius Fireworks show in a neighboring suburb. The remaining trees have all grown up quite a bit but we can still see the show. I love it: I’m already home, fighting no crowds and the moment the finale is over, I’m in the shower, scraping off a days’ worth of sweat, sunscreen and bug spray.
Throw on my jammies, watch a couple of episodes of Parks and Recreation and I’m ready for bed.
“Raise a glass to freedom! Something they can never take away, no matter what they tell you.”
May every day in America be Independence Day!
*Wes, Vince, Annie, Dad, Jenna, Hattie, Lizzie, Lauren, Alex, Josie, Meg and Megan. I may have forgotten a few; sorry if I did. Vi’s is the first of August so doesn’t count.