Independence Day

My two youngest sons are exerting their independence here by playing with Sparklers on the 4th of July. That's the closest we'd let them get to any fireworks. They aren't *that* independent yet.

It was a rather low-key holiday here. I wasn't feeling well and it was rainy outside so we only gave it an obligatory observance. For dinner we had hotdogs (I couldn't eat mine - my taste for meat is totally gone) and corn on the cob and lemonade. Then we had sliced watermelon and ice cream sandwiches for dessert. Of course, because of the rain, this was all inside which made the whole meal feel very unholidayish.

While it rained around 8:00, the rainclouds blew through and by 9:30 or so we were nearing dusk. (BTW, I hate this stupid daylight savings time idiocy.) Big J had bought some small fireworks and sparklers for us to do at home. Our local town didn't have a fireworks display this year, but our neighborhood put together an ad hoc show of their own with individual families lighting off different fireworks at intervals. We could stand outside in our yard and all around us were different booms and sparks and flashes. I take it as a good sign that I didn't hear any sirens during the excitement last night so I hope no one was hurt. Our family was safe. Big J was in charge of lighting all of our fireworks and with the exception of one fountain that didn't seem to want to light, I never really had to worry.

I could veer off into some kind of rant about the sad state of affairs in our country this "Independence" day, but I frankly don't have the energy. I prefer to focus on family and tradition.