4th of July

Greetings and Salutations, to borrow a phrase from one of my fav movies of the late 80's...

It's the 2nd of July and it's looking to be a gorgeous weekend.

It's quiet as my daughter is napping which is something that I wish I could do right now but sleep evades me.  Bummer, because napping is one of my favorite things to do but I'm all a flutter with the excitement of the weekend ahead. 

It's already off to a great start with the sunshine and clear skies spoiling us in Huntington.  The past three or four years we've had an overflow of "June Gloom" here at the beach so it's really nice to see good ole' Mr. Sun out from dawn until dusk!  It just cheers you up, right?

So instead of napping, I thought I might write a bit.  I was thinking about years past...and how the 4th of July has always been one of my favorite holidays.

When I was little, we spent every 4th at my grandparents house in Westminster.  They had a pool with a waterfall (so cool in the 1970's) and a coy fish pond and were always the consummate entertainers.  They had a houseful every year and we would spend the day swimming and occasionally mixing it up by running in the sprinklers in the front yard.  The best times were when my cousins from Montana would come to visit.  We would BBQ and anxiously wait for the nightfall because that was when the real fun would begin!

My Uncle would always be in charge of the fireworks and he did not disappoint.  Boxes and boxes of glittery explosives, roses, snakes and REAL sparklers, not those crappy ones they sell today.  I mean c'mon, I know it's all about safety but those should hardly be called sparklers, maybe more like twinklers...for babies.

I remember my face would be lightly sunburned and my feet would ache from climbing the walls of the cement in the pool.  I would have to wrap my toes in band aids and slather lotion all over to cool my crispy tanned skin. My hair would be a combination of light brown and blonde with a hint of green from the chlorine.  I would sit in a chair on the front lawn as the festivities would get underway, usually eating ice cream.  It was a little bit of heaven for any 8 year-old kid!

After about a half an hour and 200.00 bucks worth of fireworks all lit up and now in piles of ash, we could catch the Disneyland show.  It was such a wonderful day and I am so grateful for those memories. 

For most of the past 18 years, save one or two I think, I've spent the 4th of July with my beloved here in HB.  Now as another year is upon us, we will cart our kids up the street to watch the parade...Dubbed the longest in the USA and if you've ever watched it, you know why!  It's a staple here and always a good time.  Who doesn't love tiny horses, tiny cars and gigantic floats?  And let's not forget the marching bands from all over the state making their best attempts at patriotic songs while attempting to walk in sync. 

And then there are the folks that just walk along with no particular association, just kind of marching to the beat of their own drum.  It's some of the very best people watching you can find!

Well I hope that this finds all of you happy, healthy and well.  Remember to be safe and yes, even those stupid weak little sparklers can offer smiles and joy in the faces of our wee ones sans potential injuries. 

But deep down we can remember and yearn for the days when we singed our fingers  holding our very own little fireballs.

So today take some time to reflect on those lazy days of summer when we were young, deliriously happy and carefree.  Try to take a minute to reclaim a bit of that happiness and savor those moments of joy as we create new memories with our own children, family and friends. 

And so simply I say this to you...Happy 4th of July!