July 4, 2012

I made waffles for breakfast yesterday, the good kind with egg whites folded into the batter. Toppers included fresh cream and a colorful mix of blueberries, raspberries and strawberries. Red, white and blue you see.

After breakfast we sojourned our way to the parade, where we landed in our seats just in time to see Nie Nie and family mozie down as the grand marshalls. As the parade continued, Anson and Ever sat expressionless in the front row (sensory overload) and Erin enjoyed a seat on Chup's lap in the back. She gets jumpy at loud noises (see photo above).

Next up was a picnic lunch at Page's house complete with water works and the annual cruelty of dumping cold water on unsuspecting persons, plus watching the uncles wrestling in what almost looks like borderline unchecked manhood aggression. Yikes.

Then naps.

In the evening we went to dinner with Steve, Suze and family. It wasn't a very good dinner and I was sort of bothered because I hate spending money and resources on junky food. So let's forget that part happened.

In the evening, when it was cool we took to the backyard where we gave the children sizzling baby sparklers and let a few bottle rockets off into the dusky night. It was the crowning moment of the whole celebratory day--my favorite part. America, the place where you and your family can sit on your own acreage and smile on posterity and prosperity together.

We fell asleep in our bedroom listening to the fireworks from the stadium--the booming sound hitting the mountains and echoing out into the valley. Sometimes hearing fireworks is as satisfactory as seeing them. And Chup and I cuddled like two old people at the end of their lives.

"Thanks for taking care of me today," he said to me.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

Happy birthday America, Happy birthday Dad.