4th of July

I love the 4th of July, this year it was cold and damp but the fireworks were wonderful..I had expected it to be far less than last year, because of the economy, but no it was double the show...maybe triple there were great wonderful explosions of dazzling lights and colors. We even had our own show. It was amazing and the food was great, we had a birthday party for our grandson Wyatt, who just turned seven, he was so wound up he was beside himself and at times a handful. Just too much excitement for the boy, he is a big boy and you know he is on your lap when he needs hugs I am barley strong enough to hold him, but to watch him play with his cousins warms my heart. It reminds me of the many 4th Of July Picnics with my family when I was young, our fireworks were not as aerial but we were so thrilled to see them and we lived just a few block from the Fair grounds so we kids would go up on the garage roof and watch the Fair's show. When I think about those times I remember my Mother's Potato salad and her fired chic- hen they were the best, there was also carrot cake and red devil chocolate cake with penuche frosting, and if we were really lucky we would have home made ice cream, and of course watermelon. We did not have hamburgers that often the fried chicken was a favorite and nobody wanted anything else, besides that time of year chicken was was 13 to 20 cents a pound a real deal. We would go to the lake and water ski, bask in the sun and made wonderful memories. We piled into the car, there were no seat beats back then you stayed put because you rear end was jammed into place or there was someone on your lap; no air-conditioning we were all sweaty and the windows were open so every ones hair was blowing around but I never noticed the discomfort we were all so excited to be going to the lake that any discomfort was accepted as part of the journey.
I remember the screen door always slamming, warping the garbage in newspaper because of the flies and them the maggots my mother was at war with the maggots she would put on her bluette gloves and take boiling water out to the cans and scrub them down every week. Living in Sacramento the summers were hot and flies, bugs and mosquito's were rampant you could not go down to the river in the evening because of the mesqueto's, they were so thick you could not breathe without getting some in your mouth.
Then there were the card games bridge, canasta and penocicle sometimes poker those summer days were full of family and friends I ran barefoot and my feet were dirty and there would be sand in my hair and sweat strikes from the dust but I had a ball. There was tall grass everywhere and we would play and roll in it, the vacant lots were always fun, you don't see them much anymore everything is trimmed and groomed the dirt piles are gone and no trespassing signs. Now children walk around with computor games and don't want to get dirty, I used to get so dirty and sweaty and I was happy, as they say "those were the days my friend, we thought they would never end" well they have for me but my memories warm my heart No trespassing was never a issue we were free to go everywhere, old abandoned houses, railroad tracks and lumberyards. roller skating climbing trees, sleeping in the back yard, fear of strangers was not an issue. I could go on and on but the house is a mess and I better get busy anyway the 4th was great I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday and remembered to honor our counties founders for the freedoms they set before us. Take some time this week and look into a history book and remember why our country is was so great. God Bless