4th of July 2012

Burgers, watermelon, fireworks
And Good times with 
Friends and family--
May you have all that and
MORE on this the
Independence Day of these 
United States! 

4th of July 2011

"Yankee Doodle Dandy" starring the greatness of James Cagney, was watched by me for about the gazillionth time tonight. There is just something about those black and white movies. I believe the acting is more crisp, no CGI, and the story is more 'there'. I liked it--again.

Today was a good day. I didn't do anything like I did back in the day--like parties, dancing and just enjoying the 4th of July night--like back in the year I graduated from high school. That was also the year the Bicentennial was celebrated. I gotta smile. Just good times.

The majority of my day was spent throwing out stuff. I went thru an purse with a busted strap. I found 5 bucks and a pair of reading glasses I'd completely forgotten. Kept the 5 bucks and the glasses Realized I didn't like the purse so much tho.

It was good to be home. I mean, just home. Realize how much time I have not given myself due to work and school and not much else. I do need to work on more "ME" time tho. I'm also off tomorrow, which is more of back to reality day. Yep. Back to a school project, oil change on the car, and more throwing out stuff. If I haven't seen or used it in a year--it's gone.

Yea, nice to be home.
No place I'd rather be on this 4th of July, 2011.

4th of July 1976 was Sunday

On the USA's 200th Birthday I celebrated my high school graduation, even if it was two months prior. And my hometown--pretty much all of it--helped me celebrate our nation's birthday at our town's park. This was on the park's tennis courts where a local band, Vertical Horizon, serenaded us with song.

Not just any song, but song you could dance to as you drank a little beer to. Yep, my Iowa hometown knew how to throw a 200th Birthday party! Sure, I hated the fact our graduation cap tassel was red, white and blue and had a minutemen replica dangling. I think I even told some teacher that night how much I hated that tassel!

But this night, two months later -all was forgiven. Even those Bicentennial Minutes we'd see daily on TV, I think on CBS, were now done--FINALLY. Hey, there was NO internet back then to divert attention. My diary tells me the guys I danced with, how much beer I downed as I danced, plus since I had that whole 'kiss list' thing going on-what guys' names were added--all on the park's tennis courts. I smile and think: Oh What A Night! And it was SO good, we did it all again the NEXT night! Happy Birthday USA!

On this day in 2009, I smile at those decade ago memories. What a great time! There are times I wish I could go back and relive them--but just be teeny bit smarter, then I realize I wouldn't really change much.

Now, I lean back in my comfy cozy, yet cluttered bungalow, along with a cat and a/c, to count my blessings for those that made this day possible for our Freedom.

Happy 4th of July!

Ponderings on The 4th of July 2008

I remember a rockin’ party in my hometown, on our city park’s tennis court in 1976. Whole town partied. The hometown rock band jammed crazy all night long. No better Bicentennial celebration happened than in a mall town in Central Iowa.

I love James Cagney’s “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” Annual event, just like “The Ten Commandments.”

Will Smith will rule the 4th of July ---again, with “Hancock”. Enjoyed it, even through the holes. Soundtrack was great! Does leave the door open for a sequel. However “Independence Day” reigns supreme. Cue Jeff Goldblum.

Wall-E stole my heart. Tugged it too. Must see Wall-E.

Watermelon, ice cream, bar-b-q ,brewed ice tea and air conditioning…yep, Texas in July

Food. Friends. Good Times. That’s what I had today.

……and NFL Training Camp is just a few weeks away….Brett Favre, we love you however stay retired—your family loves you too.

It's FRIDAY....no, wait---it's really THURSDAY....

....Yet it might as well be Friday....tomorrow is the 4th of July...a holiday....a day off...my kitty's seventh birthday (the orange tabby who graces my blog)....so today IS Friday!

Got plans?

In the days gone by, aunts, uncle, cousins, me and my parents would head to a family picnic. There would be a little fishin thrown in. Fishin' was my dad's way of escape from the crackle of the women. Also it was a time my dad and I would just bond.

I miss those days. He'll be gone seven years October 18. In fact, the orange tabby who celebrates his birthday tomorrow was my last 'gift' from my dad. Yep. A couple days after my dad's funeral, I stood at the back door of our house. Threw some corn to the squirrels, and saw this orange fluff run to it. A kitten.

It took the week before I had to leave my hometown, basically a game of cat and mouse before he wound up in my arms for good. We would sit, each morning on the patio. I fed him food--from the two cats that made the trip from Dallas with me, and talked to him. I told him he reminded me of a kitten I had when I was about 1o. That was Tiger Paw, an outdoor kitty--and one night I saw him, then the next day I didn't. I promised this kitty he wouldn't ever live in the wilds again. I believed my dad sent me the kitten to help me through the sorrow of missing him.

It worked.

Now, my kitten is seven years old. I still miss my dad, yet life is so good. I can't wait for the fireworks tomorrow...after all it will be a holiday, plus FRIDAY!