It's also Philipine-American Friendship Day. I'm giving Mal's (Filipina) nanny a small scrapbook of her and Mal in honor

There's a day for that? And you knew about it without prompting? Wow.

I have no plans for the 4th. In fact, I'm not sure why in hell I'm awake right now. Except Smonster and Amyth just left (they're going to brunch with friends and then continuing on home), and I read my email and there was a very make-me-melt email from the Canadian, and now I feel like I should make PLANS for the 4th of July. Last year I didn't do anything. This year I need to....do laundry? Clean a tad, for juliana? But my fireworks-watching plans involve walking four blocks and watching from the streetcorner (it's a big hill, so you can see the national fireworks really well from it). None of my friends own a grill, we all live in tiny apartments. So, hmm.

(Dear god, *I* am the first one posting this mornign? How can that be right???)

Happy 4th of Gronk to all!

The Gronk, she is me.

We who have to work today salute you.

There's a day for that? And you knew about it without prompting?

Apparently, and she had mentioned it to me some time ago in a conversation about my likely embassy duties on the 4th. So, no, I'm not that much of a wonk.

there was a very make-me-melt email from the Canadian

Yay!

We are having our traditional July 4th of fried chicken, watermelon, and Dune the board game.

Happy Fourth of July!!!

Yay 4th of July Mutiny!

DH and friend have gone fishing. Seas are a bit high for me to comfortably read on the boat so I passed. I don't fish.

Bobby is out front in the park eating and drinking after the neighborhood parade. Big crowd. I am still in jammies so I haven't joined them. It's rare for me to be home on the 4th and I should go out and be social. This is one of the few big neighborhood parties. The parade is short, about 10 blocks because it is way too hot for more than that. It was about an hour ago. I have lazy guilt.

Brendon is still sleeping. I'll go let him know there are treats available. He was up at 5am to walk the dog as she jumped in his bed and insisted. I was impressed that he didn't ignore her.

waves a sparkler

Mom is cooking too much food today and then we are visiting some friends and then heading back into reality.

I heard from a friend yesterday who I haven't heard from in probably a year. I called her on her birthday in January but never got a call back. I think we're going to try to get together soon, which would be nice. She hasn't even met Dave yet.

I fell asleep last night, after dinner while watching the Red Sox game. It was a nice evening though.

Items of note before I fling myself into the shower and rush out the door for the parade:

(1) I unexpectedly met some (most?) of The Boy's family last night, including his parents, when he said he had to go to a 4th of July thing at his brother's before we could go to the carnival/sideshow/etc., and did I want to come along? Eeep. Within 3 minutes of meeting his dad, he (the dad, not The Boy) offered me a drink of his beer so I could decide if I wanted one (it was a summer brew, and sometimes they're too fruity for me; this one wasn't). Both his parents as well as his SiL told me that The Boy should bring me back some time. Hmmm.

(2) Then we saw a real live burlesque show -- outdoors -- at the pre-4th carnival. I have pictures, but they need a lot of photoshopping, b/c it was 11:30-midnight when they went on, and it was dark and I was far back. But -- yeah. Live (partially) nude girls!

(2a) Prior to the burlesque show, we saw firebreathers, of which I also got some cool pictures. Sadly, we missed the actual sideshow freaks, which apparently involved a bed of nails and other painful things.

(3) I had a #3, but I can't for the life of me remember it. So I'll hop in the shower now, as the parade is supposed to start in 20 minutes (though it's more likely to start in an hour; or, at least, reach the area where we'll be sitting in an hour).

We're eating waffles and watching Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends.

It's gray and overcast in SF as it tends to be on the 4th.

We might drag Emily into the park for a walk or something like that.

Happy Fourth of July! I had more thoughts about the Fourth that I put in LJ [link]

Tonight I am going to the fireworks on the square in my small town in the middle of a big town. Decatur's older than Atlanta, and in the 1830s, its citizens declined the railroad terminus that made Atlanta a city because they thought it would bring too many people. There will be a band in the bandstand playing John Phillips Sousa and people still dressed up from the "Pied Piper" parade, which includes all comers.

It's going to be hotter than the surface of the sun.

Congratulations Aimee for the great escape!

It's hot and humid here today - but not as hot as it was over the weekend.

Strangely, in my head I somehow think of the 4th as cold and I think it's because when I was in high school we lived by the lake and watched the fireworks by the lake and yeah - it got kind of chilly.

I'm watching tennis. I already know who won but haven't gone searching for scores.

And, I believe my Doctor Who dvds should be here tomorrow or Thursday at the latest.

I would be happy except that I have misplaced my checkbook and didn't realize quite how gone it was until it was too late to call the bank and do anything about it. That is kind of making me feel sick in the pit of my stomach.