Report on the Fourth
How was my Fourth of July? Just fine, thanks.
To begin with, the weather, which had been fairly vile for weeks, turned magnificent for the entire weekend. Unless your goal was to swim (which mine wasn't), it was perfection itself. Of course, being a few degrees too cool for ideal swimming has never stopped most New Englanders from doing so--there were plenty of people at the local beaches.
I did the classic things: went to the family party of some friends of mine (pool, barbecued chicken, homemade apple and strawberry-rhubarb pies, all ages from the very elderly through one-year-olds). I brought along my ninety-one-year-old mother, and I wish I'd brought a camera, too, to photograph her extremely red-white-and-blue outfit. At night, I watched a half-hour long show of fireworks over the ocean with a crowd of onlookers including other friends of mine, their grown children, and their two absolutely adorable grandkids, who were delighted to hold a series of small sparklers in their careful little hands.
How about you?
posted by neo-neocon @ 12:37 PM
9 comments
9 Comments:
One of things I like best about your blog, Neo-neocon, is the way you include these calming little glimpses of your non-political life. One of the territories that was severely eroded by the left in the sixties was the world of the apolitical. I hate to use a misused word, but it's healing to be reminded of it.
I'll bet you're a terrific therapist.
We cooked over an open fire in the woods. The youngest granddaughter wanted me to take her for a walk in the woods and she got chigger bit, but some calamine lotion will take care of the itching. She was certain she had stepped in some horse poop, even though it was just plain old mud. She said she didn't believe it when I told her coyotes might get her if she didn't stay close to me in the woods, but I note she did stay close to me and not go running off alone. The joy of children.
We had a hot and thunderstorming weekend in South Louisiana. Now, we have Tropical Storm Cindy to entertain us.
We had a Chinese-American holiday. My mother-in-law (with my husband's translation) taught me how to make sticky rice wrapped in a leaf. I grilled some shishkabobs (at the in-laws' request). I also made a blueberry pie with Splenda for her since she is diabetic. In China they do not have blueberries. She still thinks they are small grapes. My father-in-law really liked the grilled mushrooms, pineapple and tomato shishkabobs. We took the Branch and Blossom to the pool so the in-laws could videotape. My Dad called to wish me a Happy 4th. Since he is Republican (like me) I mentioned that was a very Republican thing to do.
Thank you for asking about my 4th: I sent emails with my Grandfather. I felt like I had a chance to talk to a history book. He did D-day, West Point, Korea and Vietnam.(I am certain that he has never complained about any tour of duty regardless of public opinion polls.)
I saw the fireworks on the riverfront in Savannah Georgia. The Westin Hotel on Hutchison Island has a promenade overlooking the river and five hundred feet from where the fireworks are launched... It's as close as you can get anywhere I've been... and you really do feel the difference!
neo,
I loved your description of the children holding sparklers in their careful little hands.
On July 4th, a friend and I went to the Ziegfeld to see "War of the Worlds". While I found to have some startling scenes of terror from alien things,I thought it was basically simpleminded, devoid of intellectual content. Also I am really sick of the Hollywood stereotype of the divorced blue collar anglo-saxon father,( the Tom Cruise charcter) who is portrayed as a bad father, poor housekeeper, unreliable etc etc., in contrast to the stereotypical 'got it all together', competant ex wife who's remarried a stable white collar guy, and who's scowling abrupt and demeanor says she expects her ex to let her down.
Manhattan was pleasantly empty. After the movie, we went to Bobby Flay's new restaurant, Bar Americain, for his tasty southwestern american fare.
Not a classic July 4th but a pleasantly low key urban version. Later, we watched fireworks on TV and I reminisced via phone with relatives scattered in various places in the country about our childhood Fourth of Julys.
PS. re War of the Worlds
another thing I disliked about this movie was how most all the american people were portrayed by Spielburg / Hollywood as out-of-control selfish beasts during the alien invasion. The well-documented acts of extraordinary courage and self sacrifice of some americans on 9/11/01 tell quite a differant story.
I love movies but I am disgusted with much of what Hollywood has to offer these days.
Then don't go to movies with Leftist Hollywood actors in them.
Hollywood depends upon your disgust, they depend upon it to make you go see the next newest brightest production.
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