not exactly how i prefer to spend independence day

Seven hours spent driving in 103F degree valley heat to bring MyFavoriteKid to his friend's grandparents farm.

Almost five hours spent doing a deep cleaning the house I don't even live in full time (TheNewDiggs), which hasn't been cleaned in weeks because I'm having a hard time finding a way to stay there with no accessible bathroom.... right?  And all that construction dust? Lordy!

One missed invitation to join potential new friends at a fireworks watching party because I wasn't advised there was even an invitation until 8:30 (dusk).

Maybe twelve seconds of fireworks which I saw from the car as I drove between the two houses. 

An hour or so trying to calm the dogs down (going hysterical over fireworks).

Another good hour trying to roll the garbage can down the steep driveway on crutches (resulting in tipping it over and dumping all of its contents into the street), at YeOldeHouse, because I forgot to make sure it was done when help might have been available earlier in the day, and by this point, I was alone.

And then a good chunk of time building a "dog house" (not literally, and not for the dogs, if you catch my drift).

~ ~ ~


For some reason it's been a number of years since I have spent the 4th of July actually celebrating.  I miss the barbeques and the hanging for the day with friends or family and the ice cold beer and the laughter. I miss watching a real fireworks show and perhaps lighting a few sparklers.

For some reason, it's important to me.
There aren't too many holidays I'm into, but the 4th is one of them, as is Halloween, as are birthdays.

The only real 4th of July-ish thing I did today was to hear the Declaration of Independence read on NPR by a mixed bag of folks while on the seven hour drive. It was very very cool, I have to admit...definitely a "reason for the season" sort of thing....but it was not enough for me to have felt like I had enjoyed a national holiday.

Note to self:
Next year. A proper celebration!!