A little belated perhaps, but happy Independence Day to every American. I’m proud to be an American and realize I won the birth place lottery even if I had to share my ticket with millions of others just like me.
x
I remember celebrating the 4th of July at my grandparent’s farm in western Oklahoma. I come from a huge family. My Dad was one of 9 children and they all married and had children so when we all got together at the farm, we could have been considered a crowd. A big crowd.
x
We’d pop fireworks, pick corn right off the stalks and roast our plump juicy ears in the fire pit and Mama (what I called my Grandmother since I didn’t have a Mother) put out a spread that would feed an army. Her army aka family. Besides the camaraderie of of all my cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, dad, and my sisters…….I most remember the time a Black Cat firecracker blew up in my hand.
x
I didn’t lose any digits thankfully, but I remember looking down and expecting to see no fingers because I couldn’t feel them at all. After a few seconds I started feeling them and they were throbbing and felt huge and hurt like hell, only back then I couldn’t think or say “hell” so I’m sure they hurt like heck. Holy heck, batman…….that hurt!
x
Since that fateful day, I’ve been more of a spectator when it comes to fireworks. We had company over the weekend and spent a lot of time going and then going some more but each night we’d come back home and all 5 of us would jump in the pool and paddle around like little children.
x
It’s been so hot in Texas that the water temperature in our pool has been between 92 degrees and 95 degrees which isn’t that refreshing when it’s 104 degrees outside, but at night it’s just right. Saturday night we were swimming back and forth and enjoying the very comfortable water when a burst of fireworks went off in the distance. We all stopped swimming and started the obligatory ooohhing and aaaaawing when another round was shot off in another area around us. Before long we were watching fireworks on both sides while enjoying the feeling of pride in my America and fellowship with my husband and good friends. It was one of the best Independence Day celebrations I’ve had in a very long time.
x
My wish is for all Americans to be thankful and proud of our country and remember the sacrifices that have allowed us to be independent and free.
x
July 5, 2009 at 9:09 pm
One of these days I’ll post o my Flashback Friday about when my great Aunt gave me a brown shopping bag of firecrackers she found in her attic when I was a teen. Fun.
Do you put bubble bath in your pool when it reaches 92-95 degrees? Thats bathwater!
We’ve discussed bringing out the soap but like you said….then it would just be a bath and not a swim. Not nearly as fun.
July 5, 2009 at 9:15 pm
We would love our pool to be that temp! It costs a fortune to heat it to 85 degrees. I just may drop in for a nice, warm swim.
Please do!! You’re welcome any time and the water will stay that warm probably through September.
July 5, 2009 at 9:22 pm
Happy Independence Day-Weekend!
I know what you mean about the heat. Austin has been bad too. I do like my pool water warmer though, so 92 would probably be just fine for me. Especially with a few cool breezes at night.
The one night the pool had cooled down to 92, our friends thought it was too cold. LOL
July 5, 2009 at 10:13 pm
That sure is hot. I wouldn’t mind it for a couple of days and if I didn’t have to work in that kind of heat and could just play…lol. We didn’t even make 80 here but it was still pretty nice. Sounds like you had a great weekend…nothing better then enjoying time with family and friends!
It’s VERY hot and i wouldn’t mind it either if it weren’t all summer long. ugh!
July 6, 2009 at 12:54 am
Well…first of all ..just let me say that this is the kind of post I love to read. One that allows me to experience something with you…and you did it so well! “Hell” is in the bible so you can say it all you want…and as they tell me..’tis your blog..be yourself!
Ummm..by the way..how the ..hecK?….did Grandma get up there where _________Name(required) is. ??? I just sat and stared for a moment..LOL It suits me so I’m leaving it!
I am so glad you had a great 4th!
~Love~
Mona
That’s why it stuck your comment in “time out” because it didn’t recognize you. LOL Yes I know I can say hell now, but back then it was a big no no, especially in my big Southern Baptist family.
July 6, 2009 at 6:57 am
Believe it or not, I miss the 104 degree weather in the summer and the pool in my back yard, along with the ability to swim at night. Beloved and I have been talking a lot about how to fix it so we can have some of the “outdoor living” we miss so much from Texas. Alas, it’s not working real well.
I have the solution ya know. MOVE BACK HERE!! *wink*
July 6, 2009 at 11:44 am
Okay if I have to, but then I always have been
I don’t doubt that one bit.
July 6, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Oh wow, does that take me back. I loved this post. I wish I had been there in the pool (EEK, does that mean in a swimsuit?) I’m glad you had such a great time! Hugs!
No, you’re allowed to swim nekkid if you’d rather. *wink*
July 6, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Watching fireworks from the pool? Cool! It’s been hot here too (not 104) and the lake is very warm as well. But we spent a majority of the weekend getting prune-y anyway.
I was a little prune-y by the time the display was over and i’m not talking about the display of myself in a bathing suit, either. Ugh…the horrors!
July 6, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Remember Daddy taking us up on the roof of the Courthouse to watch the fireworks at the football field? I was more afraid of the bats in the dome than falling off the roof. Thanks for bringing back some good memories. Love you!
I think I remember going up into that dome but I don’t remember watching fireworks. Maybe I was watching the bats too and frozen in fear. Oh the good ol’ days. *sigh*
July 6, 2009 at 2:51 pm
my fireworks memory is the time my cousin told me that sparklers wouldn’t burn as he stuck the tip of the sparkler against my cotten swimsuit and burned a little hole through it…
I hope you slapped him really hard! Ha!
July 6, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Thanks for sharing your 4th. I had to work until 9 pm and it was way too late to try going anywhere by the time I got home. Where we live we can’t really see any fireworks but we could hear them from the downtown park, well, mostly the concussions from the cannon, and it scared our poor cat.
But, ’s all right. We had a really great 5th, having lunch out and some shopping and we just enjoyed the day together. …Kitty recovered just fine.
Did kitty take lots of showers that night? LOL That’s still the funniest thing I’ve ever heard and think you need to write about it.
July 6, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Like you, I’m very thankful I was born here in the grand ole U.S. of A. When I was a kid, I would be jealous of kids that were born to wealthy superstars, thinking why couldn’t I have been born into some rich, famous family? I just didn’t realize I had already hit the jackpot by simply being born in the U.S. and not some horribly oppressed country.
Sounds like you guys had a wonderful time, swimming and watching the fireworks!
(Hubby was tempted to drive to TX and get some carp, but then decided it MIGHT be cheaper to just buy a few around here. LOL)
It might be cheaper but not nearly as much fun.
July 6, 2009 at 8:53 pm
Our pool is hanging at about 90 right now which I love. I’m not in love with cold water! : ) Glad you had a nice 4th!
90 would be just about right for me too. 95 is a little hot and makes me feel like grabbing a bar of soap.
July 7, 2009 at 10:11 pm
I had to work on the 4th, however I had the evening off and my family and I joined friends to watch fireworks all over the hills of Cincinnati. I’m glad you had a wonderful holiday! Oh…and it rained the entire weekend here. Which kinda sucked…
We’d kill the fatted calf to have it rain all weekend. I guess it’s all about perspective.
July 8, 2009 at 9:34 am
Swimming in the pool and watching fireworks at the same time. Now that’s American. Sounds awesome!
Yes, only in America!
July 8, 2009 at 11:35 am
I would love to have a pool and to swim at night. Sounds heavenly.
But you have an ocean. I know …..the grass is always greener. I’ll trade with you for a few weeks, anytime!!