This is my July 4th posting. It describes the history of July 4th and our celebrations to memorialize the day. I just hope today we’ll celebrate together.

I just love birthdays and today is the grandest of them all. 

On July 3rd 1776, John Adams wrote a letter to his wife Abigail. In it, he predicted the celebrations for American Independence Day, including the parties:

“It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other.”

John Adams expected July 2nd to be Independence Day as that was the day the Second Continental Congress voted for independence, but the signing ceremony for the Declaration of Independence didn’t happen until two days later so because July 4th appears on the Declaration, it became the date we celebrate Independence.

I know some people complain that the meaning of the day is lost in the barbecues and the fireworks, but they have forgotten John Adams’ hope. We are honoring the day exactly as he wished. Flags are waving everywhere. Families get together to celebrate and to break bread, albeit hot dog rolls. Fireworks illuminate the sky. Baseball is played on small town fields and in huge stadiums. Drums beat the cadence in parades. We sing rousing songs celebrating America and our freedom. We also sing heartfelt songs about what America means to us. We are many sorts of people, we Americans. We don’t all look the same, practice the same religion, eat the same foods or dress in the same way, but we all celebrate today.

“You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4th, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.” Happy Birthday, America, from all of us Americans.

Today is cold, in the very low 60’s. It is also dark. Rain is expected this afternoon into the night and continuing tomorrow with a low of 58˚. That’s even a cold spring day. The roads over the bridges to the cape were bumper to bumper traffic yesterday. Today the tourists will be out and about trying to find something to do in the rain. The main roads will be clogged with slow moving cars filled with tourists craning their necks from side to side so as not to miss anything. I’ll stay home.

Last night I decided hot dogs were the perfect dinner. I am a fan of hot dogs and always have some on hand. Four dogs were left but only two buns. I figured I’d cook all four and share with Nala and Henry. I went into the bathroom, and when I returned to the kitchen, the hot dogs were gone and so was Nala. When she steals something, she runs outside to hide her crime. I went to look and saw her running in the yard with her prize in her mouth. I went back inside and cooked eggs for dinner. The sad, leftover buns were my toast.

My kitchen floor is a disgrace. It is criss-crossed with muddy paw prints. I hate it, but I have to leave it be through tomorrow’s rain. It would silly to wash it now, but that floor is driving me crazy.

When I was a kid, our dog Duke stole a roast beef off the counter. It was sitting there defrosting for dinner. My brother and I wrested the meat from Duke’s mouth. He wasn’t happy but gave up his prize anyway. We washed the beef and pressed the meat to hid the toothmarks. My mother was never the wiser.

I remember one July 4th. We were in the next town over at my dad’s friend’s house. It was on the parade route so we’d sit on the porch to watch the parade, an amazing parade of floats, bands, drill teams and drum corps. We’d nosh on snacks and appetizers during the festivities then have barbecue for supper, we kids that is. The adults ordered Chinese food. I can still see all the white containers sitting on the kitchen island. I asked my mother if I could taste some of it. She said no. Chinese food is not good for children, only adults. Sometime later, after I’d eaten Chinese food and didn’t die or get hives, I remembered the adults only comment and realized that my mother had told a lie of convenience so the adults wouldn’t have to share.

Okay, my frustration level is about as high as it ever gets. I have been on line for close to three hours trying to find alternative download and post music videos sites. I was not successful which is why you see only one song today. I have been all over the net visiting at least twenty sites giving instructions about downloading blocked videos on YouTube, but I failed miserably. I asked for some help earlier but I figured we were all in the same no-download boat, so to speak. Please help if you can. I think I need a nap after all of the hunting and finding nothing.