July 5 – “Here’s to our Fourth”

We started our holiday in grand fashion.  We took a three-mile hike.  Well, OK, it was just a walk, but it was three miles.  And it felt like a ten mile hike through the sweltering Amazon rain forests.  We pushed through, though.  We pushed through.

By the time we got back home (It usually takes us just under an hour to go three miles.  I know.  We need to work on our time, right?), we were beginning to smell the odors of the day.  No, I don’t mean we stunk, personally.  Although I suppose we probably did.  I mean that people were waking up and immediately firing up their grills for whatever scrumptious goodies were planned for their Family Fourth celebrations.

I couldn’t get by without doing a few hours of work on the holiday.  I still have to develop a teaching before Sunday, and sometimes it just takes a long time.  I forced myself to stop so we could crash on the couch together and watch none other than Gojira.  At least that’s the way the closed caption people printed it.  I thought it was pronounced Godzilla.  Either way, I dozed, er, watched the movie and Chris read yet another Harry Potter episode … again. 

And our big Fourth of July supper?  Barbecued red fish seasoned in Tony Sashere’s and lemon juice and topped with barbecue sauce from Rudy’s.  Chris’ famous pasta salad.  And my own personal selection, green peas.  Yep.  This old boy actually loves those tiny green delectables.  We managed to put away one side of the fish, so we have that much more for a fish sandwich today, I guess. 

We followed up the fine dining experience with an Astros game on TV.  And boy, did they provide some serious fireworks.  Sixteen runs, including a grand slam in the ninth inning by Josh Reddick.  What a game to watch.  We put it on pause for a brief interlude during the seventh inning stretch.  That’s when we began to hear the distinctive sound of city fireworks exploding in the distance.  We headed up onto our deck and watched the city’s fireworks display in the distance.  No crowds to fight with.  No traffic to contend with.  So romantic.  Just the three of us (Freddy joined us as our protection detail.  She didn’t bark as much as I expected though).  And along with the fireworks we were treated to a patriotic flyover by a Vee formation of pelicans.  Oh, and then there was the drone.  I think someone didn’t have the deck view that we did so he sent his drone with a camera mount to get the event on video.  I think it might have been our fire fighter neighbor, Paul.  I waved.  As we headed back into the house, we also noticed that one of our neighbors just then was firing up his grill.  9:30 p.m.  Guess he got a late start.  Ah, well.  Great date night, as far as I was concerned.  Maybe we can do it again next year. 

James 3:13 says, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.”

Father, thank you for decks in the trees, barbecues at night, and drone-views of fireworks.  Thank you for our country.  Please do what you can with her.  We kind of like it here.  Amen.