The fourth of July is coming up and it is conveniently positioned on a Friday. Last year I did something unusual for me and consciously stayed home to watch the celebration on TV. In the aftermath of 9-11 I thought it was going to be a special event.

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. I got Br. Spears singing something along the lines of get nasty, Ray Charles not singing America the Beautiful, Enrique singing passionately but not patriotically and the whole event hosted by Rob Lowe.
So I'm going out this year.

Hopefully the weather will hold. There is a chance that we will be taking a family road trip to get some adoption paperwork finalized. (It will be to the home town of Habitat for Humanity so maybe there will be something of interest in driving to Americus GA) (At least its a good name for the fourth)

Otherwise we will either tucker the kids out at a free YMCA event in the daytime or try to get them to last for fireworks. There is a neat park (at least from what I have read) in Goodlettsville TN where there is a preserved frontier station and it is placed in or near a large park with the usual 4th events and fireworks. I will enjoy seeing the frontier reenactor version of 4th of July but if that is less than appealing the picnic/fireworks thing will be there.

Anybody else doing anything special on the fourth?

My July 4 Agenda

1. 4-+Put up all my patriotic items
2.8-810 say a prayer
3. 810-930 Do my anual ritual
4. 930-300 Go to the pool
5. 300-400 Go to the lake and watch fire works
6. 400-? Go to AD chat

Put out the American Flag
Pray there is no terrorist attack
Spend time with Relatives & little cousins
Play Volleyball with family
Eat a nice BBQ buffet (Hot dogs, hamburgers, corn on the cob, jello, chips, deviled eggs, beans, etc)
Watch FireWorks
Treat Sunburned body

We'll probably have a picnic either with a steak cookout or fried chicken with potato salad, pickles and maybe a cherry or apple pie. And we might go see a movie.

Then we'll go see the fireworks.

Lake Michigan is too cold to swim in yet, which is a shame.

The Fourth of July and Halloween are my favorite holidays!

I plan on losing at least one limb, or part of my face, with awesome fireworks. Apart from fireworks, we do nothing to celebrate the day.

Oh yeah? I'll see your limb, Quark, and raise you two fingers.

I'll probably wake up late, eat breakfast for lunch and check the AD site to see what's new. After an hour or so I'll make my way to my aunt's house for their annual pool party, confuse everybody with knowledge of current events and politics, and (weather willing) contribute without effort to the cause of skin cancer.

After that I'll rendezvous with personal friends, mishandle a host of dangerous fireworks, put out a few fires, collect all limbs and litter, and spend a peaceful night in the ICU with a borrowed wireless internet laptop debating here at AD.

Happy fourth of July to all the Americans - may you remain the gracious hosts that you are

I'm sneaking over to the fence of the La Paloma Resourt to see the fireworks. I might do something American like go swimming or eat chicken.

I am using the day to get a leg up on the weekend. I'll play the role of domestic goddess today and probably grill myself a burger later this afternoon.

My family's 4th celebration is always the Saturday closest to the 4th, so tomorrow will be the day I celebrate on the lake.

I am making an Orange Blossom cake for dessert and a Walking Taco for an appetizer.

My uncle will smoke ribs and chicken, and a few of the cousins and I will sneak down to the lake and smoke a little ---. We will play on and in the water and lay in the sun and I have a feeling that appetizer won't last long.

The Fourth has started!

1st--thank the powers for another day in Paradise (actual name of this place).

2nd--make coffee, meditate on what it means to be a citizen of the US.

3rd--remember folks, both military and civilian, who have fought for our ideals.

4th--fire up the smoker and throw the marinaded 7-bone roast on, genuine local black angus cow.

5th--walk around and admire nature.

6th--be happy to be alive, play music, putz around.

7th--toss down beer and bumps, feast on meat and spuds, climb the hill to watch fireworks.

8th--fall into bed, dream, snore, and snort.

So far, it's been the long process of waking up and browsing America's Debate (what could be more patriotic?). Next up, getting a bit of work done before heading off to meet some friends to cremate some meat, drink some beer, and smoke some controlled substances. Hopefully, back home in time for a bit more AD before watching the Disney fireworks from my front yard. Then probably more drinking and smoking and debate.

Well...I slept until noon. I just ordered a pizza, and I'm planning on relaxing at home this evening with my VCR. We have to stay with the puppies tonight or else the pugzillas will go mad from the fireworks.

Sunday we are having a barbeque with family, which usually degrades into the mother of all water fights.