My Independence Day

Sugar, how the hell are ya?

Darlin', I'm fat and sassy.

You git on outta here! 

No.  You git!

What's on tap for the 4th.

Nothing.

Nothing?

That's right.  I'm going to sleep in.  When I finally rouse myself at 5:45 am, I'm gonna take a leisurely 5.25 minute shower and then move myself to the kitchen.  While the rest of the house is still sleeping, I'm going to make a pot of coffee.  When the Kona has finished perking, I'm going to pour a cup, add the half and half and then go sit on the deck and have a heated discussion with the woodpecker that has taken to beatin' on my fascia.

Do what?

Sounds good, don't it?  After I commune with nature, I'm going to ignore the call of the Pledge can, and sit my happy ass down on the coach and watch anything on TV that suits my fancy.

You're going to watch TV on the fourth?

Yup.  When the rest of the house wakes up, I'm going to whoop up some breakfast.  After we've eaten, Little will have more than likely arrived home from a week of spiritual enlightenment.

Where's he been, Sug?

Church Camp.

Ah.  So he'll come back fired up for the Lord?

Well.  Maybe.  I imagine he'll come back fired up for the little blonde he made out with on the sly all week.

Sugar!

Oh come on!  I remember church camp.  Sigh.... Fondly.  His name was JR.  Anyway, back to the fourth.

So you are really going to veg all day?

Yup.  Along late afternoon, we'll fire up the grill and scarf down some red meat.  Then I'll make a batch of ice cream.

What kind?

Vanilla, of course.  But...I'll add vanilla bean.  That's the secret to awesome homemade ice cream. Ya gotta add the bean, boys.

That's it? You'll stay home?

Nope.  We'll load up and head to town for the fireworks.

Do you really like fireworks?

I LOVE fireworks.  I like the boom in my gut and how it bubbles over into hysterical, giddy laughter.

Are you done yet?

Nah.  Big and Little will present a show of their own  at home and the smell of the powder will stay in my nose for the next two days.

I guess your day is full after all.

Yeah, it is.  Even though I'll laze around the house, eat to excess and enjoy bright lights and shiny noises, I will take a second to reflect on my homeland.  We're struggling some right now, we're divided, we're fightin' and feudin'.   But we are still here.

...and that's worth celebrating!