One of our neighbors is shooting off so many fireworks that I can’t tell if it’s the 4th of July or the artillery barrage the Federal troops fired at General Pickett’s division during Pickett’s charge (which was 161 years ago, yesterday).
So much noise. The cats are handling it well, but we had to close the windows out of fear that the booms would freak them out.
Welcome to July, my friends. Summer is in full swing. Time to start worrying about the weather turning cold and frosty.
That’s sarcasm… or is it.
Man, the time is flying.
I don’t have any plans for the 4th of July. I have to visit my father for a bit, but other than that and the happy fact that I have the day off, the only thing on my radar is the start of the 50 songs in 90 days songwriting challenge.
You know what I want to do? It’s silly… but I want to buy some sparklers. Not fireworks. I have no interest in actual fireworks. Sparklers. I want to sit on the patio in the back yard and light up a few sparklers.
It could very well be the last 4th of July the United States gets to celebrate authentically. We very well could be a fascist dictatorship a year from now. We should do something to mark the last go around.
Also… sparklers are fun.
Does anyone have any plans for the 4th of July? It’s a holiday in the United States tomorrow. Jen and I are both off of work. Independence Day. How are we going to celebrate?
I have no idea.
Jen and I both had a bit of a stomach bug yesterday. She still has it, though I think I’m in the clear now. If she’s still under the weather then I expect us to just sit in the living room flaking in glorious fashion. If she’s feeling better, will we do anything? The weather is supposed to be garbage so I don’t think we’ll be doing much of anything out doors. I’d like to have a mini-cookout or something but I’m not holding my breath.
We have been talking about driving to IKEA and getting some furniture to replace what Harry took to Vermont with him. We’re thinking of turning Harry’s room into a den/bedroom that we can use when he’s not here. When he is here, it’s his room. When he’s not it’s an alternate living room space. We’re thinking of a day bed. Maybe a little desk too? Maybe a comfy chair? We’re thinking of getting another comfy chair for the living room next to the fire place. We have that area marked as a reading nook. IKEA would be ideal for all of this. I just don’t know if our health will be up to it.
Other than that, I plan on doing the next 5k training run. 30 minutes of walk-for-a-minute/run-for-a-minute. I will also hopefully start working on this year’s fake 50/90 challenge. The challenge to write 50 songs in 90 days is real. The fake part is that I am done with the fiftyninety website. No more logging in there for me. Tomorrow is the first day for this challenge. If I were smart I’d write 50 songs tomorrow and then take 90 days to tinker with them. Yes, that was sarcasm.
The 4th of July, 2023 might just turn into a day. More like a plain old Sunday than a huge holiday. We’ll have to see how everyone’s stomach feels. Fingers crossed we can do something fun together. I choose to be optimistic and expect everything to work out fine.
We’ve had pouring rain for about 40 days and 40 nights around here and most towns have axed their Fourth of July fireworks for the second year in a row. Well, postponed them at least, maybe not cancelled completely. You know what I mean.
I thought I’d make up for it with this Independence Day memory of Boston fireworks from 2006. Mostly because these pics are among the oldest on my Flickr account and therefore super easy to find. It’s the thought that counts though, right? I’m just trying to capture the spirit of the thing, you know*?
Festive, eh? Hooray for the USA! Ooooo. Ahhhhh.
*Yes, thats a reference to the hockey reporter in the movie Slapshot. I should watch that movie again soon.
Happy Fourth of July, everyone. Happy birthday to the USA.
Now can we remove the filibuster, pass the voting rights act, add Washington, DC and Puerto Rico as states, fix the damage done to the Supreme Court, and prosecute the fascists responsible for the January 6th assault on the Capital?
What was the point of winning the Senate and the White House if we were just going to shove our heads up our asses and accomplish nothing?
Everyone psyched for the big fourth of July weekend? I am! I just punched out of work a few minutes ago and I could use a good long weekend.
Of course the forecast calls for frosty cold and constant rain and I have to spend 24 hours at my mother’s house instead of with Jen and Harry, but it’s still a long weekend and I am going to make the most of it, damn it!
Pour one out for America!
The City of Methuen is trying to salvage their 4th of July celebration while still maintaining social distance and fighting the spread of COVID-19.
Obviously the standard celebration is kaput this year. No way we can flood one small section of the city with people without causing a major spike in infections. City Hall… or the Mayor’s Office… or someone in city government, I don’t know who, came up with the idea of launching fireworks from the highest elevation in town.
But would it work? Would people all around town be able to see anything? A test was in order.
Tonight at 8:45pm the city lit off fireworks for about a minute from Pie Hill in the Eastern part of town. Residents were asked to go outside at that time and see if they could see anything. A Facebook thread was setup where folks could share the results with everyone else.
Jen, Harry, and I went outside a minute or so early. It’s beautiful out, but we live in the woods and the bugs were out in force. We waited a few minutes but didn’t see or hear anything.
Bummer.
Maybe there’s a higher elevation they could try? Probably not.
Two years ago we spent the 4th of July at Lake Winnepisaukee. Last year we spent it on Long Lake in Maine. This year, back to Lake Winnepisaukee. We didn’t have a specific beach in mind, but we discovered Carry Beach in Wolfeboro.
We got there before noon and it was wonderfully quiet with only a few people. The water was cool but not too cold, and it was crystal clear. There was even shade on the beach.
As the afternoon wore on it filled up quite a bit, but it never got obnoxious. I would definitely go back there again. I can assume that it will never be as crazy as that other beach. The one in Laconia.
After our beach visit we took the long way home and drove all the way around the lake. Once we got home we watched Monty Python’s The Holy Grail. My step son has declared it the best movie ever. I generally agree.
Happy 4th of July to all of the folks visiting from the U S of A. Are you having a good time celebrating? Good!
We are up in New Hampshire somewhere trying to find ourselves a lake to jump in. Literally.
Happy Birthday, USA!
Well, we didn’t make it over to the Methuen fireworks show tonight. We all went out to eat in Burlington and we were too late getting back.
We can, however, hear them from our house. Based on the frequency of the BOOOMs, it sounds like a pretty good show!
Happy (slightly early) 4th of July!
Inside the Red Head's Head 