Fourth of July Memories

Sunburned at the beach.....eating hot dogs from the snack bar.... walking on the boardwalk as far as it went into the white sand, then hopping foot to foot back to the striped umbrella that was older than I was.

Stopping at Custom Bakers for yellow cake with chocolate icing... sneaking behind the counter to run my finger around the icing vat... smiling at the bakers.

Cousins in the back yard... playing Red Light Green Light and Red Rover Red Rover and Tag.... the tree serving as home and safety and shade.

Daddooooo at the BBQ, waving a spatula and warning us to stay far enough away from the flames so that we didn't get burned.... as his fire smoldered, carefully tended, coals evenly greying.

G'ma in the kitchen, creating salad and iced tea and standing on a step stool to reach the long straws that signified the start of summer.

Driving to Long Beach, sitting in traffic on the bridge over the inlet, parking and walking the boardwalk... with SkeeBall and The Fortune Teller and cotton candy attracting us and the parents agreeing to everything.

Finding a space near the railing, a bench for G'ma and a clear view to the ocean and the barge with the explosives.  OOOOO'ing and AAAAAAHHHHHHH'ing for twenty minutes or so, competing with the families around us for the most interesting exclamations of delight. 

Trudging back to the car, tired, dirty, sticky, smiling.

I can close my eyes and be right there, in that moment, salt air in my nose and sand between my toes and G'ma and Daddooooo in the front seat...........

HAPPY HOLIDAY TO ONE AND ALL!! ENJOY THE WEEKEND!!!!!