4th of July coming up!

Not going to do a sale on my book this holiday. Lots of writing. Looking forward to buying fireworks this week. My three boys going wild with anticipation. We have a neighborhood tradition for the 4th. Wake up and head over to one neighbor's house at 9am for pancakes and mimosas. After an hour or so, back home for a nap. Then noon at my house for light lunch, swimming and the first true beers of the day cracked open with vigor, enthusiasm. Then around 2pm out to the cul-de-sac for bbq, basketball, football, soccer, etc while 20 kids run wild, getting blackened bare feet, being rushed to the sidewalk when the occasional car comes gliding past.

Some years we have a margarita machine and an extension cord, but some years not. Then right at dark, drag out the saw horses and tortured, burned plank of wood from previous years. Set the fireworks up. Let the big kids (11 years old and up) help and try not to spill beer and/or get your eyebrows burned off as you rush in to the seething, colorful inferno of 15-20 fireworks going off at the same time, frantically trying to light the small nub of a fuse on the "California Assassinator" cannon as the hair singes on your arms. Quite a treat!