A Perfect 4th of July

I love the 4th of July. It is my favorite holiday. People always ask you what your plans are for the 4th. Big doings afoot? Not exactly big, but for me our plans are perfect.

It starts with food: Randy's famous barbecued chicken, potato salad heavy on the pickle, baked beans from scratch, corn on the cob so good it doesn't need butter, strawberry shortcake with homemade shortcake all eaten in the backyard of Mom's house. And maybe a cupcake or two!

Next it's downtown, hometown, Arlington parade, us waving, clapping and cheering for tractors, firetrucks, horses, bagpipers, the school of dance, more tractors, old cars, politicians, and one clown (only one, thank goodness), the kids dashing out to get the candy tossed to them, husbands on kid wrangling duty while us girls sit and gossip. This year we added the question, "are you doing okay?" to the pregnant sister who looks like she could have the baby any day now!

Last, it's kids holding sparklers, laughing with the joy of playing with fire. Bigger kids, grown men usually, bags of rockets and fire crackers, punks lit, grinning from ear to ear with the joy of playing with fire. My sister and myself, sitting outside, calling words of caution to our kids, and husbands, ever watchful for a wild, stray rocket to land in our laps and start smoldering. It happened once, and we've been super watchful ever since.

And for me, the 4th is perfect because I've been spending it with my guy for the last 18 years. 18 years ago, on the 4th of July, he showed up at my house with an eye patch and his Mom as his driver, and as I sat down at the river and watched him light off fireworks, I knew I'd love him for the rest of my life. So far, so good!