Money going up in smoke

The 'Old Man' recently said, "Harlyn, look at the fireworks, our money going up in smoke". This year, I think that is all the excitement I got out of the fourth of July (with one exception: the lovely annoying noise of the zillion packs of saturn missles I purchased wizzing and whistling up into the air).

Fourth of July is one of those obligation days that really drains me. No matter how old I get, I think as long as the parents are alive I will be woken up waaaaay to early to make sure I am going to be at the parade. For 29 years, I have started out the fourth of July at the Old Webster parade with the entire family at our printing company. My aunts and uncles all bring their friends and family and lots of goodies to share in the nice AC, while the little ones get help from my aunts to write their names on paper bags and rush to stake their claim on a piece of curb out in front of the shop. Now the middle school aged cousins are all enterpeneurs. They gather up all the coolers and soda in the place and wander the streets selling overpriced soda to the suckers who forgot they might need a drink while they bake themselves in the humid July heat. I sold them for $0.50, in my middle school prime, now they sell them for a $1 (good old inflation). I can't say that I get excited by the parade at all anymore. I occassionally get a good laugh at my uncles taunting unsuspecting people in the parade with blasts of water from their super soakers...or the tribe of boys scouts on rollerblades armed with water balloons and ready to get revenge. The slew of politicians, with their bandwagons, just seem to aggravate me, especially when members of my family stand up and applaud such sleazes who have yet to display any worthwhile 'Talent'. There is also quite a bit of discontent among my family (too bad we all just can't get along). If family drama doesn't make a holiday, I don't know what will (or not).

There is one thing I'll miss this year...I'll miss tearing out of the parade for the soiree at my house....BBQ'ing in the rain, dropping plates of freshly cooked meat (much to the pups delight) and finally blowing up anything we can set fire to in my front yard (not excluding small dogs and electrical lines).

Happy 4th!