I'd have to say the 4th of July is my fave holiday. After 3 inches of rain and now on-going mist, it's not looking too festive this year. Fingers crossed that it quits by fireworks time about 10 PM tonight.
When I was a kid, we always attended the fireworks display at the Atlantic Golf and Country Club. We'd take a blanket and plop down around fairway number 8. The fireworks crew set up in front of the green. Before it got dark enough for real fireworks, they'd shoot those sonic booms. We'd begin creeping down the fairway in the dusky light, only to run back and dive onto the blanket when the boom happened.
The fireworks were so beautiful, but I remember the the most wondrous thing about the holiday was the family stuff. A couple years we went to Okoboji to my cousin's cabin. They were really second cousins - Dad's cousin CB Stewart and his colorful wife Eloise. My cousin Craig turned me on to the love of all things explosive! Black Cats, Ladyfingers and M-80s you could light with a punk. We played lots of games in the screened in porch. It was a good family time.
My parents had a lot of great friends in Atlantic. Several years we got together with them - including the Thedes, Ray and Virginia. Ray lost all the fingers on one hand due to an accident, yet could still golf. And Sheriff Ben Magill. I spent time at Thede's house looking through their son Bill's old Mad Magazines. Now those were entertaining! Remember the little drawings in the margins of the pages? The sheriff was entertained by tossing ladyfinger firecrackers at us while we shot off the illegal fireworks in our possession.
So the 4th was always a good memory in my childhood. No blown off fingers or drunken brawls. Stay tuned for tomorrow's installation - 4th of July post college. I hope you can sleep tonight - I know the anticipation is great.
When I was a kid, we always attended the fireworks display at the Atlantic Golf and Country Club. We'd take a blanket and plop down around fairway number 8. The fireworks crew set up in front of the green. Before it got dark enough for real fireworks, they'd shoot those sonic booms. We'd begin creeping down the fairway in the dusky light, only to run back and dive onto the blanket when the boom happened.
The fireworks were so beautiful, but I remember the the most wondrous thing about the holiday was the family stuff. A couple years we went to Okoboji to my cousin's cabin. They were really second cousins - Dad's cousin CB Stewart and his colorful wife Eloise. My cousin Craig turned me on to the love of all things explosive! Black Cats, Ladyfingers and M-80s you could light with a punk. We played lots of games in the screened in porch. It was a good family time.
My parents had a lot of great friends in Atlantic. Several years we got together with them - including the Thedes, Ray and Virginia. Ray lost all the fingers on one hand due to an accident, yet could still golf. And Sheriff Ben Magill. I spent time at Thede's house looking through their son Bill's old Mad Magazines. Now those were entertaining! Remember the little drawings in the margins of the pages? The sheriff was entertained by tossing ladyfinger firecrackers at us while we shot off the illegal fireworks in our possession.
So the 4th was always a good memory in my childhood. No blown off fingers or drunken brawls. Stay tuned for tomorrow's installation - 4th of July post college. I hope you can sleep tonight - I know the anticipation is great.
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