Friday, July 10, 2009

Day One-Hundred Seventy-Four: Bang

***Originally written on July 4, 2009. This is the last back-posted blog from vacation. Huzzah!*****

Gonna make it short and sweet: Fourth of July at the Roark place rocks.

Big gathering of in-state and out-of-state family, a feast that includes ribs, pork, and any of a number of side dishes, pillow-fighting sisters-in-law, very young children playing with their first sparklers, an unending supply of Dr. Pepper, and the nightcap: sitting on a porch swing with my wife and son after dark as cousins-and-sisters-in-law shoot off fireworks for almost a full hour.

Since I left Wellington for summer stocks, my Independence Days have been somewhat lacking in festivities. At Horsefeathers and Applesauce, we always performed a song or two for Winfield’s city-wide celebration, and one year I stuck around for fireworks afterward. That day was fun. My summers in Ohio always saw me work until after 10:00, after which I could barely see some fireworks over the trees outside the Montessori school we were staying at. We went out to Miller my first summer at Houston, but the last two years (one of which was Robbie’s one-week birthday) saw the family too tired and the circumstances (see: having an infant/toddler) too difficult for us to go anywhere at all.

All that to say, this afternoon/evening has been very nice. Really fun. I know I blogged this last night, but I love my in-law family. They’re a lively bunch who loves to be together and loves to have fun, and those type of people are always a joy to be a part of.

Hope everyone had a fun fourth.