Independence Day – Friday Five
June 30th, 2006 by aBhantiarna Solas

The RevGalBlogPals have a Friday Five Meme … I decided to participate today. So with little more ado …

In the U.S., we’re heading into a holiday weekend as we prepare to celebrate Independence Day. Although the topic of this meme may be inevitable, independence never is, so it couldn’t hurt to stop and think for a minute about independence in a general way and holidays in a more trivial way.

1) Do you celebrate 4th of July (or some other holiday representing independence?)
I/We celebrate Independence Day. LightHusband and I used to sweat it out on a parade route somewhere in a fife and drum corps. Now it’s good to stay cool and dry or perhaps swim in our Canadian friends’ swimming pool.

2) When was the first time you felt independent, if ever?
When I got my first studio apartment in Washington DC. when I was 23 years old. But now I’m married with kids, not so much.

3) If you’re hosting a cookout, what’s on the grill?
Not hosting … going to a cookout hosted by our Canadian friends of all people!! I’m not sure what I’ll take yet. Probably Strawberry Shortcake now that you mention it.

4) Strawberry Shortcake — biscuit or sponge cake? Discuss.
Biscuit … always. In fact, I’d never even heard of having sponge cake until I moved out of New England. And … it must have homemade whipped cream on top with lots of yummy strawberry juice. I’ve been known, on occasion, to make strawberry shortcake for dinner. Just because.

5) Fireworks — best and worst experience
Hmmm … best would be on The Mall in DC back in about 1984 or 1985 with a bunch of friends. We hung out all day on a blanket and ate food and laughed. Then we watched the fireworks explode over the Washington Monument. This was back in the days when people would buy real livingroom furniture from Salvation Army and leave it on the Mall for the Park Police to clean up the next day. So there were all kinds of people around us sitting in and on all kinds of furniture.

Worst … Was on the shore of the Potomac a couple of years later to watch the fireworks, but I had a migraine all day. And being in the hot sun was horrible. The fireworks were probably fine, but I was miserable.


4 Responses  
  • Mary Beth writes:
    June 30th, 20062:32 pmat

    I can’t think of a worse combination than hot sun, a migraine, and FIREWORKS! Poor you!

           
  • Paddy O. writes:
    June 30th, 20064:45 pmat

    That’s funny, in 1992, four friends and I went on a roadtrip from the Pacific coast to arrive in DC on the 4th. It was my best experience as well. Only, I combined it with your worst. I had a migraine the whole day and spent much of the day in the hot sun.

    The best parts of it fairly well canceled out the miserable parts, which now that I think about it is a good expression of American patriotism.

    I think the 4th in the Mall is a pilgrimage all Americans should make at least once.

           
  • aBhantiarna Solas writes:
    June 30th, 200610:03 pmat

    Yep … the fireworks over the Washington Monument are not to be missed. If you can see them within earshot of the 1812 Overture (either live or on the radio) so much the better. I’ve seen them from the Mall, from the Potomac, and several times from a hillside within the confines of Fort Myer in Arlington. Once I watched them from the side of the road on Route 50. They’re always inspiring … except when you’ve had a migraine all day. Having lived in the general DC area for over 20 years I’ve had my fair share of DC fireworks. Now I stay home and watch my small town show and that’s just as much fun, but lots less hassle. But I think next year it will be time for the kids to experience the full show, so we’ll make a day of it once more.

           
  • Songbird writes:
    June 30th, 200611:34 pmat

    Definitely the whipped cream needs to be homemade, none of that Cool Whip!
    Thanks for playing!

           


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