Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Independence Day BFF 207



    As I allow my mind to wander back to the Independence Day’s of long ago when I was a kid and life was simpler, I realize it was always a day set aside for family, an abundance of delicious food, rousing games, swimming, and topped with a sky filled with fireworks.  Memories drift back at random, mostly the same but with each year that passed somehow different.




     Each year my Dad rose early to leave the house by 9 am to load the back of his red ranchero with barrel grills he had specially made, a couple wire screens, barbecue dish mops, spray bottles filled with water, and the ingredients to his special sauce in a paper bag.  Every 4th of July my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins would gather without fail.  Every year the venue changed. 


         One year it would be held at Grandma and Grandpa’s farm where we could play croquet, horse shoes, or softball after eating.  Another we would travel into Michigan to my Uncle’s house for a day at the lake.  Still other times the venue would be my Aunt’s house which would promise time spent in her swimming pool.  Some years the family gathered at one of the local county parks where the hosting family had rented a pavilion.  One thing was constant; as long as my Dad lived he made his fabulous chicken and we were required to attend without fail.  Each family would bring a salad or a dessert.  It was always a massive spread of delicious food and if you walked away hungry it was no one’s fault but your own.


        While my dad went his merry way, my mom would be busy in the kitchen making deviled eggs and placing them carefully on her glass egg plate.  My mom, sister, and I always made our appearance at the family picnic closer to the noon hour when it would soon be time to eat.  The only person that really looked forward to these gatherings was my Dad.  He never missed them.  He could be gone and miss birthdays and other holidays, but he was always home for the 4th of July to make his chicken for the family.  He loved going to the reunions.  The rest of us went for him.  I can’t remember ever looking forward to it.  The atmosphere was almost always awkward.




       Once you got past hello, what in G0d’s name did you say to people you only saw a few times a year?  Hugs and kisses could be counted on from only a few.   Grandma never failed to hug me hello and goodbye.  Then she would be off to make certain no one got more than one piece of that glorious chicken.  The standard question when I was a kid was “How do you like school?”  And “What grade are you going to be in?” and “How is your sister?”  The last one always made my blood boil a bit.  I mean “Who cares?”  




       There were times as I grew up they wouldn’t even bother with the niceties of inquiring about how I was but simply ask me about her as if simply because we were sisters I knew all of her business and what made her tick.  As I got older I rebelled a bit and went for the shocking truth. “Oh she couldn’t come because she is in jail” or “I have no idea, probably drunk somewhere.”   Looking back, I realize she was probably a lot more interesting to talk about than I was.   When she was there, they would still ask about her as if they thought they could get the real story from me.  I hated that!!  To their credit, I don’t even think they realized they did it.  They never did get the clue not to ask me about her.  They would gather in their own intimate families and eat together paying little never mind to everyone else.  My Dad was the exception; he would wander among all of them and force them to talk to him.


         The 4th of July always ended with fireworks. Our next door neighbors would bring their lawn chairs over when it got dark and we would line up our chairs and my Dad would set off his fireworks.  There would be sparklers for me to whirl and then we would sit out in our lawn chairs half the night watching fireworks light up the sky, the grownups nursing ice cold beers, and while I pointed out each burst of color that crossed the night sky.  It could be hotter than the fires of hell during the day, but by the time the sun went down I remember some 4th of July’s turning cold enough we needed jackets and blankets.




       Sadly those long ago days are lost forever and only a memory.  Many members of that extended family who made the reunions happen without fail are gone.  Both of my parents are gone.  This year my husband is on the road, and we are here.  There is a county wide ban on fireworks due to the never ending draught that has plagued us all summer.  We will spend the holiday quietly as if it is just another day until next time when I give you another glimpse into the life of a trucker’s wife.








20 comments:

  1. Great trip down memory lane for many of us from that generation. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. Humor after 50, I am pleased you enjoyed it. Thank you for stopping by to read and for your comments! ♥

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    1. Bodacious, and a very Happy 4th of July to you!! Thank you for stopping by! ♥

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  3. So many fond memories of the 4th gone by!! It is sad to know that many of your elders are no longer here--but they live in your heart and in your memories. Time to make new ones with the younger generation--as the torch is now passed to you :) Happy 4th to you and the kids--hope you stay cool and enjoy the holiday!! Jenn

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    1. Jenn, the torch has definitely been passed. We spent a lot of time in the pool and I barbecued some burgers. It was a nice relaxing day. Thank you for stopping by to read and for your kind comments. ♥

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  4. I'm from a really big family and we used to gather like that, but there were so many of us kids that we looked forward to all the time with cousins. Sadly, my parents brought us to FL when I was 10 and I have missed my family ever since. things change when you can only see family once a year on a short vacay.... I would give anything in the world if my life could be rewound and my parents never took us away from the rest of the family. I love my cousins, but in many ways, we are strangers. We are doing the best that we can to rebuild family ties here on Facebook, but it is not the same....

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    1. Darlene, I was the youngest of the grandchildren in that bunch. The rest of the cousins were much older and really didn't want much to do with me. Still I remember those reunions fondly. I loved the swimming and the games and all the food! My cousins and I are strangers. Even though I have connected with some of them on Facebook, like you say it is not the same. They are simply part of the list and really do interact with me at all. Thank you for stopping by to read my memories and for your kind comments! ♥

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    2. We have a family group on Facebook. Sometimes it gets really fun in there. Yesterday was a blast. We kind of cut loose... hee hee Maybe if you start a family group and invite them, you all might get to know each other again. It's worth a try.

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    3. Darlene, that must be really nice for all of you. That might not be a bad idea. Thank you for the suggestion!! ♥

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  5. How do you get those pictures from the past to post? My childhood was not photographed digitally,lol. As always I loved your post and it hit the NaBloPoMo too.

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    1. pbquig, it is pretty simple. I take the old photo and use a scanner to scan it into my computer. Then I use a free photo editing program called picasa to enhance them. I am so pleased you stopped by to read and and enjoyed my post. Thank you!! ♥

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  6. Sorry that you didn't care much for those gatherings, but still, the food and fireworks sounded pretty cool!!! It was a simpler time back then.

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    1. JoJo, the gatherings were OK, it is just I always felt out of place. A person can sense when people really don't want to interact with you, especially when they are so obvious about it. The food, the swimming, games and fireworks were always wonderful. I appreciate the experiences more now that it is lost forever than I did when they were going on. Thank you for stopping by to read and for your comments! ♥

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  7. Apart from Christmas and Halloween, this is my favorite holiday. It's always on the 4th and one is ever insured of a much needed day off to enjoy the festivities.

    Good food, activities capped by fireworks make for a great day.

    By the way, is the Ford Ranchero still around? It's sharp!

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    1. Jeremy, unfortunately no, that Ranchero is gone. I believe he traded this one for a newer model. I wish he would have kept this one. My dad had a fleet of them and he drove them till the day he died. This particular one he had when I was little. It was always my favorite. It had some balls and Dad would always try to scare the be Je$us out of me and my sister by doing donuts on back roads. One time we landed right in the ditch. LOL This particular one sounded like a race car and I believe my sister drag raced with it. I have always loved the fireworks and the great food. Thank you for stopping by to read and for your comments! ♥

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  8. I loved this memory! It sparked some of my own. ;)

    Country-wide ban on fire works? Who knew?!

    Great job and great pictures!

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    1. Amy, I am so pleased you enjoyed it. I know, it was crazy last night. There was only one person in the neighborhood who took the chance and set off some fireworks. This morning's paper said that people who were caught shooting off fireworks were arrested and taken to jail. Kind of blew my mind! Thank you for stopping by to read and for your comments! ♥

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  9. I guess when family members have problems, people are more apt to ask about them.

    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

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    1. Joyce, that must be it. She pulled so many stunts she simply always kept the gossip mill going. It was extremely embarrassing on the school bus, and annoying at family reunions. Thank you for stopping by to read and for your comments. ♥

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