Wifey and I were reminiscing, about the ebullient D2 as a little girl. Back then, the JCC in Kendall would have a parade, and D2 loved it. She would sing "God Bless America" with the adorably malapropped "From the mountains...to the fairies." She was might adorable.
For years, we'd rent a room and cabana at The Biltmore, and spend the day with some other family and friends swimming in that Gulf of Mexico -- sorry -- Gulf of America-sized pool. The Ds loved ordering virgin frozen drinks, and at night, we'd move to the golf course for the great fireworks. As the crowd grumbled in traffic leaving, we'd go up to our rooms. It was a fine way to celebrate the holiday.
This year, the grandsons are at a parade on Key Biscayne, and after, I think, local fireworks. D1 is bringing them over tomorrow -- the plan is to spend the day, and then leave Little Man overnight, so D1 can bring Baby Man solo to a lunch with friends. Little Man and I have our routine -- he MUST not wake me before the sun starts to rise, and when it does, we're off to House of Bagels.
Knowing this, I eschewed a bagel this am at breakfast at LOL with Norman -- went with the whole wheat toast instead, though we DID share an order of corn bread, blueberry French toast, which the Israeli waitress Orli said is her recipe. I reminded Orli that today is the 49th anniversary of the Entebbe hostage rescue. Back then, Palestinian terrorists were kidnapping Jews and holding them, whereas these days Palestinian terrorists kidnap Jews and hold them. Both times it didn't end well for the Palis...you'd think they'd learn...
Norman was going to do some work today. I plan some napping -- to the wonderful "July 4th Twilight Zone Marathon." Now we're talking -- this may be better to nap to then my usual "Mayday Air Disaster" on Smithsonian.
I still think back to 4ths of yore. In 1984 pre-Wifey and I spent the night before at her friend Yvonne's South Beach efficiency, so we could wake early and stake out a decent spot on South Beach -- the Beach Boys were playing that night. It turned out they played to half a million on the D.C. Mall earlier, and then jetted to Miami for another 400K of us. It may still be the record for most fans seeing a band in a single day.
We drank wine and beer all day, and with the sun baking, were ourselves well baked when the concert started. Jeannette was with us, and when special guest Ringo Starr was introduced, Jeannette ran like a crazy woman towards the stage -- I thought we'd never see her again. John Lodge and Justin Hayward also guested -- it was truly a night to remember, and afterwards Wifey led me back to our car, the 1982 Buick Century Mom had given me for law school.
1981 was huge, too. I was working as a pharmacy tech at Boca Hospital, and my friend Vince was house sitting in North Miami -- his parents and sister were at their Keys condo for the holiday. What a blast that was -- friends came from Boca and were taken aback at the wildness of parties in the 305 compared to Southern Palm Beach.
I spent the night and the next am helped Vince fish all of the patio furniture out of the pool, and clean up the broken beer bottles and liquor bottles. He found $100 in cash -- he used probably $10 of it to treat me to breakfast at the nearby Ham and Eggery. Fun times for a nearly 20 year old me.
This 4th -- no parties. It appears fireworks may be a washout tonight, anyway.
And snark aside, boy do I love this country. We have lots wrong, but it's still amazing, that maybe 120 years ago my 4 grandparents came here with bupkis, as they say, and 2 generations later their grandson is living the life of Riley.
So Happy birthday, Land of the free and home of the brave -- from the mountains to the fairies...
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