Monday, July 04, 2005
4th of July
Today is the 4th of July. Our Independence Day. I asserted my independence today by rearranging the furniture. Yup. The couch is now here. The fish tank is over there where the couch was. The bookshelf is over where the fishtank was. The dog crate is where the DVD shelf was. The DVD shelf has just moved down on the same wall for now. I also finished vaccuming and steam-cleaning the carpet, and I steam-cleaned the couch.
I think I'm going to be quite sore tomorrow.
Why, today, on a holiday, did I choose to do this?
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Today is the 4th of July.
Growing up, this was a HUGE holiday. The day started early, being in the local city parade. Usually, on the Ferguson Swim Team float... or a float for some other activity. A few years, I marched in the Ferguson Marching Band, playing snare drum. Growing up in Ferguson, a city of about 24-thousand, you still knew and recognized a hundred faces in the crowds.
After the parade, it was time for a picnic at the park ... there were game booths, entertainment, food, TONS of people, competitions, the pool was open, my Dad's Masonic Lodge always sold bratwursts ... the park was less than a mile from my house, so I could come and go several times thru-out the day, just walking to/from.
In the evening, we kids (my next-door-neighbors, brother and I) would run around with sparklers and we'd grill out for dinner ... usually have corn-on-the-cob, watermelon (gotta have watermelon seed spitting contests!), etc. As it got dark, we'd get out blankets or lawn chairs and settle in ... the city went all out with fireworks, which we could see from the backyard. We'd yell and cheer and scream. I've always LOVED fireworks!!
Since "growing up", I've tried many new things since then; spent many summers on Lake Michigan, spent paychecks on firecrackers (I'm scared to light them ... I'm a wuss ... which is kinda odd, since I love setting fire to things. *laugh*), I've had some great times. But I'll never forget those traditions ... ah, the innocence of youth.
SO .... when I'm on my own at holidays, I distract myself. Hence the 'clean and re-arrange the livingroom' project. I'll probably repeat the process at Christmastime. d;)
I think I'm going to be quite sore tomorrow.
Why, today, on a holiday, did I choose to do this?
--------------------------------
Today is the 4th of July.
Growing up, this was a HUGE holiday. The day started early, being in the local city parade. Usually, on the Ferguson Swim Team float... or a float for some other activity. A few years, I marched in the Ferguson Marching Band, playing snare drum. Growing up in Ferguson, a city of about 24-thousand, you still knew and recognized a hundred faces in the crowds.
After the parade, it was time for a picnic at the park ... there were game booths, entertainment, food, TONS of people, competitions, the pool was open, my Dad's Masonic Lodge always sold bratwursts ... the park was less than a mile from my house, so I could come and go several times thru-out the day, just walking to/from.
In the evening, we kids (my next-door-neighbors, brother and I) would run around with sparklers and we'd grill out for dinner ... usually have corn-on-the-cob, watermelon (gotta have watermelon seed spitting contests!), etc. As it got dark, we'd get out blankets or lawn chairs and settle in ... the city went all out with fireworks, which we could see from the backyard. We'd yell and cheer and scream. I've always LOVED fireworks!!
Since "growing up", I've tried many new things since then; spent many summers on Lake Michigan, spent paychecks on firecrackers (I'm scared to light them ... I'm a wuss ... which is kinda odd, since I love setting fire to things. *laugh*), I've had some great times. But I'll never forget those traditions ... ah, the innocence of youth.
SO .... when I'm on my own at holidays, I distract myself. Hence the 'clean and re-arrange the livingroom' project. I'll probably repeat the process at Christmastime. d;)
# posted by Elims @ 6:52 PM 
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Sorry to hear you are on your own for holidays, that sucks. I spent a few years doing my own thing at Christmas time, my favourite holiday, thinking that I would rather be alone than bring other people down..but it never works.
You just end up depressed, or at least I did. Hopefully you had a better time than that!
You just end up depressed, or at least I did. Hopefully you had a better time than that!
It wasnt bad. I ran outside to see if I could see the local fireworks from my yard (sometimes I can, if the wind is blowing right), but this year the trees didnt cooperate. The dogs went ballistic at the sound of the firecrackers, so we came inside and watched TV.
It's hard to be depressed when I live with such colorful clowns ... even when I am "alone" (without human companionship). If I didnt have my critters, then yes ... I would be very low indeed.
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It's hard to be depressed when I live with such colorful clowns ... even when I am "alone" (without human companionship). If I didnt have my critters, then yes ... I would be very low indeed.
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