1.  Please share a favorite July 4th memory with us.

When I was young, we drove the hour north to visit my grandparents in Palm Beach. The nearby country club always had an excellent display and their house was only a couple blocks from it. We’d climb the ladder up to the flat roof above their screened in porch and watch from there, looking out over the canal. I remember them feeling so close! I also remember how scared I was trying to get down the ladder.

2.  How do you plan to spend tomorrow?  If you are working, will you celebrate later?

So tomorrow, we have a party to attend next door and it looks like there will be a lot of food! Fireworks-wise, not sure. The neighborhood does a show but we have not attended before so I don’t know about parking, etc. It’s a little too far to walk. Then on Sunday we are going out to Monticello to eat, shoot the guns, and shoot off fireworks with friends. We do this almost every year. On the working note, the university is closed and they are ALSO closed Friday so that is super awesome.

3.  Is there a favorite food always reserved for your 4th of July celebration?

I think burgers and hot dogs remind me of this holiday most. But any other grill-out session food like beans, pies, potato salad, etc.

4.  In Florida, you can buy all kinds of fireworks, including some that fly high and burst into pretty cascades.  Are fireworks legal in your state/community and does anyone you know put on a display for your neighborhood?

Well, I AM in Florida and I can tell you that you can get better ones in Alabama. But not Georgia! See above for the answer to the second part.

5.  Do you have a favorite movie that you always watch sometime during the 4th of July?

We don’t make a point to but I love when Sandlot comes on TV.

6.  Share something from your week, please.

It’s been a good one so far! Monday I was super happy – just in general. Boss is out, people are being nice to each other, and although it’s hot as sin outside, I was just feeling good. That day, I turned in my paperwork to begin employment for Ashland University. Tuesday I was a little more stressed about all the uncertainty right now about changing jobs but today I feel good. I met with the chair of the English department at the community college and I am basically hired for fall. I think some of variable course loads, etc is still worth it to have the time flexibility and sanity regained. I cannot wait to leave this place and move onto other things!

I am also super excited to set up a workspace in my bedroom (we don’t have a desk or anything in there yet) and just get to work, organizing my days around the various classes. It will be a much different life but I am ready to tackle it!