UG. Yesterday was awful. Can I just be honest here? Of course I can, this is my blog, and if you don’t like it, you can LEAVE ;)

I HATE July 4th. HATE IT. Something tells me that our founding fathers did NOT have our current celebratory traditions in mind when they signed the Declaration of Independence. How could they? Cookouts, cheesy parades packed with lame ass advertising, salt water taffy and blowing things up.. Oh yeah, And don’t forget; The littering, the pollution, and the inevitable cramming of too many people into one small space so that we can ALL watch other people blow stuff up. Hmm. Now, I admit that I haven’t ALWAYS hated our July 4th celebrations. And to be honest, my children both love it. But every year, I become a little more disenchanted with the established tradition.

It starts early; breakfast at my parents house, then (if you are up for it) stay for the parade. I have bailed the last two years from the parade because I just can’t take it. Normally I LOVE people watching, but there is just something about the July 4th holiday that brings out the white trash in everyone. I always find myself having some kind of altercation with strangers because I don’t like being walked on. I find that every year, people are so inconsiderate. And it drives me NUTS that they allow their children to behave the way they do.. PEOPLE. It’s just salt water taffy.. You will not win a golden ticket if you grab/snatch/step on others to steal the most.. COME ON! Maybe other cities are better, you’d think the smaller ones would have it down, but OY. I hate it.

After the parade; water fight at Grandma’s house where someone always gets hurt because certain members of my family do NOT encourage their children to play nice. Sometimes Grandma will set up the pool for less enthusiastic balloon fighters to wade. This year, not. Barbecue starts around 5:30, don’t forget the jello salad. Then it’s the adults sitting around in camp chairs talking, while the kiddies run around enjoying their sugar induced crazies. Now, maybe this all doesn’t sound bad to you, why am I bitching so much?? Hmm.. It could be the lack of alcohol available at said barbecue ;) But honestly, I am complaining because I wasn’t spending my ‘holiday’ with the one person I wanted to be with..

I felt very much like a sulking, unimpressed teenager. (Sorry Mom). And I couldn’t shake that feeling no matter how hard I tried. I felt like an outsider, there only in body.. It was very strange, and it put me in a bad mood.

So, that brought me to thinking.. What would be my ideal of the best independence day celebration? I actually spent a good part of my night imagining it.  I haven’t come to the exact conclusion yet.. But if there were no limits to my dream (and why should there be?)  I am thinking.. Houseboat.. Delicious food, WINE, sparklers (of course), surrounded by friends and loved ones. I can see images of us diving off the boat; swimming and playing in the water. Then just after the sunset Watching the fireworks off in the distance. And pulling close and kissing the man I want to spend the rest of my life with.  Everything is low key, no crowds and I am giddy with happiness (and maybe wine too.)

Now, I ask you.. Is that too much to ask?