The bedraggled image of Uncle Sam still hangs on my front door, surrounded with red white and blue bunting, and a forlorn miniature flag ripples on the back landing. I ‘ve been too busy to take them down. Oh, who are we kidding ? I just can’t stand for holidays to be over. Even when they’re not perfect.
We did have a nice Fourth here in Never Never Land with bands and barbecues. The celebration was marred by the fact that the band didn’t play any patriotic songs. There was no Yankee Doodle Dandy, not a note of Stars and Stripes Forever and the audience – composed of folks 70 and up – way up – grew restless when there was not even a chorus of You’re a Grand Old Flag. The audience appeared ready to pelt the musicians with leftover potato salad when the young band leader confessed that his group didn’t know any of “those old songs” and offered instead Snoopy’s theme from the Peanuts movie. Well. okay. but it’s not the same. There’s no getting around it. Summer is half over. The second half had better be good
Don’t get me wrong, There are still plenty of reasons to celebrate. On July 13 National Beans and Franks Day. Time to get serious about relaxing.
Because a revered editor once told me that stories are always better if they include animals, we still have plenty of opportunities for animal celebrations. We’ve already missed National Koi Day (July 7), National Kitten Day (July 10), All-American Pet Photo Day (July 11), but there’s I Love Horses Day (July 15), National Pet Fire Safety Day (July 15), or we can go right to National Star Trek Day on Sept 9, and here’s thee big one, National TV Dinner Day on Sept 10.
There has always been something about these long, steamy hot days that just insist you try something different. I still remember the long suffering policeman who stopped my newly licensed Mother in Spokane and said with a sigh, “Now, Marion, you must choose one side of the street or the other. You cannot drive on both sides.” He didn’t give her a ticket though. I’m betting he would have in October. In fact, I think he did.
Something about these long, steamy hot days that just invites you to try activities that would have seemed a terrible idea in March.
Try alternate celebrations. One of the most fun things we ever did as a family was to honor my parents was to make personalized fortune cookies. We collected fortunes, written by the whole extended family. You don’t even have to bake the cookies. Just open a fortune cookie by placing a damp paper towel over the cookie and warming it in the microwave for one minute. We made 5 dozen for my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary and it was a great hit as we took turns opening and reading the fortunes. It’s a slow project, so if your going to do 5 dozen, you’ll want help. But this is a great time to try something new.
Here’s a look at how it’s done.
These are learning days, for all of us. I remember dashing from my son’s wedding in mid July and NOT in a Catholic Church.I was shocked. I was horrified. I’d always thought the children would marry in our church. I fled to my pastor in tears. I think maybe I had the idea he could order the miscreant home. But instead, he said, “You know, you don’t get to say what’s right for your son. You have raised a good man and now the journey is his.” Best advice I ever got and immeasurable value for the many summers ahead when I watched my brood set off on their journies.
One last suggestion. August 1 is National Respect for Parents day . I case you’re wondering how to celebrate maybe you’d like to show appreciation for the good advice received over the years. August 1 is also National Water Balloon Day. Apparently you can show recognition of bad advice over the years parents by drenching them.
I wish you’d come with me while I take down the 4th of July decorations. Maybe we could make some ice cream a little later. I know I saw the freezer in the back closet. There’s plenty to celebrate and September is far away.
This column previously published in the McClatchy publications.