Fireworks bought, Guests invited, Menu and details to plan and finish.

I do so enjoy my 4th of July party ever year.  I am not really all that sure how it began, as a rule I am not a bigger entertainer, we are usually very private people.  We always enjoy people in are home but are not the kind that have people alot.  Our kids and grandkids come and go at will, they are never really "invited" per se, they are just part of the family and  are here regularly, sometimes daily.  My siblings come and go in my life but all have their own individual lives and are busy so we don't get together often. Our lives are all so different and we live some distance apart, except for Sister and Drama Queen, who live next door.  I see Sister, daily or regularly like my kids.  Drama Queen is to caustic for my health and life so, though I love her, and there was a time I could not say that, I can't have her drama, gossip and hysterics in my life, a choice that has greatly improved my over all life. My parents don't like to travel and are alot like us, so this year they won't be here. I think we are just people that enjoy our lives and do enjoy our peaceful sort of remote life style, if you can be remote only a mile from town on an interstate.

Every year I think of the work it takes to tie it all together and consider not doing it but Mokie gets upset and encourages me to do it because in the end all have fun and it is something that alot of the people, who come, count on. I therefore procrastinate and then in my usual way, burst forth and do all the work at the last minute.  We pull it together and have a great evening with our friends and family followed by a big fireworks display, well as big as we can afford, with extra donations from guests that contribute. Some years lots of fireworks and some year a nice little show, half the fun is that we don't know how many we will have until the end. The last two years our son has found a guy who brings in wholesale fireworks and we get alot more than we could afford retail.

I took out the sirloin and the brisket out yesterday, to thaw, I always do pulled pork but yesterday at the store the ribs looked very good so I think the ladies and I will go down today and buy them.  I picked up a water melon, I think I will make a potato salad, pasta salad and baked beans (Sister usually makes them but is to ill to do it this year, so she will bring buns and drinks).  I may make homemade ice cream as well it is always fun to get some one the churn it and the kids like to take turns sitting o the antique machine. DC gave us strawberries Friday so the Ladies are going to make strawberry rhubarb pies today for the party.  Mokie always brings crab salad and maybe she will make a three bean salad not sure. Poppie has cleaned and filled the pool, he is putting in two gallons of bleach this time, he put in 1 last time and that was good for the algae for about two to three weeks so he is putting in more this time.  That shouldn't really be a problem as the pool holds 2100 gallons.  Maybe this time he won't have to clean it as soon, it is cold when he does.  Belle's two littlest kids can't wait to come play in it, Belle's littlest daughter has paralyzed legs so I have promised to teach her to swim when she can visit, I am sure I won't be able to try tomorrow evening but she will get a taste of the pool and come again.

Today, we have to mow the lawn, weed eat, finish house chores, scrub the carpets but all will come together and we will have a great time with our friends and family for another year... tomorrow.