We'll start with July 3rd, because, really, that's when I celebrate. This year I was by the lake again with the minions. Jim and Dave joined us as well as Rich and Mary Ann and Tim and Lissa. Those are my friends who showed for the first time this year at least. Chris and Aimee, Jason and Abie, Lando, Dragon and Eddie were also in attendance as well as many others. I was so happy to spend the afternoon and evening with you all!
There were Fireworks and they were good.... there was also drama... I hope everything gets finally resolved with that soon for all parties... seems like everytime I see certain people drama erupts.

I got up way to early on the 4th, got the girls up out of bed, made every one get dressed and my sister and I took her two kids, Desi and Mikey, and China to the Elgin parade. I would describe it as Chinese Dragons, Politicians, four high school marching bands, every not for profit that could get in and every business that could wrangle their way into a np's spot or manage to get a spot of their own. Throw in a handfull of Active duty military and a bunch of veterans for good patriotic measure. I saluted the color guards, and cheered loudly for the dems and fox valley citizens for peace group. Sat next to Leslie who must be the biggest parade suck up I've ever met. "we love (fill in the blank who has candy)!"
we all got lots of candy. On a side note... the libertarians handed out documentation, the Dems ran out of candy before they got to us, and the Reps "have good candy." "We like the coronor's candy" and "Look Fiesta Salsa! Do you think they have salsa there?" (well yes, actually they do) are quotes from Leslie.
We had fun... it lasted way too long and was too hot... we were in the sun and when compared with freezing in fireworks the night before was kind of startling... more startling looking back now at the fact that China and Sanjeeda and I froze later on the 4th at fireworks in Rockford.
Oh yeah China and I finished the 4th in Rockford. Sanjeeda China and I had dinner and went to the fireworks... we missed Jake and Ali due to poor timing on our part... but it was fun. Some where in there I saved the files off of her laptop so she can send it off for service without loosing anything.

and then I got up WAY to EARLY this morning.
I mean way. 

While it goes without saying that I am fucking FINE...

It should be noted that I happen to be the LESS attractive partner in my particular relationship...

Wow!

So we wandered off on Wednesday night (the 2nd) to Greenfield Village for fireworks and a DSO concert, aided and abetted by a couple of period 'light' music groups (The Michigan First Fife and Drum, and the River Raisin Ragtime Revue(warning, ragtime!)). The DSO was scheduled to start playing about 8:30. About 7:15, a crew came out and tarped the percussion section, and moved a few chairs toward the center of the stage. Ten minutes later, a couple of HFM people came on stage and said "you guys are great for coming out here. Unfortunately, you have to go home. There's a severe thunderstorm heading this way." The lightning had already started, and there were some really cool cloud patterns. We sat in the car in the parking lot and watched it rain -- at times I couldn't see the brick wall 20 feet away. After about half an hour, the rain and the parking lot had cleared out enough that we were able to head over to Mum's. LilSis showed up while we were there -- she had intended to make a flying visit (heh) to Bethel and see her friends there before she started her residency in Orlando. But the flight was cancelled, and there wasn't time to do the MI-AK-MI run (not with the once a day flight from Bethel to Anchorage) and still move to FL by the 14th, so she came back to "Mum's Hotel".

As we came across N Territorial Rd, there was lots of tree debris on the road, much of it large branches. There was at least one tree that had been hit by lightning. We only lost part of a scrub tree in the easement and a small branch off one of the birches. And all the corn was laying over at about a 50degree angle. And there was no power when we got home. It finally came back on sometime early this morning -- I went to bed at midnight-thirty, and the power was still out. And of course, Charter being what it is, no power means no internet, so even when the generator was running we had no access.

Off to catch up on LJ!

http://www.cartoonlabs.com/comics/index.php?date=2008-07-05&show=sinfest

Sinfest
Tatsuya Ishida

From the Brooke McEldowney LJ (officialpibgorn) , to explain why 9CWL is so strum and drangy these days...

Captain: What is that off the starboard bow? (exposition) Take a look there with those heavy, official-looking Navy-issue binoculars hanging around your neck, Lieutenant.
Lieutenant: I believe it is a torpedo, Captain. (conflict)
Captain: I believe there is a supreme being, Lieutenant. But officers and gentlemen never discuss religion. (development) What is that thing off the starboard bow?
Lieutenant: A torpedo, sir. (certain conflict)
Captain: Can we maneuver out of its path? (more development)
Lieutenant: No, sir. (really tense tense tense conflict)
Captain: Then kiss me, you fool. (resolution)

This, then, is storytelling – storytelling of burly men at sea, and the sound of binoculars clinking together like nobody's business.

The strange and beautiful webcomic minus has just come to its sudden conclusion.

I knew Alex was tired after a long day in the sun. I also knew he took about an hour nap on the sailboat. However, he fell asleep IN THE MIDDLE of the fireworks show. I get falling asleep before, I get falling asleep after. But during? That takes talent!

Zero Punctuation is a fast talking, foul mouthed reviewer of video games who takes on the topic of gaming webcomics this week.

These are so well written that it almost overcomes the need for the viewer to be completely immersed in the topic to have any idea what he's talking about.

to all my US friends. We had a nice relaxing day here at home. We have several friends come over and share in BBQ and other goodies as well as good conversation and games. It was quite a day. We decided against going to the official fireworks demonstration because it had been raining much of the day and I really did not feel like fighting with the wet ground and the mosquitos. So... we ended our evening with the kids (and some adults too) doing sparklers out front and watching our neighborhood light up with fireworks.

It was a fun time! It is great to be an American!

YES WE CAN!

We spent a wonderful day sailing on Lake Michigan with friends. Now we're feeding the small one and we (along with my fairly horrible sunburn!) are off the playground for sliding and fireworks watching :)

Happy Birthday America! (or Mamerca as Alex mangled it)

I asked sibylle to give me a letter for the song meme, which goes:

1. Reply to this post and I'll assign you a letter.
2. List 5 songs you like that start with that letter.
3. Post them to your journal with these instructions.

My songs are all about the letter L.

The top 5:

"Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac. Most wistful song ever about the end of a love affair, without once falling into pathos.

"Layla" by Derek and the Dominos (original version). One of the best rock piano songs ever, one of the best guitar duets ever, simply one of the best.

"(Looking For) The Heart of Saturday Night" by Tom Waits (Sean Colvin version). Yes, this is the correct title. Lots of folks have covered it, but I think Colvin does it best.

"Longer Boats" by Cat Stevens. I have no idea what this song means, but I love it. Gorgeous arrangement, excellent performances. And for the record, I know what it's supposed to be about. For me, that explanation doesn't work any better than random speculation.

"Let The Big Horse Run" by John Stewart. A wonderful, catchy tune that's both a salute to Secretariat and a lament that he was retired to stud rather than race.


Honorable Mentions, in no particular order.

"L. A. Freeway" by Guy Clark.

"Lady Madonna" by the Beatles.

"Laundry Cycle" by the Bobs.

"Lawyers, Guns and Money" by Warren Zevon.

"Least of My Kind", performed by Marty Coady.

"Leave My Monkey Alone" by Warren Zevon.

"Lies" by Stan Rogers.

"Little Miss Magic" by Jimmy Buffet.

"Lola" by the Kinks.

"Long Long Time" by Linda Ronstadt.

"Long Time Gone" by the Dixie Chicks.

"Love Is A Rose" by Neil Young.

"Love Stinks" by J. Geils Band.

"Lovely Agnes" by Sally Rogers.

"Lukey" by Great Big Sea.

…on LOST (spoilers for the end of 4th season)

The surprising answer, in physics, is yes … sort of. The trick is that you don’t really move the island. Rather, you change its space-time connection to the rest of the Earth.

…off to sea, however.  A Brazilian priest decided to rig himself up in a chair with a bazillion helium balloons, and rose off to many cheers.  The rig flew off and over and out to sea, and - well, the Brazilian Navy gave up looking for him two months ago.

I’m starting my descent at 16,000 feet and I just passed a guy in a lawn chair with a gun.

daisy_knotwise and I have decided to throw caution to the winds. We're taking the girls out to the Lisle Eyes to the Skies festival to watch balloon launches, listen to Kansas in concert, and then watch the fireworks. The plan is to meet up with folks there.

We'll see how this works.