July 4

I had a really lovely July 4. Sean's mother and step-dad came up. Mount Shasta has a 3-day celebration and I wasn't scheduled to work any of it which was really good, since I gather those days were super busy. I get frazzled when it's so busy--you inevitably have three people asking you for three different things and only one of them will be something you can actually help them with. And that's if you've got someone else working the front--by yourself it's a total madhouse.

On the morning of the fourth we went to Sean's mom's church for a pancake breakfast. Then we went into the town center and did the two mile walk, which was pretty amazing, since all along the route people sign up for these little stages and they provide entertainment to the walkers. The first band was made up of what looked to be fifteen year old kids. They were singing death metal. Pretty surreal when the majority of the walkers must have been over 40. They were good, too--the singer was really committed to his performance. There were other heavy metal bands along the way, as well as reggae, folk, classical, and a couple with a drum and a flute who definitely nailed the Revolutionary style.

After the walk we stuck around for the drawing and I did not win the Jeep. I almost did; they did this narowing down thing where they'd eliminate portions of the crowd: "If you are between the ages of 20 and 40, raise your hand." "If you live in Mount Shasta keep your hand up." Etc. Only when they actually called the girl's name did I get eliminated. I was so sure I was going to win. Sigh.

Sean's step-dad bbq'ed lunch and then they had to go home after. I don't recall what we did with the afternoon, except that I was lazy and so Sean went out to get groceries for dinner. Then when he got home he presented me with pizza, cherry pie, and local beer! Quite a splurge since we've been counting every penny lately as we try to eek through the summer on our minimum wage incomes. We're talking ramen every other night, lots of beans and rice, lots of oatmeal.

After we polished off the pizza we walked to the lake and set outselves on the ground, eating cherry pie and drinking beer. We watched the fireworks. It was awesome. So amazing to be lying on a blanket with Sean watching this light show, sparkling golden and green jewels falling in the sky; the explosions echoing through the mountains; the finale with so many red, blue, purple, and dozens of other colors popping that each one lit the patterns of the smoke left by the last ones. I haven't had a 4th like that since I was a kid.