Happy Independence Day

Well, by all accounts, the party was a success. Or maybe our friends are just too polite to say anything else. Friday night, all day Saturday, and most of the day Sunday were spent in preparation for the shindig. By 3pm Sunday, two hours before the party even started, I was ready to call it quits. But then guests started arriving and I felt reenergized and enjoyed myself. The dozen kids played nicely together, and none was injured by darts, firearms, the dog, the aging insane cats, or our very unchild-proofed home. Rex was actually quite well behaved--a little humping and his signature clandestine butt-sniffing, sure, but no nipping and he even let the kids pet him.

Book burning party
Originally uploaded by suzipaw.

I didn't get to meet all of M's law school friends and their significant others, unfortunately, and there were a lot of 'em in attendance. One fellow student brought a firepit and several copies of the property law book from the class that caused so much anguish last semester were torched. It was definitely a party highlight until the flames reach the binding glue and started stinking up the yard. Well, it was time for everyone to start leaving anyway.

The food and drink was certainly another highlight, if nothing else. I wish I had taken a pic of the groaning table. The one surprise--no-one brought that picnic/summer staple, potato salad! Well, perhaps the role of the spud was more than adequately filled by the potato gun.

So M and I have been recovering these past two glorious, lazy days. Those long hours of preparation really paid off--we haven't had to cook or clean or do any other chores, really. I have several nice bottles of wine now and the cooler is still keeping some leftover beer chilly. (In fact, I'm having one now, for lunch, in broad daylight, how crazy!) We went to a matinee of "Superman Returns" yesterday, which was a very satisfying summer blockbuster. One last day of lounging…will I be able to resist checking my work email today? I hope so. Maybe it's time to pop in that "Cooking with Julia" DVD.

The music from the nearby fairgrounds has just fired up--let the partying begin! It is nice not to have to drive anywhere to see a good fireworks show, but Rex suffers--he barks himself hoarse every year. Supposedly our city's no-fireworks ban will be strictly and strenuously enforced this year, but our neighbor let us know that his roommate recently returned from Vegas with a thousand dollars worth of fireworks. The ban has been in force for a while, but our street was ablaze with both the "safe and sane" and *really* illegal varieties last year. We'll see how crazy our street is tonight.

*****

One week into his six-week teaching gig, and M is feeling the godly power of the professor. He's taking this job very seriously and really seems to be enjoying it.