Growing up in rural north Florida, the Fourth of
July was just another holiday. The most exciting memory was when a couple
of cousins bought some firecrackers and roman candles in Georgia and fired them
off.
Things changed after I married and we had
children. We would take the kids to a local park to watch the
fireworks. We would arrive early with a picnic basket and a blanket and
join the huge crowd waiting for dusk and the fireworks. It was great
fun. We always got caught in a traffic
jam afterward and wouldn’t get home until late.
It didn’t matter.
After we moved to Lake Norman, we quickly
learned that a spectacular fireworks event was held over the water at Queens
Landing, an entertainment and boating complex. And it was right across
from the entrance to our neighborhood.
We would walk there in less than five minutes, spread a blanket and
watch the wonderful fireworks over the lake. We would be amazed when we
looked past the docks to the hundreds of boats anchored to watch the
fireworks. It looked like the movies of
D-Day.
Jennifer and her family used to visit us on most
Fourth of July holidays and we would spread two blankets and bring snacks for
our grandsons. What great memories.
Now that we are older and live in Carolina
Preserve, we don’t even think of leaving the house to watch fireworks. We
host our neighbors for a BBQ cookout. I
get up early, fire up the grill, and cook a large pork shoulder for over eight
hours on low heat. Our neighbors bring appetizers and desserts, and we
have a grand time. Of course, some wine
and a few beers make the evening even more fun.
When everyone walks home, I turn on the TV and
watch the Capitol Fourth celebration on television. I love the patriotic music.
Our traditions have changed as we age, but we
still enjoy the Fourth of July and look forward to it every year.
Seasoned Man