Since there are no NaBloPoMo writing prompts for the weekend, I’m free-styling it today. I mean really free-styling it… Hope you don’t mind.
As the holiday weekend drags to a close, I still hear the snap, crackle and pop of a few leftover fireworks in the distance. I understand. It’s hard to let this favorite summer holiday slip away.
Summer holidays are the best, and we get three good ones – Memorial Day (although it’s really in Spring, I count it as a summer holiday), Independence Day and Labor Day. I mean all other holidays are cool. Christmas, Thanksgiving and New years are among my favorites. But there’s just something about summer holidays – backyard BBQs, family gatherings and fireworks displays.
Speaking of fireworks displays, did you go see fireworks Saturday? I did. It was the first time I’d been in this city, and I’ve been here for nearly 20 years. Can you believe that? I can’t. I still think I must be wrong, but it’s certainly the first one I can recall. Well, whether seeing it for the first time literally or figuratively, all I can say is the display was awesome.
And to think, we hadn’t even planned to go see fireworks. If it wasn’t for my hankering for some froyo (sorbet, actually) and a desperate need for fresh air (after being inside watching Redbox movies all day), we probably would have missed them again this year. But I’m so glad we didn’t.
When we got out, the side streets and interstates seemed deserted. It seems a lot of folks left town for the weekend. The city almost felt like a ghost town. It was totally weird, but we soon found the crowd when we got to the fireworks site.
I love to watch fireworks. They make me feel nostalgic and hopeful. The nostalgia I can explain, but the hope? Well, that’s somewhat of a sweet mystery, but I like it. I guess it’s just nice seeing people from communities throughout the city come together to celebrate freedom.
After the fireworks, we eased out of our viewing location and headed to one of our favorite restaurants for dessert and a night cap. We made it one hour before close. And the bread pudding was superb, as always.
So what else did I do this weekend? Oh yeah, we did get some food on the grill. My husband’s the great grill master. He likes to grill it and I like to eat it. Of course now I’ve had my hot dog fix over the past few days, so I’m good to go until Labor Day. My contribution was the oven roasted brussel sprouts you see here. 
YUCK! Needless to say, I don’t eat them. He loves them, though, so I’m happy to oblige. As long as I don’t need to taste them, we’re good.
So what did you do for the holiday weekend? BBQ, beach or something altogether different?