Independence Day...

Yesterday, we had the official July 4th celebration here in Kenosha. That means we had an all day cook out with about 100 people, some of which I knew, and much alcohol. The day started at 2pm and lasted until well after dark. We ended the night watching the city's fireworks display while sitting on the rocks down at Lake Michigan. The night was cool and clear and there were so many boats on the lake with their lights twinkling. It would be great to see the fireworks from a boat on the lake one day!

The fireworks were spectacular! Really beautiful and BIG!

Kenosha is such a predictable town. I mean, I do love certain aspects of it but, on July 4th, sitting by the lake for the fireworks, there are certain things you can expect to see each and every year. For example, you will always see the family with the out of control kids that have taxed their parents patience which has caused them to have a very public, very loud argument involving "colorful" terms for one another. You can also bank on being near a vocal group of non-plussed teens who think it's oh so cool to speak loudly about how bored they are with it all and how it would be so much better if they were smoking crack! The irony is, it's a pretty safe bet that none of them have ever actually even seen a crack pipe let alone smoked it but it is a very "cool", controversial thing for them to declare at a family event like the lakefront fireworks. You will also see, without fail, mass groups of people firing off illegal fireworks within feet of one another. Firing off fireworks without a permit is illegal here. You can't even have them in your possession. Selling them, however, is perfectly legal - go figure. And, honestly, unless someone blows off their own hand, the police just kind of look the other way.

All in all, it was a grand day. Only the first of the three day celebration that will go on here. Today, there will be a low key swim party at my sister's house. Tomorrow, the Kenosha Civic Parade! w00t! My niece, Wendy, marched with The Band of the Black Watch so we're all going to cheer her on. She'll be glad it's the last parade of the weekend. She marched in 4 parades yesterday in Illinois!