It's Traditional!

Today we will celebrate the 4th of July as we have for over 30 years. We will gather with our Des Plaines teacher friends in the late afternoon and chat over drinks and snacks. About six o'clock everyone will pack up and drive over to the Glenview Park District golf course where we will lay out blankets and set up our picnic. There will be chicken supplied by the hosts and lots of side dishes provided by everyone else. We'll listen to the North Shore Concert Band concert, talk some more, watch the sky for the threat of rain, and then finally at about 9:00 see a spectacular fireworks show. It's not the fourth without this tradition!

Of course traditions develop and change. This year, gasp!, our usual hosts are still in France. So Beryl and Dave stepped up to the plate and will host the afternoon soiree. The group varies a bit from year to year as people's family needs occur. We actually missed a few years when our kids were in high school marching band and seeing the marching band contest that used to occur in Northbrook was a priority.

Routine, yes, but boring, no. We have so many tales to tell and retell. There was the year when our boys were about one and three when the fireworks blew up at the beginning of the show setting off what we thought at the time was a major disaster. Ken scooped up David and I madly pushed Kevin in his stroller as we ran from the golf course explosions. There have been too many thunder storms to count. Again, scoop up belongings and run to the car which is several blocks away. Then there was the time we didn't even go to the golf course because of early rain. We picnicked at the house and, when the rain did stop at fireworks time, we drove to a under construction housing development to watch...and got in trouble with the police. We've moved from an event filled with our children to an adults only event....but sometimes adult children join us. Time marches on but tradition remains!

We're blessed to live in this free country and blessed to share our country's birthday with friends....and tradition!

Happy 4th!