Good morning Everybody!
I skimmed through all the posts I missed, mostly looking at the pictures. Forgive me if I missed something.
Our 4th of July celebration was fantastic! We had a few rain drops, but they did not hinder us. I watched the lightning strikes move around us. First they were in the south than to the west and finally passing to the north.
The best part of the day was when my Aunt Joan arrived. Many of you remember she had a stroke a few months ago and was not expected to recover, but sure enough she is coherent and she had a good appetite! She was able to stay and hold court for several hours, thank God!
My nephew whom I had not seen in several years came with his entire family! He had gotten upset with me over the last presidential election as we were both strongly in favor of opposite sides. He and several of his fireman cohorts had tried to convince me I was wrong in my support of the opposite side, one even threatened me with violence on facebook! It easy to be brave and bold behind a computer screen. I asked my nephew to give him my address and tell him to come see me, but he never came. That other fireman did like many of my "friends" have done in the months since the election, unfriended me on Facebook.
My nephew, Shawn came to me when he arrived on the 4th and apologized and in addition said to me "Uncle Lou, you were right" I stoped him there, he did not need to say anymore, I knew what he was talking about and told him not to worry. I have always been so proud of him. To see a big, strong and soon to be 45 year old man admit he was wrong made me even more proud of him. I told him "nothing would ever make me stop loving you". I ended the discussion at that point as my wife had asked me to refrain from the subject of politics. I can happily report, I did not disappoint my wife.
Two days earlier my silly sister asked me "is it ok if Shawn, Lisa and his daughters come on the 4th?" When she asked I thought to myself "what a stupid f...ing question!" I told her "of course they came come I would love it if they did!"
I missed some old faces, that had been regular attendees in years past. My longtime friend Willy (sorry Sherrel, but that is his name)
is not feeling his best and is still working full time. He needed the day to rest and was greatly missed. I hope and pray now that Willy has finally come to terms with his chronic health problems and is taking his medications his health will improve. We can deny the truth, but sooner or later it bites us in the ass.
Several of my other old cohorts were missed and I found out we no longer have connections to the Bedouins of North Africa or the good ol' boys farming in Kentucky. One old timer brought Maryland's recently legalized medical "stuff" I tasted it but I thought it smelled like "zombie weed". I told my old buddy "if they give that to somebody on temporary disability they will never go back to work!" He did give me an "edible candy" and it worked great to reduce my pain for clean up the following day. I did too much cleaning up on the 5th and my back felt even worse on the 6th! It's not for me, I don't take anything for pain. If I do I always end up doing too much and making things worse.
All in all we had a great day on the 4th. It was the largest attendance we have had. It seemed like people were everywhere. Makes me happy to think this should go on for many more 4ths. I hope in the future some or all of you can come.
This year I was smart, I did not work two days before or two days after the 4th. When I returned to work on the 7th I felt fine. I worked again yesterday and I feel fine again today. This new routine and working shorter evening blocks for Amazon is working for me, thank God!
I hope all is well for Everybody, God Bless Us All!
