As a young child growing up in Minneapolis the 4th of July was always a magical time. Well summers in general with school a hundred years away. The Aquatennial Parade, day camp in the park, the lakes, the cousins (I only had 3) the grandparents and of course the fireworks. There is nothing more magical than sitting on a boat watching the fireworks go off around you.

There was always potato salad, brownies, ginger snaps (the best) and of course Mom would make cherry pie with stripes. Too sophisticated for my pallet back then but, my sister always wanted cherry pie with stripes. Sometimes Grandpa would make home made ice cream too.

I remember riding my bike up to the corner drug store with my hard earned money, to buy a cap gun so I could shoot it off with the fireworks. That corner drugstore was easily a mile away and I was maybe 7-8. Can you imagine allowing your kid to do that now? Anyway with cap gun in tow, I was now ready to conquer all and add my volume to all the mayhem and madness.

One family fourth we went to my grandparents to celebrate. As a kid the 4th always dragged on forever. You start out early get to where you’re going and WAIT. Of course I now realize that the anticipation is half the memory. I’m not sure whose idea it was but Grandma I presume, decided that all the grandchildren with adult supervision, would get up on the flat garage roof and we would all go fishing! We each climbed the ladder and hoisted ourselves up over the railing. From there we could see Lake Nokomis. Just a few blocks and an easy walk from their house. We each had our own fishing pole, we cast our line out over the garage railing and on the other end would be some sort of prize. I was maybe 5 or 6 and this was so much fun. It also helped to break up the day. Now, my sister who was 11-12 at the time probably just rolled her eyes and thought this was dumb. I’ll have to ask her!

After gorging ourselves on food and trying to keep our young selves entertained we walked down to the lake to watch the show. We spread our blankets out on the grass and waited! Running around shouting, and shooting off the cap gun we waited. Pretty soon the sky opened up with a bang and the sound of freedom.

Other 4th’s would be spent a Diamond Lake with friends from Redwood Falls where I was born. When I was 9 I learned to ski on that lake. My happiest childhood memory. On ski’s with the wind in my hair jumping over the wake. Heaven!!! I had my first crush, he was way older but always nice to me, whereas his brother still older but not so much always, always teased me. Splashing water in my face, making fun of me. He was my nemesis! More potato salad, brownies, and ginger snaps. We would often be at the cabin for several days.

When we moved to Omaha most of that changed. Sometimes we went home to Mpls for the holiday or to the cabin but mostly it was just us. There were no huge city wide fireworks displays back then, but you could buy fireworks to shoot off if you made your way to Missouri, which a lot of people did. My parents hated the do it yourself fireworks and never would let us get any.

But then there was John. (The Husband). He was an old hand at do it yourself fireworks and knew where to get them how to shoot them off and generally raise havoc in the neighborhood. The first summer we were dating a whole new world opened up to me. With a friend we drove down to Missouri and picked up a bunch or stuff. Fireworks were still outlawed in Omaha. You couldn’t buy them and technically you couldn’t shoot them off but, everyone did. I learned that the 4th of July could be fun again. Our first fourth together we were making Strawberry Daiquiri’s and shooting stuff off. It was the first time I ever got drunk! Man was I drunk. Funny it didn’t hit me until I stood up!

The next fourth my dad decided John just might come in handy. They needed a crab tree cut down to complete the patio. With chainsaw and various other torture tools, they had their way with the tree and got it down to a very fat 3 foot stump. By this time the tents of fireworks were popping up outside the city limits. After a hot a sweaty day at the tree, Dad said to John come on, let’s go find something to blow this tree up with. Dad didn’t have a clue what to buy, but John knew. No they did not buy anything to blow up the stump. It was a diversion and It gave them something else fun to do. A lot of fireworks went off that stump that night, and a memory was made and a new legend began.

There have been 50 years of 4th of July memories between then and now. New traditions beet out the old ones and you adjust. Purple Haze in our back yard with the kids and sons in law. Hamburgers and dogs on the grill. Of course potato salad and brownies. GG’s recipes live on. No gingersnaps. I’ve never been able to make them quite like hers.

Instead of having the fourth now we go. Embraced by our son in laws big sprawling family. I will make my world famous Guac. Not world famous but family famous and you can’t have the 4th without Guacamole. Potato Salad and Brownies, or just maybe lemon bars. New memories to be super imposed over the old memories.

I wish you all a Happy Fourth. Make it a safe one.

Until next time

Thanks for stopping

Shelley