Standing a Little Taller

Yellowtail Fireworks Show 2011

Happy Independence Day, everyone! This morning we watched the Cody parade, which is always great. I got very emotional when four "hot shot" firefighters walked by with a memorial banner for the 19 men who died in Arizona.
Afterwards we walked around the arts market in the park before settling on some lunch from the vendors. Braeden and Maren each bought a freshly squeezed lemonade, which was perfect. I'd love to duplicate it. Then the guys broke off and ordered what was called a "Hawg on a Log", which, quite frankly, scared me a little (big BBQ hunks of pork on a skewer in a footlong paper trough full of sauce). Maren and I headed back over to Taste of Asia, which Brandon lovingly called "Taste of Diarrhea".
Despite our difference in tastes and terminology, Maren and I happily bought our double eggrolls (light and crisp to perfection) and stir-fry vegetables with noodles, with a ladle of teriyaki chicken on top, served in a red paper asian take-out box with choptsticks. They were neither gelatinous nor greasy and the teriyaki "juice" (not thickened) wasn't too salty or sweet. Perfect.
We found each other again, in front of the stage full of performing cloggers, and sampled our foods. The BBQ pork was tasty and smokey, but I was already full of noodles. I couldn't help but observe that I was eating Asian food with chopsticks on the 4th of July, and I thought of Sara, and that was pretty perfect, too. I wish she were here already.

Oh, and Maren and I updated that old weathered bench. Is it just me, or does it seem to be standing a little taller?

Before

After

The weather has turned for now, rain and wind, some thunder, but later we're supposed to head over to the church for a BBQ and fireworks. Our church building is on a hill overlooking town and we get a great view of the city fireworks show from there. If the weather cooperates. I made my famous lemon bars, as requested by Jacob. I guess if it's cancelled we get lemon bars for dinner.

Not too shabby.

Enjoy your holiday, and your freedoms!

Famous Lemon Bars