...And A Good Time Was Had By All

I can't believe I'm the first to blog about the Great July 4 Weekend in South Carolina!!!

Everyone began arriving on Thursday afternoon. Mom and Dad were here. Mike, Michelle, Hannah and Heather were here. Bill and Deb came and they brought Sydney along for the fun. All totaled we had 11 people (plus Dixie) here for the long weekend.

As usual, Steve cooked and cooked and cooked some more. We had WAAAAAAYYYY too much GREAT food!!! Steaks and baked potatoes, hamburgers and hot dogs, Pulled Pork and BBQ Ribs, along with all the sides and snacks in between. In the evenings we cranked up the fire pit and made S'mores. I'm still full (and so is my fridge)!!!

On Friday afternoon Dad, Debbie and Sydney went across the street from my house and picked some blackberries on the vacant lot over there. I made a peach and blackberry cobbler for dessert. It was really good!!

The BIG culmination to the weekend, of course, was Saturday evening, July 4. We had BBQ for dinner with potato salad, cole slaw and rolls. Dessert was vanilla pudding with blueberries and strawberries in it. After dinner, Steve set up our big screen and showed the NASCAR race on the back deck. The guys all enjoyed that. (Of course, the first 6 or 8 laps were a bit hard to see because it was still too light outside.)

Once it got good and dark outside, Steve set up the fireworks he bought. When he started setting them off in the driveway our next door neighbors came out and brought along an entire arsenal of fireworks from their house. The general concensus was that they spent at least $500 on their display...... and we got to benefit from it!! The show was the best I've seen in several years and we didn't have to go anywhere to see it!!! I got a few pictures of the show, but the battery died in my camera shortly after the begining, so I took a bunch with Bill's camera, since he was helping with the show.

One of the other highlights of the weekend was on Friday when Uncle Steve (again attempting to sustain his "favored uncle" status) allowed Hannah to drive Aunt Peggie's little car. I'm not sure I've ever seen a bigger smile on Hannah's face!! He then took Heather for a ride and we got some pictures of her in the little green car.

I suppose I should report on poor Dixie at this point. Most days she sleeps off and on all day long. With so much going on, she probably walked 500 miles over the weekend. She rarely sat or layed down at all. She spent all day yesterday (after everyone left) asleep and today she only gets up long enough to change position!! The worst part was that yesterday morning I realized no one had fed her in a couple of days!!! I felt really bad, but EVERYONE told me she didn't go hungry. Evidently she had lots to eat, even if it wasn't dog food. I fed her yesterday, but her dish still isn't empty. I guess I didn't need to worry about her, after all!!!

And now, before anyone else can "tell" on me, I have another confession to make. I've done it again. Again, I contend it was a TOTAL accident..... I've killed again.....

There was a beautiful green and yellow frog living on our sliding glass door. On Thursday evening it jumped off the door and into the mini fridge. I had to get Mike to get it out. He threw it out into the yard and the next day it was back on the door again. On Friday night I went out to the mini fridge just before I went to bed to refill mom's glass. When I was through, the door just wouldn't close. It felt like something was caught in the track, but I didn't see anything. After a couple of tries, it just closed....no problem. Then on Saturday morning I noticed my beautiful yellow and green frog was sort of "jammed" between the two doors...... A very sad day...... Once again, Mike came to my rescue and "disposed of the body" for me....... I'm not sure Mother Nature is going to continue to allow me to live with her little critters. I'm just too clumsy to live in harmony with the "smallest of the small"...... I'm sorry little froggie.....

Today is Monday and Steve took the day off from work because we originally thought folks were staying until today. It has worked out well for us, though. We've got things pretty much put back in place and put away until next time.

Thank you to everyone who came. We had a SUPER GREAT time. The invitation still stands......whenever anyone is ready for a weekend (or longer) off, come out to the country and stay with us. We've got plenty of room and love to have the company.....

Until next time.....

God Bless the USA .... and ...

Love to all....