Monday July 4, 2022

It is officially the 4th of July! You may recall that last year I said that Cape Cod seemed "normal" in terms of crowds during the summer. I guess I forgot what normal is. The beaches and roads were packed! Luckily we weren't affected going to our friend's home for the cookout and had an enjoyable afternoon.

I did not sleep at all last night (though I guess I rested). The worst night so far pre-travel. We were up at 4:30 and left for the airport at 5:15. No traffic and no crowds here. I do like traveling on holidays. Hopefully I can sleep on the plane (I usually don't).

My next post will be from Washington state! Have a happy holiday!

Quite a flight all the way across the country! Have fun in Washington!!

Quiet day so far. We went to my Aunt's house for breakfast and to watch the Ipswich Parade. Mostly kids decked out in red white and blue riding bikes and scooters. Perfect small town parade. We helped chop up ingredients for potato salad and shucked the corn. Shucking corn is a chore I enjoy, it always feels like summer.

We came back to home base for a little nap/rest, and will return for supper. Not sure if there are any fireworks to be seen.

There is a lot to reflect on this 4th of July. By nature, i am usually optimistic about the fate of America, but we have witnessed some bruising times these last years, including a pandemic we are still grappling with. I hope our better angels emerge, and we can continue "to build a more perfect union".

Flying on the 4th can be fun! I did it once (or maybe new years eve) after dark and you could see the fireworks from above instead of below. A treat! DS

A happy Fourth of July to all!

I am heartbroken to see yet another shooting by a maladjusted, angry suspected teen/young adult. I think the root of these shootings and the soulless anger of the young men doing them deserves far more attention than the guns. What is wrong with them? What is causing their utter lack of belief in the value of human life? I don't understand, but we as a society have lost something so important and I don't know how we get it back.

Today I head to my friend's house. She texted me that she's been in tears all morning from the heaviness of another holiday without her kids and her impending move from the family home. So I don't anticipate a light holiday. Glad that I'll be there for her, but it's hard to walk in knowing my role is to help prop her up and help bring some happy to the day.

My new buyers only want a few shelving items from the garage. So now to find a taker for a good deal of furniture I don't want to take. I think I'm going to contact a consignment place. I don't care about the money, I just need it gone! Down to 15 days. Eek!

Anyway, I should probably go get ready!

Every shooting just leaves me feeling hopeless. Like you, I don't know what has changed that nurtures these violent impulses. As I've said many times, I know kids I grew up with had guns in their cars, because they were going hunting at some point in the week. In my wildest dreams I never thought they would shoot me or anyone else. Not even the weirdest, oddest kid. What changed?

Exhausted (but we spent a nice afternoon with my brother and his family). I crashed and had to get back to our AirBNB and get into PJs (it is 6:30 here). But it is warm, we are looking over the river and there is some great live music playing somewhere near. So a view, music, and PJs! There apparently are also fireworks at 10:15 which we could see from our deck but I expect I will be sound asleep by then. This place is just adorable and in a perfect location!

Happy Independence Day friends! Weekend was rather boring except for foraging through a State aPark with Aidan yesterday. I've been tracking my food and making (much) better food choices the last few weeks and already I'm not feeling as hungry (unless it's meal time) and my cravings for sweets is diminishing as well. Hallelujah! It's been a tough weekend for our highly anxious Emma with all the fireworks. Storms bother her too. I medicated her with Trazodone on top of her daily medication for 3 nights in a row. Last night she was so out of it that she peed the bed (and continued laying in the same spot. I was washing and changing bedding at 3 am and people didn't even stop setting off fireworks until after 12:30. Not much sleep for me this weekend either. I decided I won't medicate Emma tonight even if there are fireworks or storms. I think her system needs to clear itself of the Trazodone a bit. One day of work this week (tomorrow) and then a week and a half off. We are doing a Christian Concert Festival Thursday- Sunday and then going to Door County WI the following Monday - Friday. Best get going. The boom, booms are starting and Emma is scratching at my legs. Hope they don't last long. I get up for work at 4:45 am!

4:45 comes quick! I don't miss those early work days.

Poor Emma! It's very quiet here in Ipswich. Nice for humans and pets alike who don't like the explosions.