This American Life

Sometimes lately I feel like I am in some sort of Norman Rockwell painting come-to-life. I guess that's just the way it is in a small town in the summertime. And Daphne is enjoying every single minute of it. And while sometimes I get a little case of the I Need Some City Blues, I am enjoying it too.

Over the Fourth, there were hot dogs, ice cream, sparklers, parades, fireworks, cousins, swimming pools and sprinklers in the yard, fireflies, picnics, moonbounces...everything a kid could possibly want in a summer weekend. I remember weekends a lot like that when I was a kid in New Albany. Only back then, there weren't really moonbounces and a lot more people smoked. Still, I wouldn't trade those days for anything. I hope Daphne feels the same way.

Kev's sister and family came to spend the weekend with us, so in addition to all the things listed above, we went to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and took a short road trip to Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, which is a cute little town on the Shenandoah River near the Appalachian Trail. Almost everything in town was closed, but we did find a pretty good place to eat dinner and an ice cream place for dessert. I really really want to go back when it gets cooler out and when the shops are open. I'm thinking there are probably canoeing possibilities there too...we saw a lot of people who had been tubing on the river. It will be beautiful there in the fall, so I may have to plan a trip back in October.

My favorite part of the weekend was the block party we attended on the evening of the Fourth. Our friends live across the street from the rec. center, which is where the town holds the fireworks display every year, and we were lucky enough to be invited to their annual Fourth of July picnic. We had good food, got to hang out with nice people, the kids had a BLAST, and the view of the fireworks could not be beat. Thanks, Tim and Suzanne!

I also really enjoyed watching Daphne and her cousins play together. They are finally starting to have real little kid conversations and it's very entertaining.

AND I briefly got to see two of MY cousins and my Aunt Kathy, who came through town on their way back to Indiana from a trip to the Jersey shore. Yay!

Our visitors left this morning, and the house is very quiet and a little sad. Daphne is sleeping, I am blogging, and outside the town is melting away in the hot hot heat. I think it's supposed to be 103 today and tomorrow, but a little relief is in sight at the end of the week. Daphne has to get four shots on Thursday, so I'm looking forward to Friday and beyond, when the heat and shots are behind us.

I hope you all had a safe and fun holiday weekend. I'm off to get a nice cold beverage and look at some pictures from last year's blizzard...

Thanks to D, P, R, and K for coming all the way here to visit us. We all had a great time. Come back any time!