Enjoy the holiday

Funny how one's perceptions of what's fun change as we mosey along through life. For many years I wouldn't think of missing a Fourth of July parade in downtown Sandpoint.

I loved standing down there on the sidewalks wherever the appointed meeting place happened to be and yelling out obnoxious, crazy comments to whomever I knew that happened to be passing by on a float, the back of a truck or pushing a lawnmower.

Now, I'm happy to stay home.

Call it age, call it a desire to keep the day simple, call it whatever, but the thought of just plain hanging out at home, mowing one more patch of lawn, watering the posies, watching all the action to and from town, taking a dip in the misshapen pool, enjoying a small family barbecue and getting a kick out of all the neighbors around us who put on great fireworks shows----that's exactly the way I want to spend this Independence Day, 2009.

I've put the flag out and I'm planning to make sure all the animals have as peaceful a day as possible.

Bill says if folks want to be inducted into the Lodgepole Society, we'll be here.

So, we wish all our friends and family a wonderful holiday, and we hope that however you spend it, you'll have a memorable day. After all, it's Independence Day, and thankfully, we're all free to name our brand of fun, right?

Hooray for the red, white and blue AND bring on the barbecue!