This has been the strangest Fourth of July I can remember.… This holiday has been one of our family’s favorites. Every year we’ve been in town we’ve been part of the parade and fireworks in our our town… Nearly 40 years. This is the first time it didn’t happen (except for Weather)… We missed our family . The day brings back great memories of Hately conceived floats done at the very last minute… And the kids were older we were just go hang out at the Bressor,’s and watch the parade. It was always a time for a really good potato chips.… I missed it

Even so… It was a peaceful day. Diane and I hung out together and sat out front watching cars go by… That was our parade.

We walked the dogs, went for a run… Dianne garden and I worked on a project that I’m doing with my brother… Things we both enjoy doing. Around eight some of my friends started showing up for our movie night. We all kept social distance… Everyone brought their own drinks and snacks. And then we turned on the movie… We watched a Popeye cartoon… Then a video of some recorded fireworks… And then we put on Will Smith in Independence day. It came out in 1996… And I don’t recall ever watching it. It was great in a schlocky Hollywood kind of way. We had about 15 people spread across the yard watching it… And we had borrowed a very bright projector so it was really fun to watch.

Brad and family Give us a show a real fireworks from over there side of Route two

It’s funny… Watching that movie… I was thinking about the state that our country is in. I’ve never felt that this country was on as bad path as it is on now. I’m hopeful that it’s getting so bad that it will have to change directions. We simply need a regime change. We need to get back to a sense of common good, sense of equality racial justice… Back away from the divisive Ness that were in now. I love my country… Just not my government

Happy fourth everyone… Let’s try to turn this around

Nite all, nite sam

-me

I spent a good part of today with my friend Aaron (a.k.a. rebar) and later on my friend Newt working on a piece of burnable art for an upcoming festival we’re holding. The festival is about fire and water… It happens to fall around Bastille day so we are building a seated representation of King Louis the 16th… Sitting on his “throne”… Normally made of ceramic. At the right moment We’re making a mechanism that will make his head pop off.

Great thing to do with the Friday vacation day

Nite all, nite sam

-me

I’ve decided to take the next two days off.… I need them… But it doesn’t make it any easier. I’m not really good at taking vacations.

I’ve got a bunch of projects going and I keep letting work get in the way. So I’m looking forward to getting busy and some of my own stuff.

So this makes tonight kind of a virtual Friday night. I marked it by going downtown to have a beer with my friend Kyle… It’s been along time since I’ve seen him. The first bar we went to look to empty enough but due to covert restrictions It was full. We ended up at another place down by the lake. Lots of beautiful people around sharing appetizers etc. I have to admit it was a little less socially distant than I’m used to… But I kept my distance. It was super great catching up with ‘Kyle and comparing notes on stuff. He’s the CEO of the local YMCA. An organization that has really changed it’s Brand. We came up with some great projects to work out together. All while watching a beautiful sunset. I love Vermont

Nite all, nite sam

-me

We had to buy a new lawnmower today because the old one broke a crankshaft. I’m not sure how it happened because nobody remembers hitting anything…. So I made one of my few 40s out into the outside world masked up and went into Home Depot. Unfortunately they didn’t have the models that I was looking for. But they had a considerably more expensive one that had all the features I wanted. As I stood there pondering Whether I should go ahead and get the more expensive one,the sales assistant came up and she said… “Well the worlds Going to Helena handbasket so why not ?!”

I Took her advice and bought it… Handbasket or not

Nite all, nite sam

-me