Seeing Red, White & Blue

It's only July third, but lots of people celebrated today. Our friends Paige & Gary had their annual backyard party, and our newer neighbors threw a Jamaican-themed party with oxtail, rum punch and Jamaican spiced bun. [Jamaicans have this, my friend said of the latter. If they didn't, it would be like going over to an Italian family's and not having pasta.]

Highlights from the patriotic party:

*P & G's daughter, Ella, had dipped strawberries in sweet red, white and blue coating. Pretty & tasty.

**Paige, dessert maker extraordinaire, made a R, W & B jelly roll cake with rich white filling. 

***Neighbor Amy baked a blueberry coffee cake, buttery and tender.

****Platters were piled high with hotdogs, hamburgers, coleslaw, great salads and side dishes.

*****Buckets were filled w R, W & B forks, knives and spoons. We sipped Sally's margaritas and other drinks from red or blue cups.

******We chatted and talked and laughed. Most of us were professionals first, parents second. Many of us are still both. Psychologist, bank executive, editor, writer, award-winning [and Oprah-selected] kitchen gadget inventor, radio exec, attorney, engineer. Some are dedicated at-home moms. The kids ran and played and popped the tabs on cans of soda with that glee that comes from spotting a cooler packed with frosty Cokes and root beers.

*******Even a bourbon tasting. I'm telling you, I run in a circle of connoisseurs.

Good night.