July 4: Making the Best of It?

 

July 4th, which I once called Independence Day, is surely not the same as it once was.  "With liberty and justice for all," seem to be hollow words, when they should be hallowed words.  And yes, I'm having a serious issue with what has happened in America where 249 years ago it was declared that " all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness," rights that seem to have been aborted But as an anonymous reader posted:  "I’m celebrating the Fourth this year. I’m not letting those asshole take away what America means to me. Also hotdogs."  I won't argue with that.

This is not the 4th of July that I (or perhaps anyone) wanted, but it's the 4th of July we've got, so I'm going to try and make the best of it.  I'd made some fun plans, but...

We'll start off with the plan for a (small) family gathering in the cool of the mountains.  Of course the mountains aren't quite as cool as they once were (global warming anyone?), so I am grateful for having central a/c.  Sort of...You see a week ago Monday, which happened to be one of the hottest days of the year (thus far), we turned on the a/c for the first time and...I don't think I need to tell you what happened next.  Or rather what DIDN'T happen next.  I called our HVAC (and plumbing AND electric) company, knowing full well that they wouldn't be able to get out here that day.  And that was okay because we had to head back to NJ, where there is no central a/c, but window units help.  (Nothing completely cools you when the temperatures are in the triple digits.)  They would be able to come out on Thursday (after the heat wave broke).  And indeed they did, first thing.  Only problem was that when they tested everything out, they found we needed two parts that they didn't have.  They'd need to be ordered and then they'd come back.  So on Monday I called to see what the status was and both parts had come in and they were able to come out on Wednesday.  I wasn't going to be here, but hubby was so...

As you may have well guessed, nothing ever seems to go smoothly.  Turns out one of the parts wasn't the right one.  Everyone thought the vendor had sent the wrong thing in error, but...Turns out the part has changed, just ever so slightly, which doesn't make it compatible with our system.  We can actually run the a/c for a while, but the fan will NEVER turn off unless we shut the whole thing down.  Which we had to do last night.  (Thankfully it was cool).  The owner of the HVAC company (who is quickly becoming my best buddy...could it have anything to do with all the work I've thrown his way?), is going to try to find a refurbished part or try to modify things so that all this works.  Otherwise it's a whole new system, which I don't want to do and HE doesn't want to do cause he's old school like me and believes in REPAIRING items and not replacing them every couple of years.  Keep those fingers crossed for me.

Then yesterday, I dragged my son out to PA with me after work.  As beautiful as it is here, he's not that big a fan.  He would have rather stayed in NJ to celebrate a friend's birthday today, but because his grandparents were going to be here, he reluctantly came along.

As always, I had over planned everything.  Hubby and I went to ShopRite earlier in the week and bought more than enough food for 5 people over two days.  In addition to plenty of snacks (because you can never have too much), I have burgers, hot dogs, salad, coleslaw (made by me with veganaisse, that’s an allergy safe alternative for me), baked beans, fresh fruit, ice pops...I know WAY too much food.  I have all sorts of silly headwear for fun family photos.  I had no fireworks, but planned to buy some sparklers.  All in all the plan was to eat, relax and enjoy ourselves.

You know what they say about the best laid plans...My mother in law got sick.  

Now it's all this food, an annoyed teen and us.  And let's face it, not that much to celebrate.  Although if we think about it 249 years ago things didn't look too good either.  Quoting from the document that started it all again: "That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."  (Please note this is NOT a call for violence, it is a call to ACT.)  So let's try to hold onto hope, continue to make our voices heard, and work together to let freedom ring.

Happy 4th of July?