I have loved fireworks for as long as I can remember. Growing up in a tiny town, we would attend the 4th of July parade, that ran right past our church, and our whole church would eat together and then we would all head across the street and stake out a spot on the park grass to watch the wonderful (and short) firework display.
When we lived in VA we watched them from where ever we happened to be that day, often we were visiting family or friends... but I was determined to see the fireworks from the National Mall at least once before we moved.
So, in 2004 I organized a huge group to go down to the National Mall and we would play games and eat all day and then watch the amazing display of fireworks. I cooked for a week before hand, and on the 4th Drew and I, along with our faithful friends Mike & Sarah dragged 6 gallons of water and lemonade and a HUGE cooler almost a mile from our car to the perfect spot on the Mall. Well, about 45 minutes into the whole ordeal it began to rain, and not just rain.... it POURED. Within about 30 minutes we were soaked to the bone an ended up sitting in a Red Cross van because the lighting was so bad they made is get in something grounded. Drew and Mike waded (yes, WADED, not walked) back to our car. There was so much rain the street drains were backed up and the water was up to their knees at some points. So, once the guys had the car, Sarah and I made a run for it and grabbed the cooled and hauled it 5 blocks to meet the boys with the car. That was about 4pm.
We spend the rest of the day at Mike & Sarah's apartment taking turns standing naked in the Laundry Room while our clothes dried and eating GOBS of potato salad... since the 30 people that had RSVPed of course never came. So I missed the fireworks completely, and I don't think I will ever quite recover.
Our local baseball team has fireworks after every Friday home game, so we go whenever we can. It has been good for my pour firework-loving heart but I am still not the same.
Sunday we are heading WA & OR for a week of vacation. Yes, our first non-family-purely-vacation vacation. :) And we plan to spend the 4th in Portland and then catch the Ft. Vancouver fireworks... said to be one of the biggest west of the Mississippi...so hopefully my heart can heal a little bit more. :)
4 comments:
that's how it was last year for me up in the valley. it was a great day and what better way to end a great day than with some great fireworks?...NOT! it poured! and i was sad...
this year i hear it's going to be about 101 degrees so i better see some fireworks!
that is truly a tramautic story. i would be pretty bummed out to go to all that effort and then have my efforts thwarted! I hope you get to see your fireworks. Have a fun trip!
hey sarah, after it poured, they still did the fireworks after, around 11. they were good!
good post leah, i would like to see a picture of your hair!
sigh! that was a painful memory...it rained last year and again this year and we ended up drowning our sorrows and Jen and Dave's...sigh! miss you! ditto on the hair pic
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