Thank ya'll for the added cheer! Vickie- Thank you. Yes we did have some neighbor children get their pictures made here yesterday. The R/W/B plumes came from probably Hobby Lobby a couple of years ago. I'm pretty good at saving things from year to year like most pack rats. We went out to the parade, pinwheels twirling in the wind on the tops of our heads. The Village newsletter photographer came and photographed me and Hubs standing out there looking like the fat and older version of "4th of July Barbie and Ken". We got all kinds of candy thrown ***AT**** us. LOL The neighbors inquired about how much coffee we had drank that morning. I think they are planning an INTERVENTION for sure now. Ya'll there was no marching band, no drum chore, nothing that made me hop the barracades and join the parade. How can you get parade happy without the sound of sweaty feet marching in white boots???? No veterans, no rifle chore. There was not one baton except on the belts of the policemen (we wont go there). My New Orleans exposure wanted the opporitunity to grab a handkercheif and wave it around and prance along after the a band. BUT NO-O-O-O-O-O-O-O. Hubs says that I should insist on being on the parade committee next year. I'm half joking because we are but a little Village and not a city. But even a BOOM BOX playing "Stars and Strips Forever" would have helped. Life needs Music as a backdrop. Sweet karen- when things are not clicking, you have got to change the Spiritual environment. Put on the music that appeals to the proper mood that you need to be in. Hubs installed speakers throughout the house a couple of years ago (he crashed through the ceiling but that is another story). He even put them on the front and back porches. When I need to garden out front, I play nature music and the song "What A Wonderful World'. If I need to reflect on my grandbabylove, I play Connie Talbot. If I need to pray, I play Spiritual music. Being around my house is like being in a dramatic soap opera without the organ music. (Ya have to draw the line somewhere, LOL). But I had myself all jacked up for this parade thingy by watching videos of marching bands on the Internet. When I am truly down and out I usually tell Hubs, "I just cant hear the music lately". But search because music can be powerful. Heaven is supposed to be full of LIVE music!!!! Anywho, we went to the fireworks display and guess what? The fireworks Company had huge speakers with contemporary Patriotic songs!!!! It was a mezmerising (sp?) light show. I cant say that I got the whole 1776 feel for what happened but I can assure you those Freedom Fighters were sweatin' in July.

oh, wait, also wanted to say, I totally get the post about not playing to your audience. I still remember the time I made homemade hummus and took a huge dish of it to my in-laws house for a cookout. My husband had never had hummus before and discovered he LOVED it, so he had asked me to make it for his family. So I whipped up this fabulous bowl of the stuff, made it extra garlicky, the way we love it, and put pita bread wedges all around the bowl. well, this was a traditional Mexican family who ate tortillas and carne asada and tacos and chips and salsa at their family gatherings. so of course, five hours later, the bowl sat UNTOUCHED except for what my husband and I had eaten. His family all just looked at it curiously, but avoided touching it. I kept explaining that it was made from garbanzo beans, similar to the pinto beans they all like so much, but they shuddered at the mere thought of eating it. you'd think I'd have learned with that one, but alas, I hadn't. last year's picnic was evidence of that. I will say, I also took a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies to last year's picnic and those were gobbled up. but the side dish I took was flat-out ignored.

Oh, thanks, Roselin for posting that! I never read that, but "met" Marlen here on the forums before her too early death and thought her such a wonderfully generous person. That is a great story about her! Teresa

(turning VERY green with envy here) Kay, are you anywhere near the Ft. Lauderdale area? My daughter lives in Delray Beach, and I'm hoping to visit her this fall. It might be nice to have a cuppa coffee or something if you live nearby. My Mom also lives in Jax., and I'll be there for a while also. I don't get over to the west coast at all.