July 4th Weekend

Friday night July 3rd was about as brutal as it gets at the restaurant. Most of the time in the restaurant business we wish for more customers, but not so Friday night. The entire crew was wishing that not another person would come through the front door. I don't remember getting home or showering or falling asleep, that's how tired I was. Ann says she put my phone on the charger and turned off the light. I have no recollection of this. Not a good way to start a weekend and a surefire indicator that I will be a zombie come Sunday.

Fortunately, Saturday night July 4th was a lot easier and after sleeping like a dead thing on Friday night, I actually had some steam left on Saturday night to watch the fireworks in our neighborhood with Ann.

Neighborhood Fireworks

One of the (very few) benefits of living in a neighborhood of upwardly mobile rednecks is that with their disposable income and pyromaniacal tendencies, the fireworks shows are pretty damned awesome as they all try to outdo each other! The poor dogs, on the other hand, did not have a good night.

Come Sunday, after a decent night's rest on Saturday night, I was somewhat refreshed. Nothing like ten years ago or even five, but all things considered, I was a lot more functional on Sunday than I imagined I would be, even though I got up long before I wanted to. The dogs have no concept of sleeping in or any idea how tired I might be and my lovely bride has the amazing ability to keep on sleeping even through a hurricane, where the slightest noise will awaken me.

At 7:15am, the brown dog decided enough was enough and came and rousted me out of the bed. Her usual MO after she decides that I am ignoring her stomping and huffing about is to paw me like she is digging for China and lick me until I relent and take her out and feed her. So while Ann slept, I ticked several yard work items off my list and was relaxing on the patio when she joined me about quarter to ten, coffee for the both of us in hand, bless her.

After a half an hour or more of chit chat, she went inside and returned with a cookbook, Deb Perelman's Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, one of her favorites. She sat down to browse and was soon enthusing loudly about certain dishes. Yes, food really is a primary topic of conversation at our house. When she said, "I really would love some latkes right now!" I told her I would be right back and returned with a plate of red onion and chive latkes made from red potatoes with the skins still on.

Red Onion and Chive Latkes

By this time, Carter was awake and joined us on the patio. I made a dozen latkes; he ate six and would have eaten more. Latkes are old hat for me: we used to make them every morning for our lunch menu at the restaurant. And I have made them from all manner of vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, turnips, daikon, carrots, and parsnips. I am sure I missed a few.

In the afternoon, it had gotten a bit too warm to be outside so we had gone in to watch a bit of television. Once again, and apparently apropos of nothing, Ann said, "I wish I had some guacamole!" so I went up to the store and scored four beautifully ripe avocados. Once it cooled down outside, I made guacamole and Ann opened a bottle of Vinho Verde and we took both out on the patio to relax. Although we had different plans for dinner, neither of us were hungry post guacamole.

Guacamole

Vinho Verde Seems Just Right for Guacamole

While we were out on the patio talking, looking at our gardens, and watching the birds on the feeders, we saw this big buck rabbit who kept trying to line up a doe (right on the tree line). I assume that he was ultimately successful. She wasn't cooperating, but she wasn't protesting either.

Rabbits, Acting like, um, Rabbits

The whole time we were outside, I kept thinking how wonderful it was to be sitting outside in the late afternoon in July, especially given how brutally hot our summer has already been.