On Friday, I didn’t have any plans yet for the weekend. People asked, “What are you doing for the 4th?” Um…I dunno.

But things fell into place and the weekend turned out to be busy and relaxing all at the same time.

My best friend Sara called me on Friday afternoon and wondered if I wanted to get an early start to the weekend. It was a blisteringly hot day out—so much so that I had refused to step outside up to that point—so when she suggested the pool, I was on board (not to be confused with the diving board)! We braved the heat index of 110 and laid in the shallow end of the pool with children running around us, splashing water on us as they raced by.

Even amidst the chaos of a public pool, there is something so soothing and relaxing about being there. It feels like there can’t possibly be another care in the world and we creased pages in magazines that looked like fantastic things to buy, even though we knew we’d never buy them once the reality of non-pool life hit again.

Non-pool life hit when I got home that night and cleaned the bathrooms.

On Saturday after I taught at the gym, I was craving Chinese food so badly that I actually conceded in going to the grocery store with Kevin. (I hate, hate going to the grocery store!) Score on the Chinese food!

Sunday was a date-day even though we didn’t intentionally make it one. We went to church and then decided to go out for lunch. That evening, on a whim, we went downtown to watch the Iowa City fireworks. I had my camera and tripod along for some photo pleasure and on our way back to the car, we had to walk along a very dimly lit sidewalk. Kevin carried my tripod and, when I said I was glad he was there to protect me, he said, “Oh, I’ve already determined that if I need to, I’m using this tripod like a bat.” Apparently, he had already spotted some suspicious fellows and was keeping his eye on them.

On the actually 4th, Monday, Sara and I had all good intentions of going kayaking, but got a bit lost on the way there (imagine that) and then, once we finally found the state park, we got lost inside of it and then got stopped by a park ranger who thought we must be up to no good and demanded to know what we were doing. We said we were going kayaking and she [very snippily] said, “Oh, well, it’s pretty full today so if you can’t find a parking spot for your vehicle, you’ll have to leave and come back another time.” Sara rolled up her window and said, “Geez, lady, I’m obviously in my bathing suit coming to the park to sell drugs.” I almost peed my pants.

Needless to say, we found plenty of parking spots, but just couldn’t find the “beach” or kayak rental place so we left and drove back to North Liberty and went to the pool instead. We’ll go kayaking another time.

In the evening, Kevin and I went to my parents’ house for dinner and then fireworks. Dinner was delicious, but it was the conversation that ensued afterwards that was totally cracking me up. It ranged from the Amish neighbors who apparently wear headlights in their houses now so see where they are going because they don’t feel like lighting a lantern to how to properly clean a cloth diaper. All of which had me in stitches.

Then, out of nowhere half an hour later, my 5-year-old niece, Kylie, whipped out in her high little voice, “I watched a show called Freaky Eaters and the lady pooped two times a day and only ate cornstarch.” OH MY GOSH. (I didn’t understand her the first time because she pronounced it “fweeky eetas.”)

The kids were mostly interested in fireflies and “sprinklers” (a.k.a. sparklers) as we waited for fireworks so that was fairly exciting. Kylie kept wanting to catch the bugs, but when I would give one to her, she’d flick it away because it grossed her out. Mckenna would catch them and come ask me to take a picture.

All of this was much more exciting than the actual fireworks, which had a 30 second gap between each one and, after 45 minutes, had us all wondering when the finale was ever going to happen.

It’s back to a routine again, but my mind is still stuck somewhere between late evening festivities outside and reapplying sunblock on the pool lounge chair. I love a good holiday!