I think I need to step away from my awesome nerd fantasy rant for a bit to talk some about the summer, namely last week’s 4th of July festivities.  Did y’all stand around a really hot grill in really hot weather and cook some really delicious meat?  We did!  And do you know what is the easiest way to cook lots of meat and feed lots of people on the 4th of July?  Have a hot dog bar, bitches!

So that’s the table where the hot dog bar happened.  What we did was cook a bunch of Hebrew Nationals (because why bother with anything else, although some friends brought some nice sausages from Whole Paycheck Foods),  and provided buns and fixings: mustard, ketchup, relish, raw diced onions, caramelized onions, grated cheese, chili, salsa, etc.  And then we/the guests also provided sides, in the forms of potato salad and cole slaw and corn on the cob and pickles and chips and dip etc.  Also, beer and watermelon, because why not.

Oh and you know what else happened?  Pie.

Look at that patriotic pie y’all!  It has stars in it.  It is blueberry, and Annah made it, and it was awesome and had a flaky crust.  I also provided a small apple pie from Whole Paycheck Foods, some brownies, and lots of vanilla ice cream because everything is better with vanilla ice cream.  A few decorations secured from the discount party store and I had myself a lovely little 4th of July Celebration.

We managed to finish grilling the hot dogs and sausages just before it started monsooning, because we are awesome like that.  And then the rain stopped long enough for us to witness my good ol’ Southern boy neighbor and his good ol’ Southern friends set off some fireworks.  So that happened.

This was an excellent way to host some good friends for one of my favorite holidays; after all, no one dislikes hot dogs (and if you do you are un-American, sorry y’all).  I wrapped up the night by watching some awesome cannons fire during the 1812 Overture on PBS’s annual “A Capital 4th” which always seems to be hosted by Jimmy Smits, which is fine because he is charming.  But really, I love those cannons so much you guys.  So so much.

(Sort of like that, but imagine me yelling “CANNON!” every time the cannons shot, because I am baller like that).

When I was sixteen I was in Boston for the 4th of July and my parents and I somehow managed to snag lawnspace in sight of the bandshell and the 1812 Overture happened and so did cannons and I have been pretty obsessed with the whole thing ever since.  I guess they happened something like this, which someone filmed this year in Boston, and which is great:

Oh, Dexter had a fine time too, it was his first 4th of July.