My Birthday!

When I was a kid, I always thought the 4th of July was just an extension of my birthday party. I loved fireworks and their beauty.  I grew up with a family that always had firecrackers and M-80's on hand and I was usually allowed to light them up, right along with the adults. The most important rule was if it was a dud, do not approach it.

Iowa can now sell fireworks for the first time. They just passed a law that allows sales and that anyone can shoot them off. Tents have popped up in every parking lot and they have signs all around announcing Military discounts!  My sister told me today that it seems that Iowa is only selling the not so pretty but very loud fireworks. Last night was extremely loud and since we still have our windows open, we had a house full of smoke. I just went to bed and covered my head.

Yesterday was my birthday!  I turned 56. Mike and I did some things around the house and then went out to eat with our friend Kelly, and his son. I had been hearing about a new place in Rock Island that serves soul food and wanted to check it out. We met Kelly and his son Joey there and found out Kelly knew the owners mother, whom he had worked with but she just retired. I guess to help with the restaurant.  Once again, I forgot to take a picture. The food was excellent home cooked soul food. Mike and I shared the fried red snapper, mac and cheese, and candied yams. I really wanted to try the collard greens but there was smoked turkey mixed in.  When the owner found out it was my birthday, he gave me free peach cobbler. Yum.  Pee Wee's, if you are ever in Rock Island, part of the Quad Cities.

Before we headed to Pee Wee's, Mary came over to celebrate my birthday with a cupcake.
She made a special card for me. It's the  Beware! one, about sagging.

I must admit, I sure did laugh. If you remember from an earlier post, that picture is from our Sister Face Mask Party.

I asked her if she wanted to go to Pee Wee's with us. She said no. I told her is was soul food. We would walk out so full.

If you knew our Dad, you would know that was him channeling his Nedism through me.  We laughed and laughed. If you didn't get it, say what I told Mary out loud.