The Fourth of July is a difficult holiday for me. I've had a few ace Fourths related to science fiction conventions, but I don't do those any more. Some of the best parties I've ever been to have been on the Fourth, but the host of those died years ago. Since his death, I've wandered, directionless, every Fourth.

Not every Fourth-- last year, we were in Astoria. We visited a lighthouse in Washington during the day, shopped for trinkets at some thrift stores and antique malls that happened to be open near the lighthouse, and viewed the fireworks in Astoria from the lawn east of the Columbia River Maritime Museum. That was a good day, made better by the company of some good friends.

This year, I got up at dawn to put in a new lawn. Do I know how to party, or what? It's a very small lawn, so it wasn't an undo amount of work. After that, I discovered that the Travel Channel was doing a marathon of Tony Bourdain (be still my heart!): only shows set in the US, in honor of the holiday. He's my favorite background noise for knitting. His show is grittier and more political than the typical food show.

I'm past the halfway point on the first shoulder/sleeve combo. I fantasized for a moment this morning, that I'd be done in time to wear it to dinner tomorrow, but that may not be a realistic goal. Certainly not, as I'm planning to go to the other end of the Valley to catch a street fair before the fireworks.