Patrick and Veronica (and Floyd, their pitbull) showed up around noon today for some swimming and hanging out around the pool.  They went to the beach earlier, but it was cloudy and chilly, so they figured it would be nicer in my backyard.  I finally got into the pool for the first time this year.  It was great!  The pool was warmer than it ever has been at this time of year, so it seems we’ll have a long swimming season.

They hung out until mid-afternoon and then I spent the rest of the afternoon watching Yankee Doodle Dandy with James Cagney.  If that wasn’t enough patriotic music, tonight I watched A Capitol Fourth on PBS, Macy’s Fireworks Show on NBC and then the Boston Pops Fireworks Show on CBS.  About the only kind of traditional 4th of July movies I didn’t watch were Independence Day and The Music Man.  But I certainly got my fill of patriotic music!  I think I’ve heard all the standards at least 2-3 times today.

Kevin called tonight to give me a chance to experience his neighborhood where fireworks are legal.  A constant barrage of booms and bangs were going on the entire time we were on the phone.  Then the people across the street from him began shooting off fireworks in the center of the cul-de-sac.  It reminded me of how it was when I was a kid growing up in Dayton.  The 4th of July was one of the best holidays ever!

The only fireworks I heard here were the booms from the Rose Bowl for about 45 min tonight.  Other than that, there has been nothing…thank God.  Everything is so dry and it seems no one wanted to take the chance of starting another fire.

So the day was quiet and uneventful.  I did no painting or any other work type things.  Thought about starting on the trim painting tonight, but I just needed a break.  So will be back at it tomorrow.