I decorated my bicycle with red, white, and blue streamers and gathered the candy bag. There was great excitement in the air as I sailed to the beginning of the neighborhood. All the houses had American flags displayed in the front yards. It was a humid morning and it was time to line up for the Independence Day parade.
There were about twenty people already in line for the parade. Each person had decorated a bicycle or wagon in red, white, and blue streamers. There was an older man who had decorated his lawnmower with balloons. There were so many of them it appeared that he would fly away.
The parade began and the people were waving American flags on both sides of the street as the parade progressed down the street. I threw candy while riding by on my bicycle. It was a site to see especially when my bike hit a bump in the road and I almost hit the ground. It was a grand time for everyone involved the event.
Afternoon came and my family began preparing for the main event of the day. There were several relatives coming over to enjoy our new house for the holiday. We had moved into the new house in May.
The house was larger than our last one and my father had just finished building the swimming pool. He loved gas grills and swimming pools. Each morning the swimming pool water would be tested and cleaned. This afternoon the water in the pool was blue and sparkling in the sun. It looked inviting in the midafternoon heat.
The grill was hot and my father brought the meat out to be cooked. In our house it was common to marinate all types of meat to be cooked on the grill overnight. The tender meat consisted of chicken and small beef chunks. There was enough to feed a large number of people.
The aroma of the meat while on the grill cooking was a pleasure for the senses. The smell of spicy and sweet marinade acted as a magnet to the grill. It seemed like an eternity passed before the meat was done.
The next part of our contribution to the evening meal was homemade ice cream. The ice cream mixture was prepared and put into a wooden hand cranked maker. The ice and salt around the ice cream container would splash out on the concrete as the crank was turned.
The job of turning the crank fell to my brother. He would make up songs as the crank turned. These songs were funny and often the lyrics depicted what was going on around him at the time.
The time came for my relatives to arrive for the holiday. Many containers filled with food were brought through the house to the back yard. My mother had prepared a picnic table covered with a red tablecloth with a small container filled with silverware and napkins. Soon the table was filled with delicious looking side dishes and desserts.
After the meal was finished it was time to swim in the pool. The water was cool and refreshing in the late afternoon heat. Going down the slide was the best part of the swimming pool. It was about ten feet tall and had a curve in the center. Water came through the spouts on the side making it easy to slide into the water.
I climbed up the ladder and decided go down head first on my back into the water. This could be a tricky thing to do if you were not careful. Time seems to go by quickly as you go down and hit the water. Many times I had water up my nose from trying this. Still it was always fun to do.
Next was a game of water volleyball in which everyone participated. This was a fun game that had teams mixed with adults and children. There was never a clear winner but everyone had a great time.
Finally the sun set and it was time for the firework show. Our house was close enough to where the firework show was being held that we could see it clearly in the backyard. There were explosions of multicolored lights in the air. There was a different array of shapes and colors with each burst. It was a wonderful site to see.
Soon it was time for everyone to go home. The tables were cleared and everything was cleaned. There were hugs and announcements that we would meet again soon. The perfect end to another adventure. All was well within our souls.
School was out for the summer. This was a time of great excitement for me as a young teenager. I was not old enough for a real world job and could still enjoy some of the benefits of childhood. The responsibilities of adulthood were still distant. The end of the school year was a passport to adventure.
The first adventure would occur on the Memorial Day weekend. On the Saturday before Memorial Day my family would pack our bags and go to the local campground. It was fun to put up the tent and explore the surrounding area. The campground was located near the river where there was an area for swimming. A large rope hung off a tree for those daring enough to swing and jump into the river.
Supper was cooked over a campfire. My mother had several coolers organized according to meals. Drinks were in one and food for the trip in the second. She was determined to enjoy the trip without having to constantly do chores. The meals were simple and delicious. Relaxation was the rule of the day.
Sunday was spent canoeing down the river. There were a few small rapids on the river that presented a thrill when going down the river. A relaxing way to spend the day. Saturday night was filled with music. My father and brother played the guitar and began to lead the sing a long while s’mores were cooked over the open fire.
The weekend would end on Monday as we packed our bags and returned home. My family would return home in early afternoon. Our neighbors held a small parade each year to honor our veterans. Riding lawnmowers decorated with American flags would ride down the street. It was a pleasant site to observe.
June was a fun month to continue the adventure. Each morning I would ride my bike to the local pool and practice with the swim team. It was fun to compete with my friends each week in the swim meets. Winning was nice but rare for me. It was just fun to be on the team. The lazy days of summer were spent riding bicycles, swimming at the pool, and exploring new hobbies. This time was a wonderful adventure in life.
July would begin with a huge Independence Day celebration. There would be family and friends gathering at our home. There would be some kind of meat in the smoker to be eaten with the late afternoon meal. My uncle made the best beef brisket with his special marinade. All these years later I can still remember the anticipation of eating that wonderful brisket.
In the afternoon there would be games and conversation. My father would make barbecue sausage on the grill as a snack and homemade ice cream would be made in the churn. The meal would be served on a table decorated with red, white, and blue plates and napkins.
The evening would continue with music until time for the fireworks. We lived close enough to see the firework display of a local festival. It was fun to sit and watch all the wonderful colors crackle in the sky.
In late July it would be time for the family vacation. Each year my family shared a rented house with some relatives on the beach. It was a wonderful week filled with many fun adventures. Usually the first two days were spent playing in the ocean and laying on the beach.
After the sun burn set in on the third day it was time to spend less time in the sun and work on some summer hobbies. I loved to read novels and write. The afternoon was the perfect time to explore new places and solve mysteries through those novels.
The mornings continued to be about beach volleyball. We set up a net and all of the cousins would play. There would also be some teenagers that we had met that would join us. After our afternoon individual pursuits it would be time for one last walk on the beach. Time passed quickly and soon it was time to return home
August came and it was time to prepare for the new school year. Summer vacation was coming to a close and it was time to retire our passports. The final weeks of our summer adventure would include required reading and band camp.
I can still remember those days of freedom and adventure before the responsibilities of adulthood set in. Reading the stories that I wrote of these summer adventures fills me with joy. It returns me to a time when the simple pleasures of life were an adventure.
