Today was the Fourth of July.  At least in our heads.

Every year we have a Fourth of July Party for our friends of softball.  I don’t really like to say it that way.  But that is how the big party started.  The Ohio Cardinals…. the softball players… not the State Bird….. would converge on our place for the big hooo-ha.

We’ve been doing this for a lot of years.  This year, for a number of reasons, we had to have it a little early.  And.  Of course, the attendees vary from year to year.  But no matter.

What a bunch of fun.  We didn’t do the normal fireworks display that we usually put on.   And that doesn’t really break my heart any… as fireworks scare the chicken feathers out of me.

Anyway.  We had fun.  Jollification.  Mirth, laughter, and glee.  With just a dash of merriment mixed in.   We swam.  We chatted.  We ate and ate and ate.   We drank beverages of varying intensity.  From water to fire water.  We played.  We sang.  There were introductions to the Chicken Family.   We spent really good time together.

Near the end of the evening, we played Gestures.  My team won.  Why is this important, you ask?  Because …. you can take the girl out of the game… but you can’t take the game out of the girl.  If I am playing, my competitive-hat goes on… whether I intend it to, or not.

One of our friends from afar… who could not fly in from California… suggested that we play Human Foosball…as seen on You Tube and Face Book.   We did not have time to construct such an apparatus… which may have turned out to be a blessing.   You see, not only am I competitive… but so is every other dame at this party.  I think there may have been injuries had we acted like the little spinning plastic men.

And… since we dodged a bullet with the Fireworks… no sense in putting ourselves in harm’s way on a life-size-foosball-table.

All of this aside… the main point is… Friends.  It is so very nice to be in each other’s company, sharing in conversation, recreation, and levity.  And of course.. good treats.   One thing about those really good friends… apart from all the fun… is that you know you can count on them.  We mutually choose one another.  We have good taste… after all.  Even if we are delusional about what day and month it is.

I am thankful for my friends.  And for all they are willing to share with me in life.  It is yet another thing, about this world of ours, that there is to love.  Love for living.  Love for life.