Happy 4th of July - The irony is killing me...

Anyone who knows me, knows, I'm not patriotic towards my country, but I do appreciate America, and I am proud to be from Texas, but not the red, conservative, tumbleweed place that everyone believes Texas to be. Although it's ironic that I moved from the country that gained independence from Britain to Britain, I still feel a special place in my heart on the United States Independence Day, good 'ol 4th of July. A man walking by me this morning was even whistling Yankee Doodle Dandy, so I must radiate it.

The 4th of July to me, and probably many other American's is a warm summer morning waking up to watch a big parade in NYC on the television, then run outside to the nearby main road for the local parade, unless of coarse, I was participating in that years bike decoration contest and subsequently riding in the parade. That is an entirely different facet.

Getting a seat on the dew covered fresh cut green grass - I love the smell, watching the floats, catching candy, admiring the talent of the the performers and the floats.

Then go home, time to clean the house because a huge chunk of the family (probably up to 30+) are coming over to spend the day together. BBqing, swimming - my suit's been on since I got out of bed, of course - eating, laughing, seeing new additions, seeing old ones. Friends coming over, American football games. The most relaxing, happy day of the year.

It's not like christmas where people are greedy (children can't help it, can they?) and others feel obligated. It's a day to just be. Celebrate veterans if you want, celebrate the president, but no body does. We don't let him give a speech on the day (thank god). Celebrate the fact that in one country you have deserts, mountains, rain forests, hills, glens, rivers, snow, beaches, friends and foes.

Sneak off for a nap so I don't have to help my mom with the dishes...

It's been 4 yeas and 2 weeks since I've lived 'back home'; and 4 years since I've 'celebrated' a 4th of July properly - in Britain, after work, in the cold doesn't really cut it. I did try to be home for it once, but fate had other plans.

I will however, receive a phone call tonight, from what is left of my all too quickly fleeting family, passing around the phone, all to wish me a happy 4th of July and that I'm missed.

To me, that is what today, July 4th, every year, is all about.