Welcome to our July issue! To me, July is always about getting together with family and friends and having backyard barbecues, and lots of outdoor activities. When it comes to summer, my husband, Ken and I always seem to be hosting one of those impromptu backyard parties, and that is what barbecuing is wonderful for. It’s not like the wintertime where you actually have to plan a big meal for your get together, all you have to do is throw a bunch of meat and vegetables on the grill, make a salad, and viola! The meal is complete. Backyard gettogethers offer no big fuss, no dishes to clean up, and since everything is kept outdoors so that if a mess is made, all you have to do is pull out the hose and wash it away. Your patio is ready for the next party!

The criteria for planning a backyard barbecue are what make getting together for the 4th of July so much fun. The guests always bring something to contribute to the meal or fun, and the hostess usually supplies the main course, or the items to be grilled. They are always very laid back, the children get to run around the yard playing, and generally, everyone gets to just sit back and enjoy each others company. Lets not forget the beer either, because what would a good backyard party be without the beer!

When I look back on my childhood, I realize that we have been getting together like this for the 4th of July for as long as I can remember. I’m sure you would all agree that these traditions for the 4th of July are probably shared by almost everyone. I remember the excitement when I was growing up as we waited for the “show” to start. Our evening always consisted of fireworks in the backyard or street. All of us kids could hardly contain ourselves waiting for the adults to pull out the fireworks. Each child always got sparklers as we watched the other fireworks being displayed. 

Things have changed over the years though, and now we usually have to plan where to be when it’s dark so we can watch the city fireworks display. Really it’s not so bad when you think about how wonderful these fireworks displays are. They light up the sky, and the eyes of all who watch, and when it’s over I’m always in awe. Change can be good, we just have to be able or willing to adapt, and isn’t that what life is really about? Nothing ever stays the same forever, but we always have our memories to pass on.

I hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July this year as I know many of you will be involved in some sort of 4th of July activity. Until next month, have fun, and stay safe!

Special Notes

Find great deals for you and your home this month in Women’s Edition! Read about the $1,500 energy tax credit in The Good Life column on page 30. Windows America wants to help make your home more energy efficient with the lowest prices around. See their ad on page 29.

K&H Home Solutions can also help you take advantage of the energy tax credit with new entry doors and windows at great discounts. See their ad on page 31.

Keep your home clean and breezy this summer with a little help from Miracle Maids for only $57. See the ad on page 17.

Reverse Mortgage Advisor Eileen Kennedy is offering a free appraisal with a closed loan. That’s a $450 value! See the ad on page 11.

Renovate your health this summer too! Using holistic methods to cure pain, not just mask it, Brown Chiropractic can help with everything from mood and balance to back and joint pain, and they offer free health workshops to patients and friends. See their ad on page 5.

Get rid of unsightly varicose veins with no surgery and no downtime with Dr. Nelson Mozia, now offering free consultations. See the ad on page 10.

Positive Thought of the Month

“You have to love a nation that celebrates its
independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns,
tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House
in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics
where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy,
and the flies die from happiness.
You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.”
—Erma Bombeck