1. Sitting in my Tracker, with the top down, parked by the river last year. Spectacular view.
2. The first display after I moved to Illinois. They have a bigger fireworks show here than I’d ever seen before. It was also the first time Chris and I had been to Petunia Festival together, and he’d been telling me for YEARS about it and how I had to come to one.
3. The Battle Hymn of the Republic, performed a capella by SheDaisy. Close second (don’t shoot me!!) is the a capella version of the National Anthem performed by (here’s the lynching part) the Dixie Chicks.
4. We did most of our celebrating yesterday. Here, we have Petunia Festival all the week of the Fourth, and yesterday I had a meet up of ladies from the Mobile Read forum. So we walked through the annual art show and showed off our reading gadgets (Present were a Sony Reader, a Kindle, an iPad, an iPhone 4, a BlackBerry Storm, and my own Asus T91MT. This was between three ladies, mind you!). Then last night we went to a concert by a local band, Kirkland. Their lead singer is a girl I worked with previously, so that was fun. Most of the “cool” people I work with were there, and since alcohol was flowing freely, I now have enough blackmail material to last all year! *grin*. I’m joking, but they were acting pretty silly. Tonight is the last night of Festival, fireworks are scheduled (but it’s looking like they may be stormed out…eesh!). But we’re planning on having a quiet day up until time for the fireworks show. At the moment, my son is making brunch (LOVE a 13 yr. old that can cook!!)

Favorite, most magical goes along with the song that impacts me: was at the Nashville fireworks at the river—it was the first year I went, it was soooo crowded. We lucked out and found seats on the bleachers. During the Lee Greenwood song, Proud to be an American, I could hear the little boy behind me BELTING it out!! His litte head was tipped back, his right hand was over his heart, I still get gooey inside remembering that.

Today we will go to Kentucky for the redneck family gathering. We’ll grill out, swim and do fireworks. My sister buys a ton of stuff (most of it is illegal to shoot in KY! ssshhhh). We use blowtorches to lite the fuses (gives you more run time!)

2) What’s your favorite (most magical) firework display ever? I probably have a top 5 not being able to pin it down to 1:
1. Festa Italiana – when my husband, then boyfriend, worked as Security & we’d “enjoy” them together in various places throughout the years
2. Krakow – 2004 – right outside my Aunt’s apartment window we were using – looking over the Wisla River – on the night of our arrival..wer thought they were for us!?!
3. Disneyworld – any day, any year
4. Another boyfriend a few years before Bob came into the picture – Germanfest 199?
5. The Big Bang in Milwaukee – every year on July 3rd – HUGE!

3) What one patriotic song affects you most? – “Proud to be an American”

4) How do you plan on spending the 4th this year? – parade, picnic & fireworks – 2 days in a row since our town celebrates on the 4th and our neighboring city, Milwaukee, celebrates on the 5th!