Some Photos Of The Fourth & My New Smart Phone

 

I wrote a post a couple weeks ago about the Fourth of July, a big holiday here in the U.S.

These two fireworks photos are from last year.

In that post I talked about what the holiday used to mean to me, and what little it signifies to me now, i.e.: it used to be a great time with family, friends, and fireworks, and this year (because family is out of state or out of the area, and friends were working) unfortunately it was reduced to going out into the back yard, hearing and seeing no evidence of anyone celebrating the holiday, and -- well, cooking hot dogs on my small grill.

Unfortunately, there wasn't any of this safe-n-sane illegal activity going on this Fourth. Thddddt.

I did put out my flags, my Australian flag being the biggest one of them all:

I lost my Union Jack, unfortunately. It was a really big one, and a really nice one. It must have developed legs. Over one Fourth several years ago I flew just the Union Jack and the Australian flag out in front of the house -- no Stars and Stripes. It was my way of protest, I suppose, as they had just banned fireworks in the city.

Why the Oz flag, some may wonder. Because I grew up on all that music.

This year, I flew two American flags, sticking them into the yew trees (no flagpole). Below is one of them. The wind was strong enough it almost made this one fly away.

So, my Fourth was spent writing on my action novel and roasting hot dogs.

My small but handy grill. Picture from July 4th, 2012.

The hot dogs were of two kinds: standard and kielbasa. With mustard and horseradish they tasted very good. I bought some potato salad. You can't have a Fourth of July dinner without potato salad. My mom came over and we enjoyed the meal -- but the evening was uncommonly quiet for a Fourth.

Roasting hot dogs on my grill, July 4th, 2015.

I decided to forego that other Fourth of July tradition: beans. I am not a fan of flatulence.

The weather, of course, was magnificent. Usually the Fourth is a damp day that turns into a semi-sunny afternoon, leading into a dry evening. During normal years, The Fourth is when our cloudy, warm summer June weather turns into cloudless, hot August weather.

Of course, this year has been different. Sunny May, hot June, and sunny, hot July for the most part. It's like California sent us some of their sunshine. Bright sun + 85 degrees = California weather.

MY NEW PHONE

This past week, I got a new phone! It's sort of a smart phone, although without the massive touch screen.

My new, free, kinda smart phone. All the apps were free, too. Can't beat the price of free. Easy on the battery, too. It always shows three bars. No charger needed!

It was very inexpensive (it was lying in the middle of the road), and the monthly bill is very cheap: like I said, you can't beat the price of free!

It will replace my previous cell phone, which by now is an outdated model and a bit more bulky to carry around.

My old -- now outdated -- cell phone, which was about $3 at the drugstore. No matter where I go it's always four bars of signal. This phone would get four bars of signal on Mars. No charger needed, either -- just one 9 volt battery and it's lasted more than two years!

The only thing my old one is good for anymore is making very loud ringtone noises just after the theater screen runs those "turn off your cell phone" warnings. Which it does very well.

A quick pic of how I look today. Completely anti-fashion. Wearing my UW wool hat, although I am not a UW Huskies fan, even though I went to the U. The U alumni organization (which I never joined) always sends their magazine to the wrong address (it figures), and when I do get it, it always has an article begging for people to send their money. To one of the most expensive public colleges in the NW US.

Unbelievable.

Have a great day wherever you are, and hope your weather is as hot and sunny (82F, about 24C) as ours is here.

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