Happy Day Grandpa Mike

Happy Birthday to a very special Grandpa. We love you Dad.

The Evolution of July 4th

Once upon a time, a long time ago, there was a party held every 4th of July. The scene was loud and blurred. One year at a small farmhouse in Lakewood, WA the lawn caught on fire due to one of the usual attendants, a Mr. Comartin's inclination to light fireworks from between his legs.

To say the scene has changed is an understatement. We've added a few underaged party-goers, upgraded the neighborhood a bit and traded a our home-made fireworks display for a view of the Comencement Bay fireworks. But the beer and the friends are the same (some of them anyway, we miss you Kevin) and we wouldn't have it any other way. The 4th of July will always be the McDougall holiday.

Phew!

I'm a few short feet from a finished fence...close enough that I can share a photo anyway. (only details missing in this photo are the 4x4 fence post caps that I added later) Malia helped get me started Tuesday morning and I've been hard at work all week. Deadline for this project was set for July 4th and it looks like I will just make it. Lu is quite a fastener assistant, handing me a few, burrying a few more in the dirt and Hank makes sure to tap all my screws in just a little bit farther with his hammer. We are a motly crew, but we've gotten the job done.