To all of my readers and viewers I hope you have a great day full of food, family, friends and fireworks! We may be enjoying fewer fireworks this year; previously they were allowed in unincorporated King County meaning that by longstanding tradition we stay home with buckets of water and fire extinguishers handy and comfort our cowering dogs. Most years I don’t even have to call the Fire Department. Most years.
Particularly memorable was the years Keeven (not a type) filled fifty-gallon trash bags with acetylene and detonated them. Not too many windows on the street were broken thankfully. Another year the neighbors ornamental bushed were casualties, as was Karen’s front porch. The Fire Department was not amused.
I expect this to be the last bad year as the police are only warning people this time, and it seems likely my neighbors will take full advantage. This year we were going to dare to venture up to my folks house for the day, but Linda passed a very bad night and was unwell this morning so we had to cancel.
Later in the afternoon she was feeling better, and expressed a desire for Chili-Cheese dogs as her July 4th dinner. An unusual request, but as you wish, m’lady. After popping out to Rain City Shooting Center for a bit of test-firing of the SOS2 (still getting dialed in, seems to be pretty much there) I stopped at the store for fixings.
OK, I am normally pretty open-minded about chili. I even put beans in it. But for me the chili for a chili-cheese dog is a very specific thing. It’s not at all a proper chili; more of a meat/chili sauce made of ground beef, finely diced onion, chili powder and tomato paste. So at the store I picked up a pound of lean ground beef and looked at the hot dog selection. They had good hot dogs, Hebrew National and Nathan’s, but the love of my life had specified that she wanted the ‘big fat ones.’ The only available option was Bar S Jumbo Jumbo franks. A 20-pack. It’s going to take us years to eat twenty hot-dogs but for Linda? Anything.
So, hot dog buns. Nope. Not a single package to be seen. Well hell, it is the 4th of July. Nonetheless, bugger. I grabbed some hamburger buns. Just have to cut the franks up. I got home and set to work on the chili. By dinner time things were looking good.
Linda pronounced them good and was quite satisfied. Hey, this woman got a C&R FFL just so she could buy me old guns. She’s a keeper!
Now the fireworks are starting, the dogs are hiding and quivering and we’re waiting to see what carnage the evening brings. Have a fine night everyone.
Stay safe and take care,
Michael Tinker Pearce, 4 July 2022