We spent the weekend in Washington at a family reunion and drove home in the afternoon heat on July 4th, sleepy, sunburned and racing the clock to arrive home before dark. We had just enough time to empty our car trunk before loading up Clarke's pick-up and heading out to Melba, a small Idaho town of no consequence, except on the Fourth of July, when the town boasts a spectacular fireworks display.
My brother and his family joined us along a lonely stretch of country road just outside the town to park beside a field and wait for the show to begin. Clarke and Scotty backed their trucks up towards one another so that the kids could play between the two truck beds and the adults could talk. It was a relaxing way to spend the hour and a half wait. In the meantime our lonely country road grew more and more populous with cars and people and on that night you'd never suspect Melba to be a sleepy town as it was alive with crowds and excitement.
Jamin:
Brock:
Alison & Trav
Travis:
Scotty:
Clarke:
Libby:
Relaxing, after an exhaustingly long summer's day, in the back of the truck with blankets and couch cushions was the perfect way to cozy up for the fireworks. As soon as it was dark enough, they started to glitter in the dark sky overhead...
By the time the last embers were falling from the grand finale spectacular, we were more than anxious to hurry to the comfort of our air conditioning and the welcome reprieve of sleep. Our anticipation to get home as quickly as possible was hampered by the miles of break lights that wound their way up every road leading out of pokey, little Melba. We slowly snailed along the country roads while Brock recounted the excitement of the evening and waved around his red, white and blue glow stick. Apparently, there is a setting on the glow stick that makes it look like police car lights and one glance in the rear view mirror sent Clarke swerving to the side of the road in a panic. Fortunately, Clarke quickly realized that it was just the glow stick radiating the flashing lights. Unfortunately for Brock, Clarke quickly realized that it was just the glow stick radiating flashing lights. One tongue lashing and a long, quiet drive later we were all ready to retire July 4th, 2011 once and for all.
