July 6, 2013

    I was up by 7:00 this morning in order to get a shower, eat some breakfast and be ready to meet the kids next door at the zoo at 9:30. A small zoo of course, but fun enough to walk around for a couple of hours. I'm really not much of a fan of most zoo's, having this really strong aversion to being caged or seeing other animals locked up. On the other hand I also understand how zoo's can be a good thing as far as educating youngster to the real world and in helping preserve and breed some species that really need help in surviving. So it was okay, but really the best part of the morning was watching all of the kids play in the little play fountain area that the zoo had installed.

    Went over to a local sports bar for lunch then. Located behind a liquor store named 'Racks', (not sure where the name came from), the bar was then called 'backaracks'. I thought the play on words was pretty good. Had a very nice lunch of a hamburger and fries for me. Fun to sit and watch and listen to the kids as lunch time for youngsters played out in front of me.

    Had to go pick up another roll of packing tape after we parted company for the day. They had invited me over this evening for a bar-b-cue and a chance to light off their own fireworks, but I'm kind of feeling a bit introverted today so I think I'll just hang out, take a walk along the river later when it cools down and then maybe watch a movie on the computer. Picked up the movie 'Zombieland' the other day and am interested in what that will be like. In the meantime here are pictures from the other day at the kids house and out watching fireworks.

4th of July with my nephew and his family in Scott's Bluff Nebraska - July 4, 2013

My grand nephew Rykin was right there to meet me when I showed up at the house. I was very proud when he stood up, toddled over to me and held his arms up to be picked up. I really thought I was someone special.... until I realized he pretty much does that to everyone he meets. :)

My grand niece Aubree. She just keeps getting bigger, smarter and cuter all the time. What a fun little lady to be around.

Dinner was home made beef and cheese enchilada's with rice and beans. Yum! Rykin really gets into his food. Generally a very happy little boy, I have only seen him fuss when hungry, tired or thirsty.... must be related to me.

At the end of dinner, food was pretty much everywhere. I would of probably hauled him outside and just hosed him down.... one of the reason's I'm not trusted with kids of my own, but he actually loves the water, so a bath is not a big problem. I love the rice in the hair.

We went on over to the local Kmart parking lot after dinner to watch the fireworks they were setting off up at the collage. The pre-fire works show put on by all the locals was actually pretty good entertainment. Everything from sparklers and stink bombs to some pretty impressive aerial displays that rivaled some of the ones that were shot off later.

Starting to get dark enough for the main show now.

All the locals out having a good time on the 4th just reminded me of a scene right out of the 50's when people just had to make up their own entertainment.

The start of the regular show. Of course the fireworks were always going off while the camera was recycling to the next photo.

My nephew Luke and his son Rykin.

One of the only shots that really came out... and even it isn't all that impressive.

Best part of the night.

He likes his little blue blankie.

More fireworks.

Kristen and Aubree.

More.

As you can see some of the ones shot off in the parking lot were pretty impressive. Of course there is also that little bit of fear that one might go off wrong and take out a car or go off right over your head, but I didn't see or hear of any major injuries for the evening.