Franklinsanity

5 pm, New Britain, CT:  sometimes this blog is more than a little elitest. And that’s authentic, in that some of what makes up Franklinsanity isn’t particularly accessible to the average person, or family. But as I sit here enjoying a quiet moment on a lazy Fourth of July, it’s worth noting three things for the record:

1. Gratitude and semi-serious snarky outrage can, in fact, coexist. The important part is the gratitude – for my family, the experiences, the people, the adventures and the places that make any of this worth reading, if it is. I appreciate them all. Even the smell of lighter fluid. 
2. America is always, already, a great country. Great isn’t perfect. Far from it. But it is epic and it’s home. 
3. I think it was kind of marketing genius, therefore, for Budweiser to rename itself “America” for the summer. 

Record complete now, on to new topics. The kids have been napping, as have I. Not sure what HHW has been up to – she was working a lot today, which was impressive. I’m not looking forward to the onslaught of email I’ll likely get starting tonight, myself. 

(Notice how I say I’ll “get” all this email. As though I won’t, myself, send about 50 questions out to various teams first thing tomorrow. If you take it, I say dish it out too. 

I kid, I kid. I’m just a very curious person and I want to know where the heck we are on that project?)

But I digress. Dinner and fireworks are on the agenda. And bug spray. The whole family is delicious to bugs. And the East Coast has them in spades. 

Except for me. My grandfather on my dad’s side didn’t appear to even get mosquito bites. My Dad barely does. I do get them. But they go away completely in about 10-15 minutes. Not so much for HHW, or for my kids. Which is a raw deal for them. 

I mean, with me as a father the least they could get was some mosquito immunity. But, no such luck. 

Another thing for which I am grateful!

HHW is a special case, however. Mosquitos seem to target her posterior and upper thighs. It’s relentless and incredible. So I think tonight, we will perhaps tie some of those burning oil things in Tiki torches to her waist. That will go nicely with the fireworks, if nothing else. 

Cue the eye-rolling from wife and kids. 

It’s after 5. Time to go drink some America. Or at least some IPA. 

PS:  today’s featured image is Quinn’s latest work of art:  Rainbow Cat, Rain Cat, Night Cat, Storm Cat and Sunshine Cat. They make rainbows, rain, the moon and stars, storms and the dawn. In case you didn’t know. 

As theology goes, sounds pretty good.