Independence Day

I think it's interesting that Americans often refer to today as the 4th of July. Why call it the "4th of" when the month comes first for every other date? You could almost say it is un-American to put the day before the month. Norwegians, for example, refer to their national day as the 17th of May, but they would also write that date as 17-5. Americans would never write 4-7-06 unless they meant April seventh. It seems logical and natural to progress from smaller to larger--day, month, year--but Americans, for whatever reason (something akin to disliking the metric system for making too much sense) have chosen to record the month first. Except for today, the most American of days. Why?

Regardless of the semantics, I am enjoying having most of the day off. I had a pleasant bike ride this morning, watching people set up picnics and walk their dogs in a leisurely fashion. I expect to be suitably appreciative of the downtown firework show tonight. Unless it thunderstorms, in which case I will watch the lightning from my couch.

I've already used the holiday excuse to have some Haagen Dazs chocolate chocolate chip ice cream, and I am feeling pleasantly sated from the delightful experience. Tradition recommends partaking of at least one hot dog, but I think the ice cream was a far superior choice. So many people are barbecuing that the smell of hot dogs has pervaded my bedroom. I do not find the smell appetizing. One cat is sleeping through the holiday smell, resting up to enjoy the pyrotechnics this evening from a special viewpoint under the bed. The other cat, my man (who would probably eat a hot dog if offered one, but does not feel strongly enough about them to have bought some for today), and I have retreated to the living room, where we smell only normal apartment smell (ourselves?). Out here we can also watch some footie. What better way to celebrate U.S. Independence than to watch the Germany-Italy semi-final in Spanish on UniVision?

Happy fourth day of the seventh month.