Take a Break: Get ready for the 4th

The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. For starters it’s a “day off,” a “take a break day” for everyone. As a kid, my father would take brother, my sister and me to a local drug store where we could pick out a summer present. As I got older, it was BBQs, Boston Cream Pie, hours spent boating on a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, and fire works on the beach at Fort Warden in Port Townsend, WA. Our current tradition, except for the year we were in Rome and forgot to celebrate it all together, is attending a BBQ at a friend’s house, which culminates with fire works being set off by my husband and his buddies.

Today’s Take a Break, is all about planning some fun for the 4th.

• Read what happened to the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Note, there is an e-mail circulating with a lot of incorrect information.

• Make a project suitable for the weekend. Martha Stewart has about 40 different patriotic crafts you can try.

• Seems Martha missed this one-Make Safety pin flags to wear or give to a friend.

• What a 4th of July be without food? Experiment with a new recipe today so you’ll know if it will work for Sunday. For some reason, I have it in my mind I need to try a different Cole slaw recipe.

• Write down your memories of your childhood 4th of July and share them with family and friends.