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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'">We’ve had the right amount of rain.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It’s been warm without being too
hot.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>My garden is in full
bloom.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We don’t have to wear a lot
of clothes.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'">We had our 4<SUP>th</SUP> of July picnic on
our deck which is under the oak trees.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Their large branches provide a natural canopy.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Martha Stewart would have been
proud.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Even though it was still
light, I lit a few candles, and we could see them flickering as we ate.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We had our hamburgers on colorful
fireworks paper plates and wiped our mouths with fireworks napkins.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'">The pitcher I bought at World Market (a very
cool place to shop for interesting things) had just enough condensation on it to
justify the glisten I felt on my skin.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'">We watched as my son and Ray put together a
“legal” backyard fireworks display.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>We took off our shoes and stretched out on the patio, applauding the
pretty displays and giving the thumbs down on the ones that didn’t work.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The boys illuminated the summer night
with sparklers.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'">Darkness brought louder and “illegal”
fireworks displays from the neighbors.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>The bangs, booms, sizzles, and pops punctuated the evening.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>After 11 pm, silence reigned, and the
summer night stretched into infinity.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'"> <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></FONT></DIV>
<P class=Section1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 12pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Margaret R.
Kramer<BR>margaretkramer@earthlink.net<BR><BR><A
href="http://www.polarispublications.com/"
target=_blank>http://www.polarispublications.com</A><BR>Be a star!</SPAN></P>
<P class=Section1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><A
href="http://www.skywaybpw.org/">http://www.skywaybpw.org</A></SPAN></P>
<P class=Section1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Skyway Business and Professional
Women</SPAN></P>
<P class=Section1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Working women connecting.</SPAN></P>
<P class=Section1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P>
<P class=Section1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><A
href="http://www.bpwmn.org/">http://www.bpwmn.org</A></SPAN></P>
<P class=Section1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Business and Professional Women of
Minnesota</SPAN></P>
<P class=Section1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN> </P>
<P class=Section1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Bush is a "President who has no
foresight, who cannot think properly, and wants to plunge the world into a
holocaust."</SPAN></P>
<P class=Section1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><EM>~Nelson
Mandela</EM> </SPAN></P>
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face=Verdana size=2></FONT> </P></FONT>
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