The Fourth of July in a parking garage and a REALLY big rock dumped by glaciers 20,000 or so years ago.

Nothing like a REALLY big rock, previously like 20,000 years ago, buried under thousands of feet of ice to distract #pandemic brain from all the things it thinks it would like to obsess about. Well gee, the case numbers are rising unsatisfactorily, and staying home is a drag and RantWoman has Zoom overload and local Twitter overload, but AT LEAST we are not buried under thousands of feet of ice. Oh, wait, in light of the #ArcticHeatWave, maybe someone needs some ice.



Note, RantWoman is certain the glacial rock video with some cool glacier related terminology belongs in the blog, and ahead in line before notes about spending the Fourth of July hanging out in a parking garage!

In case readers cannot tell, parking garages are generally not RantWoman's favorite architectural moment. But RantMom craved another visit with The Family. Admitting visitors into retirement communities is still Not Happening, but... It turned out that the Fourth of July fit everyone's schedules. When conversations occurred about everyone's mobility concerns, the suggestion was--ta-da--the resident parking garage.

RantWoman was prepared not to be charmed. RantWoman was prepared to spend a whole visit being annoyed about gas fumes and a few other gripes. RantWoman was not the least bit distressed when the three households of RantFamily with all our various mobility aids and personality quirks collected in a nicely ventilated parking garage with wind blowing through and leafy trees visible.

The RantFamily visited about this and that. RantMom spoke of childhood Independence days on her father's ranch. Many cousins gathered also to celebrate RantMom's grandfather's birthday which was two days later. RantWoman thinks she must have met this great grandfather as a very young child. RantWoman has no useful memory of him as a person but does remember a kid-logic question about how one can have two grandfathers with the same last name.

The RantFamily also recalled the Bicentennial in 1976. RantDad helped organize a Symphony concert in the park. The RantSiblings helped sell helium balloons. Child labor issues? What child labor issues? RantWoman thinks there were fireworks. And the family party happened the next day.

 RantMom

Little Sister's household

RantMom was thrilled about the visit. She handed off a package in advance of an upcoming RantWoman birthday. RantWoman also notes that RantMom is now not only doing yoga but speaking positively about it. And then it was time to leave, time for RantWoman to get home and comfort the Queen of Spades ahead of hours and hours of fireworks in the 'hood.