Independence Day

I hope you all had a wonderful July 4.  We had a fantastic time celebrating with our Kaizer Kompadres and the holy trinity of Independence Day: beer, barbecue, and fireworks.  We also had some creative time as our dear hosts got their silk screening setup going for the first time.

Shortly after we arrived at our Kompadres’ house, they started turning the bathroom into a darkroom.  Screens have to be pre-coated with a light sensitive cream (but you can also buy them pre-treated, which was the case here).  The screens are then exposed to light – where the cream comes in contact with light, it solidifies.  The rest is then washed out and presto, you’ve got your silk screen.  This particular screen was a tester for determining just how long it should be exposed to light, hence the three pairs of owls.

Just after the the pork was injected with maple syrup (I cannot even  begin to tell you how amazing it tasted) there was a test run on a piece of paper.  It came out beautifully and there was much rejoicing in the land.  Many more ideas have begun to flood our little brains as we consider the full possibility of this new medium.  Our Kompadre hosts are extremely talented, and I can promise you that you will be seeing more of this.

After the initial success of the silk screening, it was back outside to enjoy the perfect weather while the food was expertly cooked by a bevy of barbecue masters.  I don’t know why guys always have to barbecue by group consensus, but as long as it tastes as awesome as it did on Saturday I’m 100% ok with it.  There was pork injected with maple syrup, shrimp skewers in a super spicy Thai sauce, marinated chicken, corn on the cob, and an absolutely amazing potato salad.

I got up early in the morning on Saturday to make a loaf of Grandma’s banana bread to take along.  It was extremely popular, even with the two Brits who I don’t think had ever had banana bread before and were reluctant to try it because they thought it would have a super banana-y flavor.  And yes, it was a multicultural Independence Day: 4 Americans, 2 Brits, 1 Aussie, and 1 Japanese Kompadre.  We also shouted lines from the Declaration of Independence at our British friends as thought they were official representatives of the British Crown:

“Please pass the potato salad.”

“He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people!  Oh, sorry.  Here you go.”

I’m kidding.  But we did steal their tea and dump it down the drain (we’re too far away from a harbor of any kind).  I’m kidding again!  They are wonderful Kompadres and we thoroughly enjoyed sharing the day with them.

What about the fireworks?  I was extremely excited about this part of the day.  When I was seven years old, my family moved to a different state.  It was a move from a place where fireworks were legal to one where they are not.  So while I remembered the joys of shopping for fireworks with my Dad and lighting them in front of my house as a kid (while the entire rest of the neighborhood did the same), it was something I was unable to do for a VERY long time.  Unfortunately, the Kompadres’ neighbor was less than thrilled about a bottle rocket being set off at 9:30 at night, so we were only able to light one.  But it was still fun.  We’ll just have to save the fireworks for the next Japanese holiday.

May life continue to inspire you,

Miss Kaizer