Sweet, Sweet Fourth of July (or, That Blueberry Pie Was Amazing)

In a book I read in college, a writer has a recurring dream that publishers shout, "Hats off, gentlemen! Hat's off!" after finishing his manuscript. I really love this phrase as a universal salute to people who do an excellent job at something.

Well, my hat is off to Elizabeth Marks.

Thanks to her, Kate and I were well-fed and treated like royalty over the Fourth of July weekend. I have never seen such concerted efforts to make an event special. She went shopping for three days getting the food. She coordinated our travel and accomodations. She got us (once successfully and once not so much) seats at the famed Berkshire landmark Jacob's Pillow (Or just, "The Pillow", egh. Formerly, Ted Shawn and his Men Dancers, a name we took endless delight in repeating to ourselves later in the car). It was truly amazing. The thoughtful activities just kept on coming and we delighted in them all.

Among the highlights were picnicing with Kate's aunts and uncles, rowing in a halting, self-defeating fashion across Big Bowman Pond in Taborton, making a fire pit in the driveway that roared all night, and eating the best lunch ever at Jiminy Peak. The Alpine Slide was pretty good, too, although Kate takes the cake for doing an unprecedented triple-flip on the bungie-assisted trampoline...

Kate and I had a wonderful time and we cannot wait to go back. 

Thanks, Wizzawee!