Molly and the 4th

This is Molly. She is the 1940s American Girl Doll -- a Mother's Day present in 2006. She is shown here all dressed for the Fourth of July and sitting in her chair with her pet skunk, Crabtree and Evelyn. Molly has lots of clothes: a Christmas dress, a cowgirl outfit, Halloween costume, nightie with bunny slippers, shorts set, sundress, and a school dress.

I love the American Girl dolls. Dolls should look like little girls, not starlets and fast women. Thus my discomfort with Barbies (my daughters would tell you that is a huge understatement) and complete dismay with Bratz. American Girl dolls enable little girls to act out so many fantasies -- among them having enough money to own and dress the doll, I suspect. This particular outfit was purchased on Ebay, by the way, for a very reasonable cost. Molly sits in our parlor and welcomes visitors in her always appropriate attire.

Years ago she would not have been the only family member dressed in her red white and blue best for the Fourth. We had a sort of block party in our driveway for years. The Eastmans brought their barbecue from next door to add to ours. We set up a table and lawn chairs and everybody brought something. There were never invitations, people just came. I made peanut brittle and divinity, when Robin (the Eastman's niece) was here she made fudge, the Sepulvedas brought an appetiser, our two bachelors brought soft drinks and wine. In the early days Ruth Eastman and I usually serenaded everyone with Beach Boys songs. We used to say we had a fan club of two, and they were both deaf. Everybody brought fireworks and invited friends. The older boys got to set off the fireworks and that's how we all knew they were really grown up. Henry was always in the middle of that, too. I think that evening he was just a bigger kid. Most everyone wore patriotic colors. We set off the fireworks in the street and were sure to greet the best ones with proper oohs and ahhs. Then a new neighbor moved in and the balance changed and the party became uncomfortable. The kids were grown and it was probably time to stop anyway.

Now I help with or join the Pocket Area Parade on that day. It's nice to be a part of the community effort, but I miss the old neighborhood party. Maybe next year we will see about doing something as a block again.