Fireworks

Strasburg Hometown Days was a blast. J and I drove an hour east of Denver on Friday afternoon and immediately were put to work by the Volunteer Fire/Rescue crew, grilling and slinging hot dogs and brats and hamburgers and steaks. The entire town showed up for the festivities and things got pretty hectic for awhile, but it was loads of fun. The members of the department are all great people.

Later in the evening, J suited up in his firefighting gear for the first time and lit fireworks with some of the members of the department, while I served up sno cones to at least five or six dozen kids (and pre-teens) jonesing for sugar. I swear, I've never before heard such disgusting flavor combination requests: "Can I get grape and bubblegum?" "I want cotton candy and banana." "Blue raspberry and root beer, please." By the end of the night, I was literally covered from head to toe in sticky syrup.

Several times, J and I were asked if we were moving to Strasburg. It's a great place and I love small town America, but for now, we'll have to stay closer to downtown. Still, I was reminded of how much I love and miss the closeness and sense of community in small, rural towns like Strasburg. Some day.

J getting the burgers ready

Newest member of the Strasburg Volunteer Fire/Rescue team

Fireworks -- J was having too much fun

Constellation

Lighting up the night sky

Line dancing

Serving up sno cones

Sweaty and sticky and covered in flavored syrup