Fourth of July, Kodiak Style

Kodiak set a record this National Birthday: 2.7 inches of rain on 4 July 2008. In that rain, Brad and I painted two bedrooms, made brownies, broccoli salad, and headed over to our neighbor’s, Becca and Jason. Becca and Jason are class of 1999 from the USCGA; she is the CO of NPRFTC and he is a helicopter pilot. Joining us at their humble abode were our other neighbors, Beth and Zach, their two children, Gabriel and Donavyn; fellow caosties from base, Abbie and Jessie, and their son, Jack. Three other neighbors joined us: Jared, his girlfriend Kate, and Jared’s brother, whose name escapes me. With beer flowing, children playing, and Fred licking (Becca and Jason’s black lab), we fired up the grill and ate till our heart’s content. The Dorvals are excellent entertainers: no soul left hungry, no hand without a beverage (preferably beer) was left empty, and no topic too sacred to touch upon in conversation. They are really great people whose home we immediately felt comfortable within. Sufficiently satiated, we headed out into the rain to watch Jason and our resident cul de sac fire chief, set off fireworks.


You know you are in for a big treat when the fire chief comes out with a propane torch, lights a huge stack of outlandishly decorated fireworks, and runs in the opposite direction (I mean, runs!).

At one point the three coastie airmen gathered around a small stack, trying to figure out how to light the ensemble, which prompted some pointed jokes from the resident boat driver and wife (I won’t name names, but I am sure you have figured out whose who…)

Our first holiday in our new home with our new friends. It was record breaking.

PS Poor Gabriel did not like the sound of the fireworks. His pilot father came to his rescue...