A Fun Fourth of July

Yesterday, as we have done since 2000, we went up the hill to a cookout.  Neighbors from our last house invite (on a Hills Forum) everyone around them to a potluck cookout.  There were over 100 people there.  I am sure our host was meeting several for the first time.  Their house sits on one of the highest points in Oakland and has a nearly 360 degrees view.

On the Fourth we look at multiple cities that are shooting off fireworks.  Or I should say, listen to the fireworks.  This is the San Francisco Bay we are looking at.  What goes with San Francisco?  Fog.

There should be the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges in there somewhere.  As the night wore on, the fog got farther and farther in.  Lots of booms and colored clouds.

Thirteen trips up the hill, we have seen fireworks maybe three times.  But we don’t care.  It isn’t about the fireworks.

                                                                          

The man in the white on the steps is our host, Russ.  He is an unashamed Patriot who bleeds Red, White, and Blue.  Every Fourth he gives us a history lesson on America.  We pledge allegiance to the flag, led by our firemen.  Next a group picture and then the food.

It was a lovely evening, around 70 degrees and dropping.  We had burgers, polish sausage, and hot dogs.  There were all kinds of salads and veggies.  Later every dessert you can think of.

                                     

We lucked out and scored a table with friends.  No sitting on the wall this year.  Also we were next to the wine table.

I had a huge burger, my potato salad, black beans with a masa topping, a pasta shrimp salad, tomatoes and feta cheese salad,  a tossed salad with all kinds of goodness in it, and a smoked peppers and feta cheese salad.  Some were very good, some just OK.  I did not finish everything nor did I have dessert.  I was full.

I keep mentioning our firemen.  Or Firepersons.  Russ’ house was damaged during the Oakland Hills Fire.  He stood his ground and fought the fire with the firemen.  Nearly 4000 homes were lost.  Our fire personnel are always honored in the hills.  They saved so many lives, and finally stopped the fire before it burned to the Bay.  They are heroes.

Every year we meet new people, see long time friends, meet the firemen who protect us during Fire Season, and eat some great food.

Belated post for July 4

In 2000 we moved through the tunnel to the Oakland Hills. It is a tight knit neighborhood because most of them had lived through the Oakland Hills Fire.  The survivors welcome newcomers, and they teach us the horror of fire storms and how to survive the next one.  A few houses survived that fire and one house has become a gathering point on the Fourth of July.

Our hosts invite friends and neighbors, and most importantly the firefighters from the Hills' station.  This is a massive pot luck cook out. There is the pledge to the flag, singing of patriotic songs, prayers, a  little history, the introduction of the firefighters, and the group picture.  Then we eat.

We watch the Golden Gate ( for non Bay Area folks, the Golden Gate is the entrance to the San Francisco Bay, the bridge is named after it)  to see how the fog is, high or low.  Is the fog creeping in slowly, or is it rushing in?  This is important.  The fog determines if we will see the fireworks in all the cities around the Bay.  Also the fog determines if we are comfortable or freezing.  The last few years we have worn parkas and gloves.  This year was wonderful.  Shirt sleeve weather and clear, just a little low fog.

Below are some pictures from our neighborhood gathering.

When we arrived a little after 5:00 this was the view looking across the Bay at San Francisco.  The white is low fog coming through the Golden Gate.

Friends Lew and Nancy were asked to cook burgers and hot dogs this years.  We helped them.  This was not an easy task.  We had 100 guests to feed.

Marty and Lew worked hard to not have a back up in the line.  Also they wanted everything cooked to a moist point and not to a hockey puck point.  Fine line when trying to have some precooked so the line can move on to the salads and veggie tables.  They cooked everything to perfection.  I was a gofer.  Nancy helping get the meat on the grill.

 Click on this picture to enlarge it.  This is the driveway of our hosts. Down at the bottom of the hill you will see our guest of honors' fire truck.  They park headed out.  Many years they don't get to eat because they get a call and go charging out.  This year they got to eat and visit.  Then they left to patrol the hills.  The fire danger was at High.  To make it worse the roads were full of people and cars who were there to watch the fireworks.  The "visiting people" always have idiots who bring fireworks and are smokers.  The Hills are a no smoking zone.  Fireworks are pretty much illegal everywhere in the Bay Area.  So our firefighters are out there making sure no fires are started.

It is starting to get dark and the fog is still nice and low.  Will we really get to see the fireworks and not just hear them as we usually do?

Sunset over the Bay Area.  It just doesn't get much better than this.  The illegal fireworks have begun.  Hell, they began 2 days ago.  Some of the illegals down in the flats are better than some of the little cities' shows.

Full dark and the fireworks are going off all over the Bay.  Of course I don't really have great pictures of the displays. I would see them and start clicking, and I was pretty much too late.  Right in the middle across the Bay is where the fireworks are at Pier 39 in San Francisco.  To the right on this side of the Bay you can sort of see Berkeley's display.

It was a lovely fun evening. 

MORE FAMILY FUN

Saturday we slept in, had a lazy day, went to the Fourth of July cookout up in the hills, and saw fireworks. Now for the back story.

For the cookout I was bringing deviled eggs. Everyone knows older eggs peel easier. I had planned the eggs and had bought eggs a week or more back. I simmered them, I put them in an ice bath and then time to peel. I had 15 eggs, they all looked like hell. At least the ones that didn't just tear apart. The whites were very thin and when you touched them they tore. Many nasty filthy words later I had 7 eggs that held together. Since I was only taking half of what I had planned, I had to throw a cheese plate together. You don't take 4 people to a potluck and only have food for 3. You make food for 8 to 10.

The party is at the home of an Oakland Hills fire survivor. Also look here. There were around 70 people there and the guests of honors as usual were our local station firefighters. They come in full rig with the truck, ready to leave in an instant. This year we had the honor of them asking to sit with us during dinner. Hill residents consider our fire fighter near gods. I really enjoyed talking to these young men and young woman. Lt. James Stewart (he is usually assigned to our neighborhood) asked for my address, he said he might come see us. We all laughed and and didn't think anything about it. Remember this part, it will be on the test tomorrow.

Fireworks: they happened in near 40 degree (wind chill 40) foggy weather. We had on Northface jackets and nearly froze. Since it was so cold and the fog prevened us seeing anything, we left the party and headed home. We dropped out of the fog half way home and could see the fireworks in several cities. Marty parked, we sat 30 minutes in the warm car and watched the fireworks. Great ones all over the Bay, but as always the illegals in the flats were almost more impressive.