Being George Washington

Fun fact: America and I share a birthday month. Just one of the reasons the Fourth of July has always been my favorite holiday. Nothing against Christmas or Easter, but, let's face it, for the Fourth, nobody pressures you to dress up, or be nice to your cousins. They just stick you in a bathing suit and let you go nuts, feed you hot dogs and corn on the cob, and watermelon, then it's in the car and off to the fireworks. At least, that was the routine at our house.

Aside from these festivities, my sisters and I knew what the day stood for. After all, we had grown up listening to this:

One story on one side of the record, the other on the flip side!

What a great record! My favorite was the George Washington side--his life sounded so exciting. I began to invest serious play time being George Washington: the daring young surveyor, forging his way across the icy Allegheny River; the dashing army officer with the Virginia Militia, having horse after horse shot out from under him while he fearlessly lead his men against the French; and most famously as the Commander-In-Chief of the Continental Army fighting the British for our Independence!

George Washington with her two grandmas and aunt.

Sadly, I don't own that record anymore (for our younger viewers, a "record" was something we listened to audio on before CDs and Spotify). Nor do I anymore own my tri-cornered hat or bitchin' cowboy boots. But I still have a soft spot of the big G.W., and, of course, for the Fourth of July.

Happy Independence Day, everyone!