Fireworks, Family, and the Fourth

Sorry it’s been a few days since my last entry, but they’ve been busy in the best possible way. *also I may add more pics later as I get them from others*

The Hogans arrived in style, and with them came the wonderful chaos that only a house full of family can bring. Suddenly every room was alive with conversation, cousins running around, cocktails being mixed, and incredible food appearing on every surface. It was the first time all four Hogan cousins had the chance to really spend time with Joni and Evie and they absolutely soaked up every second of the attention. They bounced happily from person to person, completely content to be doted on by everyone. My parents had the house looking immaculate, as they somehow always manage to do, and walking through the front door immediately felt like coming home. 

Ironically, the weather couldn’t have been much worse. Rain settled in for most of the day, but nobody seemed to mind. If anything, it forced us to slow down, stay inside, refill another drink, tell another story, and simply enjoy each other’s company. Sometimes the best vacation days aren’t the ones filled with sightseeing, they’re the ones where everyone is simply together.

The following day was one we’d all been looking forward to: the Fourth of July.

After another surprisingly decent night of sleep, Evie is finally settling into something resembling a routine, usually waking only twice to eat, we enjoyed a fantastic breakfast before dressing everyone in as much red, white, and blue as we could find. Then we headed downtown for Ketchikan’s annual Fourth of July parade. This year we scored seats outside the New York Cafe, which may have been our best decision of the day. We had great food, cold drinks, comfortable seats, and a perfect curbside view as the parade rolled past. 

The unexpected celebrity of the parade was Joni. She enthusiastically waved at every float, every marching band, and every passerby. In return, nearly everyone broke formation long enough to run over and hand her handfuls of candy. Before long, each Hogan cousin had figured out the obvious strategy: whoever was holding Joni had the greatest candy-collecting advantage. She unknowingly became the family’s secret weapon, charming her way into enough sweets to last until next Independence Day.  

After the parade we all retreated home for a much-needed afternoon siesta before gathering around what I firmly believe should be considered one of Ketchikan’s culinary landmarks: my parents’ halibut and chips. They’re so consistently good that one of the neighbors just happened to “drop by” around dinnertime. Whether it was coincidence or the unmistakable smell of fresh halibut wafting through the neighborhood remains open for debate.

As evening settled in, the men headed down to the beach to prepare the annual fireworks show. My mother, in her infinite wisdom, had purchased what could best be described as several crates of consumer-grade explosives. The resulting display was spectacular. Rockets soared over Tongass Narrows while the family watched, and every so often there was one of those slightly-too-exciting moments where everyone instinctively sprinted over slick seaweed covered rocks wondering if that particular firework had really been pointing in the intended direction. Thankfully, there were only a few unintended explosions and moments of diving for cover, which by our family’s standards counts as an overwhelming success.

As the last fireworks echoed across the water, I couldn’t help but appreciate how lucky we are. We celebrated Independence Day surrounded by family, incredible food, laughter, and enough memories to last another year. Whatever challenges our country faces, it’s still worth celebrating the ideals on which it was founded and the freedoms that allow families like ours to gather together on a rainy little island in Southeast Alaska. It was, in every sense of the word, a fantastic Fourth.