Not really. There were some light chuckles and perhaps a smirk or two. I found it funnier than anyone else . . . which is to be expected . . . as I am the one who said it. In the middle of a room filled with friends and family I enthusiastically shouted, "Brilliant. England won." Then, my brain caught up with my enthusiasm, and I sheepishly said, "I guess that isn't really why we're celebrating today. It being the Fourth of July and all."
Shortly thereafter, we enjoyed some man-made fireworks; quickly followed by God's fireworks. The storms blew in far more quickly than the spectators would have liked. Luckily for us, we were observing from the back deck. The wind and the rain forced us indoors. Then the wind and the rain forced all of the deck chairs off of the deck.
Here is a tidbit of historical fact that you may or may not find interesting:
John Adams, yes, that John Adams ("The Adams Administration" for you Hamilton fans) did not believe in celebrating on July 4th. He believed our country's independence day was actually July 2, 1776. The Continental Congress unanimously voted for independence that day. Of course, Jefferson (Thomas Jefferson, the governor of Virginia while in his early 30s, and the first Secretary of State) supported the idea that it should be on July 4, 1776, when the Declaration of Independence (that he wrote) was signed. They were adversaries for years. Things changed when the country was again at war with England (War of 1812, which ended on Christmas Eve in 1814, though mail was slow then, which is why Colonel Jackson and his troops won the Battle of New Orleans in January 1815. That's a completely different story. I am getting sidetracked. Sorry. Not sorry.) Where was I? Oh yes, I remember. . . . Friends again, TJ and John-boy became dedicated pen pals for the rest of their lives.
Which leads us to one of the most amazing coincidences in American history . . .
On July 4, 1826, fifty years to the day, after signing the Declaration of Independence; John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died.
But wait, there's more . . . if the rumors are true . . . John's dying words were, "Thomas Jefferson survives." A comforting thought . . . though, completely false. Thomas Jefferson had died hours earlier.
Happy birthday week, America.
