I had the day off on July 4th, which meant I got to sleep in. Jon volunteered to work, but he didn’t need to be in until noon, so we got to start the day with Jon’s world-famous (okay, house-famous) breakfast tacos.

When Jon went off to work, I got ready for a board game party at my dance partner’s apartment. Before I headed out to his place, I whipped up a bean-and-pepper salad with cilantro-limeĀ vinaigrette.

The salad turned out to be a little too much for people with delicate palates, but those of us who favor spicy food loved it. In the future, I will probably reduce the habaneros and serranos in order to make sure this is enjoyable for all.


After indulging in various grilled foods and unhealthy sides, we spent the afternoon playing one game after another. Then, it came time for dessert: apple pie. While in the past, I have been horrified by the prospect of cheese on my pie, the fact is that I love cheese and I love pie. So I decided to give the combination a try.

The end result: I didn’t despise it. I’m glad I tried it. I’m not sure I’d do it again, but I also am open to the possibility. I can see a shaved white cheddar working quite well on a pear pie, for example.
And that is how I celebrated my independence. I hope your own holiday was just as delicious.

It sounds like you had a fun day. Have you got any leftover breakfast tacos or bean salad? I shouldn’t eat spicy foods, but I indulge from time to time. At least they unclog my sinuses.
We didn’t have any tacos left, and I donated the remainders of the salad to my hosts, since my dance partner loved it so much. But I ate enough that day that I didn’t really need to take anything home!