My 4th of July Weekend (two weeks later).

Happy 4th of July! I spent the weekend at Donovan, Maria and Baby Grace's home in Tujuna (near Pasadena). On the 4th, we drove out to Jay and Susie's in Pasadena and ate and drank with their children, Wyatt and Owen. Wyatt and Owen didn't drink - they just played. Beautiful day. Excellent time. Susie and Maria are best friends from high school. Good people. Jay and Susie, that is. You already know D & M and Grace are A-Number 1 in the Ircink book.

The 4th of July - in the Ircink family - is like Christmas. It's a big deal. Being 2000 miles from home, it's extra special when I can spend this holiday with people I love. Yeah know the 4th was two weeks ago, but I 've had lot on my mind and am just getting to the post. Come on - see what the rest of my 4th was like...

(WAIT! There's more...)

Let me back up a day. Thursday night, I met my friend Anja, who used to work with me at PorchLight, and her friend Nancy at the Santa Monica Pier for the Pier Summer Twilight Dance Series: One Hawaii. Keali'i Reichel, Hawaii's top selling touring act and Na Leo were featured. That's Na Leo below. I've been wanting to get a shot of the famour Santa Monica Pier sign for 10 years.


After the Hawaiian concert we spent $10 each at the Arcade. Galaga, the classic video game introduced in 1981 (the year before I graduated from high school), is one of the few I actually ever played.

IRC. 4th highest score...for now.

I found this deer shooting game that I sucked at (I bow hunt). Funny to see Oneida County, Wisconsin featured on the game - that's where we go for our annual walleye fishing trip in May.

Is this the Zoltar featured in the movie, Big?

SKEEBALL! Classic arcade game.

Nancy, a close friend of Anja's who I've known for a while (but hardly ever see), playing her favorite game. Nancy's from LA and said this game (and much of the arcade) looks exactly as it did when she was a kid. Makes me wish I saw Nancy more often. Good people.

Anja playing Wack-a-Ted-Thompson - I mean, Mole.

Back to Jay and Susie's on the 4th. Here's the brew provided by Jay - Spaten Oktoberfest. Wickedly strong stuff. I was feeling it after 7 of them. ;)

Jay with Wyatt. Or is that Owen. Owen...I think.

Wyatt and Grace. Wyatt, right?

Grace in her new pool. It spurts out about 10 jets of water like a fountain. Isn't she adorable? I told you that I'm going to be her sister's Godfather, right? Gywneth. Yes. I am going to be Gywneth's godfather.