Summer Magic...

The first grill of the season... and the boys aren't home (golfing and working). I normally don't grill, I try and make my boys take on this cooking. But I had planned and gotten it in my head I wanted to grill for dinner Friday night, it was going to be what would begin that summer magic, so I was going forth without them.

First things first, I had to pull out the James Bond metal case with all the necessary gear for grilling.
And then try not to catch anything outside on fire... that would ruin the idea of trying to be independent and taking on the manly cooking, if I had to call the fire department.
I keep asking for one of those push the button and it's ready to go kind of grills; but my strong silent mysterious man won't have that, he thinks all that gas ruins the taste of the food and can't be good for you. (I don't think charcoal briquettes filled with lighter fluid are any healthier, and pretty sure a large outta control fire would ruin the meal and the mood as well... but that's just me).

I managed to get some burgers and chicken cooked up; and shortly after I had it all done and cleaned up they showed up to eat it.

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I might not figure out how my Mom made things seem so special when I was growing up, before my teenager is out of the house. But I am going to keep trying! She just had it all together and knew how to make it feel really special... the food, the home, the friends, it just felt like the magic of summer always began with Memorial Day weekend.

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I thought I could capture it with the first grill of the season, but they came, they ate, and they moved on. Nothing magical about it. Wow, Mom... how do you do it?

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I forgot the watermelon, maybe that is the secret?