Another Great Meal: First Attempt at Mt. Pleasant Mussels and Grilled Salmon for a World Cup Friday Night Before the 4th.

I'm taking advantage of having cooking time and trying my hands at new goods. I've been in love with eating mussels out and I wanted to try it on my own, not believing how cheap they are to buy. The heavy cream and leeks were more expensive than they were. They were a hit, but I didn't quite get the flavors that Kathy got on her back porch, nor what they do in restaurants. I think the recipe I followed was short on the liquids, so the sauce wasn't as abundant and flavorful. 

I didn't take Karal for a hike, but I got my own in early and I was drenched. It was reading 103 degrees without the heat index. Even at 10 p.m. it was 90 degrees. Hello, Kentucky.

You have to give it up to Argentina, too, even though cheering on Cabo Verde was fun. They hung in there. They gave all their heart. There is no shame, especially against Messi and his team. They powerhouse at every second (I don't know where they get the energy and perseverance from).

I believe storms will come through this evening, as the high temperatures for the week ahead are a good 20 degrees cooler. Something has to disrupt this heat run. I keep watering the pots, but they are fighting the elements to stay hydrated. It's brutal, especially for those plants in the direct light all day.

Forecast for today is Hoffman hotdogs. We shall see. I just want it to cool down, but if I'm 2/2 on the grill, I might as well make 3/3. 250 years ago, the narrative out of Great Britain was handed for the U.S.A. to begin their version of the story. Of course, that it a tale, too, that differs from the Vikings who came before them and the indigenous people who were barbarically pushed to the side. I still like to believe in the democracy I learned throughout my schooling and interactions with the diversity of the nation. It's been a 180 from that understanding in the last several years, but I'm still hopeful the vision for what this day is supposed to stand for will return to the discourses of the nation.