Happy Saturday.

I just finished with a patient, and she asked me if I had heard any fireworks in the run-up to now. (It’s 12:40 PM ET. It’s July 4, 2026, today.) She said it’s common in her area to hear a lot of fireworks, but she hasn’t heard any. She did say it’s raining in her area, but it wasn’t clear if she thought that was the reason there weren’t any fireworks.

I told her I don’t know what are her personal politics (she’s Jamaican, and her husband’s family are from Haiti), but it occurred to me to consider that enough people are sick to death about American government right now that they would be disinclined to celebrate July 4. It would be less likely that there would be any fireworks in my area anyway, since there are commonly fireworks on July 4 at the nearby country club in the late afternoon or early evening.

I read enough Substack posts to know that my preferred posters advocate against giving up, and instead to continue to apply pressure. Which I do. And there’s been some movement, some of it noteworthy, lately. But when I keep reading stories of X number or tens of millions, or more, dollars for this or that vanity project, it’s hard to keep up optimism.

Two of my close friends from the neighborhood have invited me for a cookout later this afternoon. I never tell them no about anything. But it will definitely be a cookout with friends (I’m bringing wine, an apple pie, and some chocolate-covered dates), and not a celebration of July 4.

My son got a Master’s degree from the University of Texas in Austin in 2011. I got myself a red and blue, with one white star, polo shirt at his graduation, and I usually wear that for July 4. Today, I’m wearing a light blue and light yellow striped polo shirt. I don’t know whence I got it, and it happens to be the colors of the Ukrainian flag. My paternal grandfather came from the Ukraine, but the shirt has nothing to do with that.

So, I’ll have a good time with my friends, who are a married couple even older than I am . If you’re wondering why I saw a patient today, I see patients whenever they need to be seen. I don’t celebrate holidays of any kind. I have a patient tomorrow, too.

Have a great Saturday, and whatever you do, enjoy yourselves/