The Bonus Grave – I'm Writing As Fast As I Can

Happy Fourth of July Eve.

I don’t think I’m in the minority when I say the 250^th anniversary of our great American experiment is not hitting with the joy and fervor it deserves. I was 20 in 1976 and the celebration of our 200^th birthday was met with all the genuine patriotism, fanfare, and love our little hearts could pump out. A red, white, and blue, flag waving, year-long party. Tall ships in Boston Harbor. Hour long fireworks displays. Politics raged on but didn’t dampen our collective spirits.

But here we are, in 2026, a nation divided. I read a newsletter today by artist Danielle Coke Balfour (Oh Happy Dani) that included her timely illustration:

I think MLK’s quote is especially relevant today. The rights we have been guaranteed in writing are in jeopardy and we simply want “what you said on paper” to be upheld and honored for all Americans. It’s that simple.

I hope my fellow US citizens have an enjoyable day of appreciation for the country we are meant to be.

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Yikes! We’re almost to the middle of the year!!

After a live theater drought, we had two Sundays in a row at local live theatres.

I mentioned seeing The Book of Will at the Curtis on our anniversary. It’s about Shakespeare’s friends attempting to publish a folio of his plays.

I bought my complete Shakespeare, including the sonnets, on a teenage trip to Stratford-upon-Avon but I never stopped to think how the plays had been compiled. Turns out there wasn’t an equivalent to Samuel French, the company that publishes plays currently, in the 1600’s, so the scripts had to be gathered from actors and producers, and a search launched for a publisher willing to take a gamble on a fancy book of plays. Filled with love and loss, the most excellent cast gave us a lovely afternoon of theatre.

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Tag: The Bonus Grave

Friday Fancies ~ June 26, 2026