Our daughter Michelle, husband Kyle and our granddaughters Lyla and Emmy joined us for a swim and barbecue. Cecile prepared an avocado dip and a Muhammara appetizer dish. The latter is made with roasted red peppers, walnuts, molasses and other ingredients that give it a smoky, sweet, tangy, nutty, and spicy flavor all at the same time. We were learned about this Middle Eastern dip last month at Aba Restaurant in the Fulton Market area of Chicago—A Lettuce Entertain You restaurant where our nephew Jacob Schwimmer works as its' District Manager. She also made corn on the cob and a pasta salad with black olives, and sun-dried tomatoes with a splash of virgin olive oil. Kyle and Michelle brought hot dogs, hamburgers, and apple chicken sausage for grilling. For dessert, Cecile made everybody’s favorite: a No-Bake Chocolate Oreo Mud Pie with fresh whipped cream topping.
Before our family arrived later in the afternoon, news of another national tragedy made headlines.
What began as a charming, peaceful and joyful Fourth of July flag-waving parade in Highland Park, Illinois, turned into another scramble to survive at a crazed active rooftop shooter event. Known to be a safe, affluent lakefront suburb of Chicago, seven people were killed and about 30 people were wounded by Robert “Bobby” Crimo lll who is currently in police custody. Highland Park is near the neighboring town of Wilmette, where Cecile's brother Mark lives. We were in the vicinity last month after our cruise of the Great Lakes visiting Mark and other family members.
We would later find out other related family members living in the area, as well as friends and acquaintances who were visiting from California attended the actual parade. Thank God, none of them were victims of this horrific attack. Oddly enough, the shooters father, Bob Crimo operated a Pantry & Deli in Highland Park that used to be a Covenience Store formally owned by Cecile’s late parents more than 30 years ago.
Later that evening when we went to bed, the fireworks in the distance sounded eerily like the shots being fired at the Highland Park Parade. Cecile and her sister Sherry used to teach in the inner city schools of Chicago where they had weapon checks of students. Now the shooters are coming to a city near you/us. America has a gun to its head. When will this insanity end?
