Let the celebration begin! In honor of the June 19, 1866 proclamation, I am celebrating with baby back ribs and watermelon. I’ve research the matter and these two items are traditional food items at this time of year. Actually, anything the color red. Thus, red beans and red cabbage are often eaten on June 19. Likewise, red velvet cake is an appropriate dessert for today, for red symbolizes the shed blood of slavery. As I text this message, my wife and I are sipping cosmopolitans while waiting for our slathered ribs to caramelize on the grill a tad bit longer, “bark development” the grill masters call it. Following an afternoon nap while nude sunbathing on the deck we’ll retire with ice cold watermelon. I’ve never had three cosmopolitan’s without having nasty sex afterwards but don’t tell my wife, she likes surprises, especially those of large “package.”