July 4, 2011 Listen to this post. Every 4th of July we gather to celebrate a special birthday — that of my father-in-law, Frank. ("Let me be Frank with you" is his self-introductory joke, and he has plenty to follow it.) He was born on this date in Italy in 1922. When my wife and her many siblings were small, they believed that the Independence Day fireworks were meant to honor their dear papa. Frank readily encouraged this belief. For the last five or six years, the party menu has revolved … [Read more...]