...AND FAUX FOURTH

Okay. I am as patriotic as the next person. I am SO thankful and grateful to our troops, police and fire departments, homeland security, FBI, CIA etc. for working hard to keep the USA the land of the FREE. It isn't easy for any of them!

However the 4th of July as a special day has lost it's luster for me. It has been downhill since as a kid in Easton PA my brother and I fired our bangsite cannon (oh my gosh they STILL make them! http://www.bigbangcannons.com/)and waved sparklers in the air. Not to mention stretching on our backs at Hacketts Park watching the magical fireworks. Flash forward to my 20+ years in Coronado, Ca where the 4th of July is close to a religious experience. The annual parade itself had about 200 entrants including my favorites - The Ocean Beach Geriatric Precision Surfboard Marching Team. With the Beach Boys blasting, they would stop and maneuver their surboards and folding lawn chairs much like a drill team. My next favorite - The Hole in the Wall Gang - about 20 guys on horses dressed like bad guys - they always intimidated the kids! After the parade - no time to catch a nap since the parachutists from the Navy jumped out of planes and landed on the golf course, trailing colored smoke. And then - the huge fireworks display on the Bay.
Now the kids are grown and enjoying their own celebrations. And its always a quiet faux fourth at our house! Next July we hope to watch the fireworks on the deck of our house on Black River Bay. We're told they are doozies! Have a fun and safe 4th!

Scenes from Julys past:

Here's the HOLE IN THE WALL GANG



Yes- that's Katie as the Statue of Liberty!