Fourth of July, 2016

My day started with more baking. I made blueberry orange muffins to take to the parade party. 

We arrived about 9:30, and people trickled in over the next hour, each bringing a new entree to add to the bountiful food tables. 

 Kids scampered about, some with their bikes decorated to ride in the parade. 

 That is our host, Becky, in the center of the photo, her antenna well tuned to all of her guests. 

 We visited with old friends. We didn't know most of the people, but everybody knows Becky.

 Shortly before the parade reached our near-to-the-end-of-the-route location, we were in our chairs. 

 Fire and police always lead the parade. 

There were a few "floats" loaded with kids.  This is a neighborhood parade. 

 And lots of vintage cars. 

 Including a certain pop top VW camper bus named Gus. 

 Gus the bus always enjoys the attention. So do driver Jill and passenger Irene. 

 Isaac, not so much. 

 This year their cousin Allie is along for the ride. She is staying with them for a long stretch this summer. 

 We met up with the crew at The cove, a City of Normandy Park owned park on the sound, where the vintage autos were parked, on display. 

 We got our free ice cream and pop corn and headed for the beach, lingering at the duck pond on the way.

 It was an extreme low tide, and the kids had fun finding creatures on the beach, especially little scuttly shore crabs. 

Then we all went home, Tom and I to rest up for the next round. 

We met up again at Jan's house over looking Henderson Bay. 

 The kids took to the water in their kayaks. 

 The barge was stocked with fireworks for the evening show. 

 Irene and Allie went swimming. It did take Irene a while to actually get into the cold Puget Sound Water. 

 I tossed them a stick and they played fetch.  Good dog!

 Then there was dinner - hot dogs and hamburgers and salads and fruit and, well, just lots of good food, including fresh oysters collected off the beach that morning for those who like oysters. 

And there was dessert, of course. 

As darkness finally began to settle, private fireworks filled the sky from all around the bay. 

Us too. Jill and the kids had their own stash. 

 And then the grand finale of this Independence Day, the big show from the barge. 

And that concludes the festivities for another Fourth. 

We are resting a lot today.