We took it easy this Independence Day, not making it out to the parade. Charles’ scout den walked in it, but we hadn’t planned to put Charles in it because of other conflicts, which fell through in the end. Charles indicated that he’d rather not, even after he was available and in the end we were unable to generate any enthusiasm from the kids for going out to the parade despite the excellent weather.
I thought they wouldn’t be up for fireworks either, but that turned out to be something they wanted to do. The neighbors were setting off some minor fireworks around supper time and that cue is probably what got the kids on the track. We didn’t go last year because of the anticipated horrible traffic conditions (new location, with road construction!), anticipation that turned out very accurate. But, there was less road construction this year and better traffic management planned so off we went.
We got there a bit early but fortunately ran in to Josh’s family so Corwin and Charles had something to do (we also saw Erica’s brother in passing). Alice spent a lot of time wondering why the fireworks hadn’t started, and I almost convinced Charles at one point that he’d missed them. There were 3 or 4 private shows off the edges of the park, which seemed to go on longer than the real ones, if much less spectacularly. When the real show started, the kids thought it was very cool, and none of them cower from the sound anymore.
It was a good show, but the traffic out was still horrible — we were one of the first to try to leave (due to our fast departure after the show and Mom cleverly having parked in the furthest out, and therefore closest to the exit, spaces) but it still took 45 minutes to get clear. The kids were all passed out when we arrived home, in preparation of having to get up early the next morning so Corwin could be at his swim meet by 7 AM.
Your chance meeting totally made their fireworks experience. As Adam told me — “Then we showed up…and we forgot our glow sticks! But then we saw Alan!” He also mentioned that the kids looked like they could have been in either a discotec scene, or part of Tron (because they were so glow-stickked up).
Glad to be of service! Even though Adam and Bethany only took one glow stick each.
Apparently I also made your dad’s weekend by giving him the stuff he needed to get his connectivity fix.
