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Jul. 5th, 2009 10:58 amYesterday morning, we all went down to see the Independence Day parade through Ypsilanti. Since the Zettel/Smiths weren't at home, and since the parade route goes down a street only a block away from their house, we parked in their handy driveway and trotted down the sidewalk to watch. Perfect parade weather--cool and mostly cloudy, with a few peeks of sun. It was the quintessential small town parade. We had the fire department, the local high schools bands, the Shriners (what's a parade without Shriners in tiny cars?), the local motorcycle club, tractors, the Bookmobile, various churches, local businesses, the lieutenant governor, several other politicians, and more. I enjoyed more than I would have a big city parade with huge floats and nationally-ranked bands because all the people in it are part of the local community. The boys like it because of the sirens and the candy. :)
Later that evening, we were invited over to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
presterjon and son Jack's place for Fourth of July explosions. Comrade Tim was there with Little Comrade Alexander, along with one of Jack's friends from daycare and his dad. In fact, Kala was the only female in the place. (!) We had grilled hot dogs and beans and other assorted foods, and once the sun went down, we adjourned outdoors to set off a whole lot of perfectly legal fireworks. Much light and many explosions followed. In Michigan, it's illegal to use fireworks that leave the ground unless you have a special license, but that doesn't stop a lot of southern Michiganders from going over the border to Ohio, where laws are more lax. The neighbors and some people in the nearby park had some pretty elaborate stuff.
Afterward, we went back inside. The young boys ran screaming around the house and had to be settled down. Aran tried out John's weights and clocked himself above the right eye. He got a big purple lump. Interestingly, he didn't cry or seem to get upset. He only put his hand to the injury with a grim look on his face. (I think karate has greatly improved his pain tolerance--or given him greater emotional control when he gets injured.) We got some ice for it. John said he should tell everyone he got it during karate practice to get better street cred, but hey--getting a black eye while lifting weights is perfectly good cred!
When we left, a thcik sulfur fog had cloaked the entire neighborhood. There was no breeze to stir it, so it hung there. It lifted a little on the main streets, but our home streets were thick with it as well. You could easily understand how London felt.
Later that evening, we were invited over to
presterjon and son Jack's place for Fourth of July explosions. Comrade Tim was there with Little Comrade Alexander, along with one of Jack's friends from daycare and his dad. In fact, Kala was the only female in the place. (!) We had grilled hot dogs and beans and other assorted foods, and once the sun went down, we adjourned outdoors to set off a whole lot of perfectly legal fireworks. Much light and many explosions followed. In Michigan, it's illegal to use fireworks that leave the ground unless you have a special license, but that doesn't stop a lot of southern Michiganders from going over the border to Ohio, where laws are more lax. The neighbors and some people in the nearby park had some pretty elaborate stuff.Afterward, we went back inside. The young boys ran screaming around the house and had to be settled down. Aran tried out John's weights and clocked himself above the right eye. He got a big purple lump. Interestingly, he didn't cry or seem to get upset. He only put his hand to the injury with a grim look on his face. (I think karate has greatly improved his pain tolerance--or given him greater emotional control when he gets injured.) We got some ice for it. John said he should tell everyone he got it during karate practice to get better street cred, but hey--getting a black eye while lifting weights is perfectly good cred!
When we left, a thcik sulfur fog had cloaked the entire neighborhood. There was no breeze to stir it, so it hung there. It lifted a little on the main streets, but our home streets were thick with it as well. You could easily understand how London felt.
