The Never-Ending 4th

I know that title sounds like a complaint. In reality our 4th of July (which continued into the 5th) was quite amazing, but it did wear me out.

We started the celebration with Atherton Ward's anual patriotic program and flag raising. The program part was moved inside this year, I think in part because we have added Leisure World to our ward and so the number who couldn't easily move around outside was greatly increased. We did go outside for the actual flag raising. First they started to raise the flag upside down, and even when they got it straightened out, the flag they used was worn well beyond its years. It is time for it to be burned. (Wait except the speaker mentioned how inappropriate it is to burn flags, but double wait that is the prescribed method for disposing of an old flag. I'm sure I could go on at great length about the problems with trying to use the blunt knife of law to control personal actions and in the end harming appropriate actions, but I'm trying to be upbeat. The speaker was in fact excelent.)

After the flag-raising we headed off for our usual Friday morning at Seal Beach. Perry finally got a chance to try out his boogie board with both the wetsuit and the waves. It was a much better experience for him than last time. I managed to catch a few good waves myself (body surfing) but they were really hard to catch that day. Great waves if you got them, but moving fast so they were hard to get without fins.

Next we headed over to the Ludloff's for a fabulous barbeque.

Finally, Perry and I packed up and headed for a BIG 4th of July Celebration at Blair Field. It was cubscout day at the Long Beach Armada (local independent league baseball team). It was originally billed as having the game, fireworks, a movie, a campout, breakfast, and a baseball clinic with the players. Unfortunately, Long Beach only gives out 3 fireworks permits at a time and Blair Field didn't make the cut on the 4th. Then the movie was called off because the equipment wasn't working right. (Too bad since I had wanted to introduce Perry to "Follow Me Boys".) So we had missed the fireworks, and the movie, and as another father pointed out to me, when the score is 10 to 0, it'a questionable if there really was a baseball game. (The Calgary Vipers just don't seem to be very good.)

It was for the best though. The game went long so we weren't setting up until 11:00. I don't know how we would have ever seen the movie. They gave us free tickets to the next nights gave to see the fireworks. It was the best place to camp out I've ever been (perfectly flat ground with nice if firm grass everywhere). And the baseball clinic went very well. (I even finally learned the difference between the strech and the wind up.) Perry, who often complains about having to do sports stuff, trotted off excitedly to every different activity and seemed to have a great time.

When we finally got home I barely had time to mow lawns before we headed off to the Brimley's for a pool party and barbeque. Then in the evening I took Perry and Libby to the next game and fireworks show. Neither of them could really watch the whole game, but between frozen lemonade and the various places around the field that kids can run around they both did great. Perry met a new friend and had as he put it, "my best game of catch ever". He was so excited to introduce me to this new friend that I had to go over to the parents and exchange phone numbers. The fireworks were good, but nothing amazing. When we finally got home it was 10 and I just had time to get the kids in bed before crashing myself. Staci was off watching a movie with friends and I was dead to the world by the time she came home.

Anyway, as I said, it was one heck of a 4th of July.