Fourth of July

Normally, Meg has the children over the summer and they all come here for our traditional Fourth celebration at Hummel Park.  I've already mentioned this year's complication.  It became clear that they couldn't all come to Indiana...so I stayed up there.

Meg did some research to find an acceptable place to celebrate Independence Day.  Great Lakes Navy Training Center seemed like a good bet, but it's a bit of a hike and not in the best neighborhood.  The next best bet was Antioch, IL, just a few miles up the road.  They had a parade and live music in a park, etc....and so, that's where we decided to go.

We missed the parade because no one was up in time.  Meg had brats and burgers on the list for dinner..  She had already made a pasta salad and a wonderful spinach salad.  I added deviled eggs to the menu.  I don't think anyone left the table hungry!

After dinner, it was time to depart for Antioch.  Of course, none of us had been there before, so we snagged an EMT or whatever at the place where the fireworks were to be shot off to ask questions about where to go.  He directed us to a park, which was a good call.  We parked through some barricades (because no one seemed to be in charge or able to tell us anything).  There was a shelter with live music going on...and just behind where we located were volleyball nets.  The grandkids soon got involved in play v-ball with the local kids.  There was food and/or drinks available from the Lions Club...and Denis, who had an intense craving for Dairy Queen, used his phone's GPS to help him locate and walk to the nearest DQ watering hole.

As the shadows got longer, the band changed from a Dixieland group to a larger group with more horns and at least one piccolo.  The spokesman for the group was British (which was a little ironic), but they played traditional patriotic music, which included--to my glee--a medley of the military's theme songs, plus the piece de resistance, Stars and Stripes Forever.  Then the fireworks started...and I have to tell you that I was impressed.  Antioch is a small town.  Not sure who funds their fireworks display, but it was stellar!

When all was over, we headed for home to have apple pie a la mode and touch off a few sparklers in the back yard....then bed.  I was reassured that the grandchildren will have a nice Fourth even after I'm gone.  It was a very long and very busy Fourth of July, but we wished America a Happy Birthday in fine style!