July 4th

I decided to keep the 4th of July as a pretty low-key holiday this year.  I wasn't tempted to run the 10K "Butte to Butte" like Mandi (but I admired her energy).  And hearing about the horrendous traffic jams deterred my desire to experience the small-town "old fashioned" 4th of July parade so popular in Creswell, which Neil and Mandi were brave enough to persevere and attend.  So I settled for grocery shopping on my own, then doing a little running around shopping with Melissa while Clay watched the girls.

Mandi has been waiting for months to make red, white and blue "pink stuff."  This is the closest she could get with the limited supplies I had on hand (no red or blue jello).  Neil had to add more blueberries after this picture was taken, but the salad/dessert was too small to get the proper number of stripes and stars on it.

Melissa wanted to make sure Mandi could eat the fruit pizza, so the crust is gluten free.  It was delicious!

Clay barbecued chicken.  It was very good.  (Nathan couldn't be persuaded to join us at dinner, but his birthday balloon did a good job as his stunt double.)

Neil and Mandi and I walked down the road about a mile to a parking lot where we could see the fireworks.  Melissa and her family were already there.  We didn't have a perfect view -- it wasn't the same as being right underneath where they're going off -- but it was enough to be enjoyable.

My camera has a "fireworks" automatic setting. I didn't bother with a tripod so I didn't have very high expectations, but a couple of the photos were interesting.

Danica was practicing her new skill of bubble blowing.

I guess Mira thought the fireworks were too bright, because she insisted on having her sunglasses.

On the way home we walked past a retirement center that was built not too long ago.  I've walked past it numerous times in the daytime, but had never noticed this "scary dude" statue in the window before.  I'm puzzled by its presence there. 

Another photo opportunity presented itself on the walk home.  Here's Neil and Mandi stalking the evil R.O.U.S.'s (really it was just a family of nutria, but we don't like them any more since they tried to kill Clay a few years back*).

*I'm referring to the early-morning bike ride when one scurried in front of him and caused him to crash.