Capital City Trip, Day Six

Day six: Friday, July 4: Today we were up by 6 a.m. and rode bikes after breakfast. The rest of the morning was spent sprucing the camper, grooming Shih Tzu, putting out fruit and cookie refreshments, etc., in anticipation of a visit from my high school friend, whom I hadn't seen in about 40 years.

She and her husband arrived about 9:30 a.m., and we had a wonderful visit. I'd brought along a scrapbook of photos, current and past, and other memorabilia, from our class's 40th high school reunion, and we took a walk down memory lane. We also caught up on each other's lives since our high school days. I would have thought we would seem like strangers after so long, but the minute I saw her step out of her vehicle, the years fell away, and it was like we'd never been apart. So much has happened to each of us, but we are still the same people at heart, and the things we loved and respected about each other in high school still hold true today.

She and her husband left around 11:30, but not until we vowed to visit soon again. Hubbie and Friend's husband hit it off nicely, so we are seriously thinking of making the 12-hour trip to visit in her home state soon.

After lunch, we went to the museum for the last day of the photography session. Since there were only four kids there today, and I'd squeezed all the projects into the first four days, we did more sunprints, and watched another photography video. After that, the volunteer found other educational tapes for them to watch until their parents came to pick them up early.

By the time we got back to camp, Son and Daughter-in-Law had arrived, bringing deli chickens for supper. We had those with baked potatoes and fresh sliced tomatoes. Again, this afternoon, a thunderstorm cropped up. We were afraid the weather would rain out July 4 activities tonight, but it stopped finally, and the skies began to clear.

After supper, we hurried downtown to get a space in the park to hear the symphony orchestra and watch the fireworks. We feared that we might not get a parking space very close to the park, but a very nice young man was getting ready to leave his space and made sure we got it. It was only about two blocks from the park. We'd borrowed a wheelchair for Mother, which I pushed, while Hubbie, Son, and Daughter-in-Law carried lawn chairs.

At the park, we found a space on a concrete platform that was part of a statue display. It was the perfect place to park the wheelchair and lawn chairs. The amphitheater and seating was downhill from this statue, affording us a perfect view, unimpeded by folks seated in lawn chairs or on blankets in front of us.

I'd come prepared with umbrellas, hand fans, insect repellent, hats, long-sleeve shirts, etc. It turned out that hats and fans were all we needed against the sunshine an hour or so before the fireworks display.

A local country band entertained before the symphony orchestra took the stage. We really enjoyed the symphony and their several selections of patriotic music. As we all stood for the National Anthem, a huge American flag rolled up in the background.

Teenagers roamed through the crowd, selling neon wands, tiaras, bracelets and the like. Vendors sold cold drinks and beer. Folks flocked to the food stands to buy what I saw as " foot long fat on a stick"...bratwurst, coated and deep fried. "Fat on a plate" (funnel cakes) were also popular. Other vendors sold cold drinks and beer. Water went for $2 a bottle. No thank you.

There was a dunking booth, and a couple of booths featured contests for the best sweet tea recipe, as well as the best apple pie recipe. The winner of the sweet tea recipe (handed down to her by her recently deceased 91-year-old grandmother) received an engraved pewter tea pitcher. The winner of the apple pie recipe got an engraved silver pie server.

A riverboat, outlined in lights and playing calliope music cruised up and down the river past the amphitheater. Son said tickets to dinner and a show on the boat, and a privileged view of the fireworks were $125 each. No thanks again.

The fireworks began about 9:30 p.m., as scheduled. It was a good display, but no larger than the one in our hometown.

We dreaded the traffic afterward, but after sitting in the truck for a while, we were able to feed into traffic easily and got home sooner than I'd anticipated, around 10:30 p.m.

Son and Daughter-in-Law left shortly afterward, and we went straight to bed.