From sea to shining sea

Up at the crack of dawn, head to the high school to load the marching band. We usually have 5-6 parents to march the parade route with the band and keep them supplied with water. 4 miles in 90+ weather is a loooong way. This year we had 1 dad. 1. I had no idea how we were going to do it with 1 dad and the band and color guard directors.

We got to the parade staging area for marching bands. Someone made the parking lot smaller in the past year. And they were still trying to cram all of the marching bands and their various busses and support vehicles in a parking lot 1/4 the size it was before. Um? problem anyone?

How about when we were in the median of the road waiting our turn to squeeze in and the policeman stopped traffic both ways and then directed the bus coming out of the parking lot to go around us into the opposite lane (headed the wrong direction) and then back behind us into the proper lane? And the reason it was a problem? Either the bus driver was new or not watching, but I was scrambling my feet onto the seat so the fender wouldn't crush me when she hit the suburban.

How she missed us, I have no idea, but if you had put a piece of paper between us and the bus it would have yellow scrapes on one side and silver on the other. After she cleared us the policeman looked at the kid's dad and said, "Wow, just wow". Brandi, in the back seat said, "That was scary" and I just sat in the passenger seat trying to breath again.

We did have a couple more parents meet us at the staging area to walk with the band, so there were enough to keep the band hydrated.

Here are a few pictures from the morning of the 4th.

Oh, Say can you see?

Brandi watching the rest of the parade from the top of the suburban
while we load the band trailer after the parade

Brandi and I waiting for the parade to start.

We got rained on for about 15-20 minutes at the beginning,

then it cleared up and was nice the rest of the morning.

(Brandi has a sour candy in her mouth- I guess they were really

sour by the faces she was making)

Ethan getting parade ready

Jacob
Pre-parade staging field

See those clouds? Don't be fooled.

They dumped water on us for 15 minutes about half an hour after this picture.

Whitney's family went to DC this past week to visit their son that is doing an internship there. They said that the 4th in DC is better than anywhere they have ever been for that celebration. I was thinking- President Obama's daughter, Malia, was born on the 4th of July. She just turned 11. How awesome is that to celebrate your birthday, not only in the nation's capitol, but in the White House? And she gets to do it 3 more times. Lucky her.

I would like to celebrate the 4th in DC sometime. And while that would make a great Where in the World destination, it isn't one of this month's destinations.

The last Where in the World location was indeed, Philadelphia. David wrote a wonderful piece on those men that sacraficed their all to grant us our independence and freedom.

On a side note, I was teaching the 15-17 year olds in Sunday School yesterday. we were discussing Learning through study and faith. I wrote on the chalk board the following: 2+2=? E=mc2 When in the course of human events....

Then I asked the students who could read what was on the board- not will you read but can you read it? Of course they all could. Then I asked them if they knew what it meant or what it was. They all knew the math equation, most of them knew the equation meant energy=mass x the speed of light squared- whatever that means (their words) But only 2 of the 16 knew where the quote came from! I was flabbergasted. I told them to go home and read it. And then read it again.

Today's installment of Where in the World? begins with Spectacular Jousting at Linlithgow Palace, then we can go see Stirling Castle, or Castle Tioram, or Edinburgh Castle. Or we could witness the Clash of the Centuries: The magnificent setting of Caerlaverock Castle provides a great backdrop for a celebration of two thousand years of (this country's) rich history.

Re-enactors from all over _______ will depict Romans, Vikings, Medieval ____, Redcoats and Covenanters right through to the fighting troops of the 20th century in a packed programme of events and activities.

This country is where golf originated. Did you know that the name golf stands for Gentelmen Only Ladies Forbidden? Really.

My children's great great grandfather McGregor was a doctor there before immigrating to America.

My friend Lindsey is living there for a while. I wish I could go for a visit.

And this band was the first in the parade on Saturday. I am including it because 1) it is a hint and 2) Trevor used to play drum in this band

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Indeed.