Tomorrow. The fourth of July. So many memories of past fourths. So many picnics, many family get-togethers, parties, with water, on the water, by lakes, by the ocean, in the backyard....
I remember the fourth of July in 1976, the bicentennial year. I was driving back from Washington, DC, to East Hartford, CT with my three children, the youngest was just 6 weeks old. I had spent four weeks in Alexandria, VA, in a motel with my family, my husband was going to a school, and we were keeping him company. The youngest was just an infant, the oldest was five years old, and my middle child was 18 months old.
Anyway, it was the bicentennial year, and I had heard on the radio, that the tall ships would be sailing up the Hudson River, turn around under the George Washington Bridge, and sail back down the Hudson to dock in and around Manhattan. I timed my trip - so I thought - to cross the GWB around the time the tall ships were coming under the bridge, my only hope to see them, since with the three children in the car there was little chance for me to get out of the car and go somewhere - going any distance with the three of them was pretty impossible, since I didn't have one of the fancy double strollers that are all the rage now, I was reduced to an umbrella stroller, and mine had just broken recently.
Well, I was a little too early, only saw a glimpse of the war ships in the harbor, and was obviously too early for the tall ships.
I continued on, and drove to East Hartford, where my husbands grandparents lived, and arrived there just in time to the amazement of the family for the cook-out with my parents-in-law and the grandparents.
To really reminisce, I had just one car seat, the upright kind, with just a handle on lifted up over the child - you remember those? And the baby was in the top of a carriage in the back seat.
And the baby cried, and was suddenly quiet. When I asked my daughter to check on him, she climbed over the (bench) seat, and he started crying again. My daughter said, that he had his thumb in his mouth and she didn't think he was supposed to have it, so she took it out.
I also should explain that the trip from Washington, DC to E Hartford, CT took a little over 6 hours.
(Americans usually count a trip in hours, not in miles, at least here on the East Coast)
I hope you forgive me my trip into the past. That baby is now 36 years old, with a great family.
Speaking of family, I will be a grandmother again! Yeah! Amazing. In the beginning of December, and no, we won't know what the baby is until then.
Jackson and Evan will have a little brother or sister, and I think it's wonderful, and can't wait to meet the newest family member!
Will I translate this whole story into German? (Moan) Probably not, please forgive me.
What will we do tomorrow? No picnic, unless it's impromptu. We are hoping to hike early in the morning, and take it easy for the rest of the day - it's supposed to be hot and humid.
Enjoy your fourth of July Everyone!
I remember the fourth of July in 1976, the bicentennial year. I was driving back from Washington, DC, to East Hartford, CT with my three children, the youngest was just 6 weeks old. I had spent four weeks in Alexandria, VA, in a motel with my family, my husband was going to a school, and we were keeping him company. The youngest was just an infant, the oldest was five years old, and my middle child was 18 months old.
Anyway, it was the bicentennial year, and I had heard on the radio, that the tall ships would be sailing up the Hudson River, turn around under the George Washington Bridge, and sail back down the Hudson to dock in and around Manhattan. I timed my trip - so I thought - to cross the GWB around the time the tall ships were coming under the bridge, my only hope to see them, since with the three children in the car there was little chance for me to get out of the car and go somewhere - going any distance with the three of them was pretty impossible, since I didn't have one of the fancy double strollers that are all the rage now, I was reduced to an umbrella stroller, and mine had just broken recently.
Well, I was a little too early, only saw a glimpse of the war ships in the harbor, and was obviously too early for the tall ships.
I continued on, and drove to East Hartford, where my husbands grandparents lived, and arrived there just in time to the amazement of the family for the cook-out with my parents-in-law and the grandparents.
To really reminisce, I had just one car seat, the upright kind, with just a handle on lifted up over the child - you remember those? And the baby was in the top of a carriage in the back seat.
And the baby cried, and was suddenly quiet. When I asked my daughter to check on him, she climbed over the (bench) seat, and he started crying again. My daughter said, that he had his thumb in his mouth and she didn't think he was supposed to have it, so she took it out.
I also should explain that the trip from Washington, DC to E Hartford, CT took a little over 6 hours.
(Americans usually count a trip in hours, not in miles, at least here on the East Coast)
I hope you forgive me my trip into the past. That baby is now 36 years old, with a great family.
Speaking of family, I will be a grandmother again! Yeah! Amazing. In the beginning of December, and no, we won't know what the baby is until then.
Jackson and Evan will have a little brother or sister, and I think it's wonderful, and can't wait to meet the newest family member!
Will I translate this whole story into German? (Moan) Probably not, please forgive me.
What will we do tomorrow? No picnic, unless it's impromptu. We are hoping to hike early in the morning, and take it easy for the rest of the day - it's supposed to be hot and humid.
Enjoy your fourth of July Everyone!
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