Independence Day

The 4th of July is second only to Christmas on my list of favorite days of the year. I have always loved everything about the Fourth. When we were young and spent the large part of the summer in Harwich on Cape Cod, we went to the parade in Chatham, followed by the Pancake Breakfast. Fireworks were at Brooks Park, or Whitehouse Field, the home of the Harwich Mariners, whose young ball players manned our beach parking lots, checking for resident stickers.

In Marblehead, there is a weekend-long Festival of the Arts, with street performers, model boat races, and a Horribles Parade where the children dress in themed costumes and receive a 50₵ piece and an ice cream for marching. Since we became members of the Eastern Yacht Club, the 4th has become even better. My husband typically races in the Annual Regatta, a 145-year old tradition for the Club, with a crew comprised of whatever nieces, nephews and siblings are available. I will work on the Race Committee, this year with my brother Chris joining me. Then various members of my family will meet us for the BBQ. Finally we will watch our town’s incredible fireworks, sometimes from a boat, in recent years from the porch of my dear friend’s mother-in-law, which sits perched above the mouth of Marblehead Harbor with a view towards England.

What are you doing?

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