3rd of July 2004
Even the "heart" of the 3rd of July was ready to pack up and go home. Tim has been the heart behind this tradition for many years now, and when he says it's over, it truly is over. Just look at him, he looks sad.
We drove the car up to the site, and loaded our things into the car, including Jenny and Dan, who used the car as their refuge from the storm.
Before going to Summerfest to brave the rain, Gary and Michelle stopped by us to brave the rain, as I previously mentioned on the last page. They did take the time to pose for photographs with James and Mom though.
James' girlfriend Janelle was in town (from Houston) specifically for this event and others (my futile attempt to make this 3rd of July thing seem ultra important) and we were glad to have her.
Sarah was there to help us take down the tents and stuff, and to also add a touch of jazz to the afternoon.
I triumphantly raise my hands in the air to let everyone know that it takes more than a little bit of rain to put a damper on my parade. Hooray for me!!
Marquis did show up, albeit at the last minute, but we were still glad to have him there. He was there just in time to see the end of an era - and the passing of an icon - the Blue Beaut. My parents found this tent in the dumpster of a sporting goods store over 15 years ago, and we have used it every single year on the 3rd of July. We've had to modify it and/or fix it to keep it standing, and with the move this year decided to ditch it for good, seeing as it hardly even withstood the rain this year. So we left it there, standing alone in the middle of the park, and drove away with it crying in the rearview window. We'll miss you Blue Beaut, you've served us well. It's been a fun ride.
It looks like I am a bit upset, but that's because I kind of am. For as long as I can remember, I've been watching the fireworks on the 3rd. It's hard to imagine a year without it, but that's what happened. They postponed them, them decided to go ahead and shoot them off when the rain cleared up. How do I know? It's because I saw them from the freeway on my way to the Eastside from Wauwatosa. But I didn't feel bad because the fog obscured the fireworks, and the show wasn't even that good. So wet, tired and sunburned, I dragged myself up to my bed at my apartment and collapse into bed and prepare for another day of summer...
