There's Noplace Like Home

We got a running start on Fourth of July festivities with the 5 and 10K. Ryan and Jennie had great times in the 10K, while the rest of the runners ran/walked the 5. Bill (Felshaw) walked the 5K with Golda, Ruby and Araceli. Araceli was nervous that she would get lost or tired, but Bill pulled her along and Ruby slowed down to wait for them from the beginning all the way across the finish line. Golda sprinted ahead and came in a few minutes behind Lexie, who ran with her Aunt Julie. Tanner and Uncle Jeff finished strong, too, while the rest of us waited at the track to cheer everyone across the finish line. Golda, Ruby and Araceli all got 1st, 2nd or 3rd in their age group for the walk, but there were no ribbons for people who signed up as walkers. Ari was outraged. Bill's time gave him 5th place in his age group, 70-99, in the run. Pretty good considering he walked with a 7-year-old the whole way! He could win that age group if he ran! Besides my dad, my favorite runner in the 70-99 age group was Dick Bowman, a civic leader in our town, who ran with a sleek-looking metal walker and was heartily cheered across the finish line by hundreds of fellow citizens who have patronized the Bowmans' grocery store for decades.

Following the race was the parade, the water parade, water games at the pool (Xanthe got a perfect ten for her adorable cannonball in the diving contest and came up with more coins than anyone in the coin dive. Remember swimming lessons?), a BBQ at Ryan and Jennie's and fireworks. My very favorite thing about the 4th of July is the city-wide water fight that follows the parade. Fire trucks bombard spectators with hoses, and the kids retaliate with squirt bottles. It's great! Scott and I have talked about all the places weve been on the 4th of July: Indiana, California, Idaho, London, Paris. Here at home is where the holiday seems the most alive. This little town does it right, and we are happy to support all the activites and bask in not only the summer weather, but the company of the people we love the most.