Living as the close to the border as we do, we get to share in the celebrations and holidays that occur between July 1 and July 4. That's one of the reasons there's been a timeout on our Baltic Cruise report.
This year was a special treat here in Birch Bay. The weather was fantastic. Best of all, our two Canadian grandkids and their parents visited us on the Fourth of July weekend after enjoying Canada Day in B.C., the best of both worlds!
While the organized fireworks displays in Bellingham and Blaine aren't visible from the beach, there were enough amateurs shooting setting off bright and noisy displays to make that entertained us well over an hour before going home to bed. We also enjoyed our own sparklers and "fountains" and snakes.
One of these days, when Jake and Taegan and our other grandchildren are a little older, it'll be time to tell them a little bit more about history, and why Canada and the U.S. respectively celebrate these days. We might show them a picture of their great-great-grandfather on Kathy's side of the family, General Elisha Bentley Hamilton.
What an enjoyable weekend for us!
Kathy and Brian
Two retired educators alternating joyfully between seeing the world and enjoying our eight grandchildren (in order of birth), Jake, Avery, Taegan, Lily, Peyton, Riley, Blane, and Jace.
Kathy and Brian met in the clarinet section of the University of California (Santa Barbara) Symphony Orchestra several decades ago.
Brian's Western Canadian roots and Kathy's Colorado ties resulted in their making beautiful music together along with producing a cross-border crop of descendants.
Kathy spent a year studying in Vienna at the Institute for European Studies and the University of Vienna.
Brian started the school band program in Hope, British Columbia, and later became the high school's vice-principal for 6 years and subsequently principal for 15 years before retiring in 2001.
Kathy, in between raising our three children, taught kindergarten and first grade, middle school, and high school - mathematics, computer studies, ESL, and her first love, band, before retiring in 2001.
We enjoy sharing our travel experiences and providing the odd travel tip to friends, relatives, and visitors.