The river looks like a parking lot with all the boats lining up to watch the fireworks. The show is expected to begin in around an hour but the boats have been trailing in, or floating in, as it were, the better part of the evening. At one point, a man at the pool remarked there was not a boat to be seen on the river, mid afternoon, and that must mean they were hiding in the thickets, waiting for just the right time to venture out. The police boat is circling to keep order, which might be likened to herding cats!
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And, it is so noisy out there, and that is without the fireworks going off! My neighbors all around me are having gatherings, of course, being right in the heart of the fun as the fireworks barge launches right near our building. Music is playing from below me as Tommy is having a party and from across the lawn at The Club which is featuring a live band for our listening and dancing pleasure. The noise is not bothersome, just varied. At the same time, I was printing newsletters for mailing so there was that clickity-click going on, too.
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Earlier at the pool, we had the game organizer, Skipper, blowing his whistle as the children played various pool games such as diving for rings, racing, picking up coins which he had tossed into the water, and the ever-popular greased watermelon contest. They did a do-over on one game, because a guy who was so much bigger than the rest of the kids sort of had an advantage over the little ones, ever in the name of fairness. It was nice when the games were over, so the kids were out of the adult's pool and the whistle blowing stopped. Men sure love their whistles!
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There was a nice man who picked me to talk to this afternoon, as people came and went from our table. He told me all about the history of Orange Park, the old stores, how neighborhoods were developed, and so on. Some of the names he dropped were familiar while others not so much. But the stories were incredibly interesting, the history, who is who, and so on. Finally his daughter came to my rescue which was good because I wanted to get into the water and I did not want to be rude. He was even telling me about his now deceased wife, gone a couple years, but his eyes still teared up talking about her. That was lovely.....
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Speaking of tearing up, my friend, Kathy B. lost her mom last night, as she peacefully slept away after several days of dangling on the edge. Kathy is deeply grieved but also a bit relieved that her mom's suffering on earth has ended. I have other friends who have had to watch their parents suffer before dying and experience the same conflicting emotions Kathy has right now. Catherine was 'only' 74 years old but had a myriad of ailments which made living miserable for her. Please, when you go to bed tonight, remember Kathy and her family in your prayers, ask the Lord to be with them through this most difficult of times.
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Happy Independence Day, America!!!!
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