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July Fourth Insta-blogging…

… from Garrett Park, Maryland.

For starters, it’s insanely humid, but we’re all slogging through it with patriotic smiles. As I write, neighbors are gathering at the end of my driveway. Topics of conversation:

1. Mac v. Non-Mac.

2. The need to start the public school day later around here (some kids have to get up at five AM).

Mr UD now starts reading the Declaration of Independence to us. The shortened version, without the list of complaints.

Ike Leggett’s blue-shirted army just marched by and got hell from one of my neighbors. On the issue just mentioned. (Leggett is Montgomery County Executive, and he’s running for reelection.)

Whoa. Here we go. Sound of sirens! Many labrador retrievers! Here comes the fire truck! Kensington Volunteers, Garrett Park being too petite (Melissa Mader, my neighbor, suggested “petite”) for its own fire department… Boy Scouts followed by Girl Scouts! Babies in colorful colors! MUSIC!!! MUSIC TRUCK. It’s green and has people with instruments on it. The people are playing patriotic marches. Bright yellow vroom vroom with little kid working it. Here’s the Mayor! I tell him I’m writing down everything he says and so he says nothing. Melissa crashes into him.

“Hold up your poster, I don’t understand,” pleads UD as a yellow balloon walks by.

“It’s about summer food. I am corn.”

(The theme of the parade is Summer Fun.)

Margaret Soltan, July 4, 2013 9:51AM
Posted in: democracy

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3 Responses to “July Fourth Insta-blogging…”

  1. Alan Allport Says:

    The Kensington Volunteers: I have this image in my head now of a gaggle of androgynous teenage poets in khaki all marching off to get machine-gunned in Flanders.

    Happy Fourth, UD.

  2. Mike Rosloff Says:

    It was fantastic seeing yet another July 4th in Garrett Park. Some things never change, and that’s a wonderful thing!

  3. Margaret Soltan Says:

    Hi Mike: It was great to see you there.

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