Babs writes: Every 4th of July there is a parade in Central Lake and the Blue Heaven Gang is usually one of the attractions. This year was no exception. Two trucks, four golf carts and one Ranger carried somewhere over 40 of us right down Main Street.
That’s an Up North 4th of July for you: the entire populace lines up on the curb to watch the volunteer fire department, some cute little kids on bicycles, and a bunch of whimsical goofballs parade by. Smoke from grilling meats wafts through the town. Locals and tourists alike paw through the bargains at the flea market and the Friends of the Library used book sale. Bachmann’s does a brisk business in sand toys and penny candy. Later on everyone troops over to the high school football field to watch the fireworks. It’s perfect. We the People have absconded with the holiday, ignoring the political babble and doing what we like to do, a living demonstration of the most fundamental sort of freedom.
As I had to work at the day job on the 4th itself, Miss Sadie, the Cowboy and I did our celebrating on the 3rd instead. We bought quantities of treats at Sonny’s and took them to the beach at the north end of Torch Lake for a little picnic and people-watching.
There we were, eating fresh strawberries and thinly sliced roast beef with our fingers, when some very nice people came over to say hello. They recognized Miss Sadie and the Cowboy from Torch Lake Views. The Cowboy was overcome with emotion to discover that he had fans, and Miss Sadie was pretty tickled herself. I am one of those shy celebrities who always does the awkward thing. Flummoxed at being caught with mouth and hands full of roast beef, I failed to get the Fan Family’s names or their pictures, but I’m pretty sure I said it was a pleasure to meet them, which it was.
Torch Lake Views 
centria
July 6, 2009
A Fan Family! How awesome! You must have been thrilled. I hope Miss Sadie and the Cowboy get to meet many more as the summer progresses…
Allie
July 6, 2009
Glad we got to meet you, Miss Saide and the Cowboy, it was like meeting a local celebrity. The three of you looked like you were enjoying yourselves and the nice weather. Next weekend when we see you at your day job we’ll be sure and say hi.
Gerry
July 6, 2009
So glad you dropped by! We were having a good time, and you seemed to be having one too. What a lovely day we had.
La Mirada Bob
July 6, 2009
Googled “Flummoxed”
You really know how to waste your father’s morning. I thought a comment about your early use of words would be appropriate but got lost in the wilds of the ‘net.
Some of the 420,000 items looked interesting; I looked at some on the first page, including one by a couple who created http://www.flummoxed.org/blog/
Gerry
July 6, 2009
I live to waste my father’s mornings . . . although it is even more fun to waste my son’s mornings. If I am a word person, and I am, the blame may be laid quite fairly at my parents’ door. (“That isn’t even a complete sentence.” “Of course it is.” “There isn’t even a verb!” Silence. “What’s a verb?”)
And then there was the pile of reference books that seemed to accumulate on the dinner table by itself every night. The atlas, the dictionary, a couple of volumes of the encyclopedia that we bought, one volume at a time, at the grocery store. Ah, those were the days.
So. Flummoxed, eh? Gotcha!
Beth Toner
July 6, 2009
*sigh*
flandrumhill
July 7, 2009
Look at all those thinly clad folks! Your recent photos look so summery. During today’s walk near the water I felt I should have been wearing mitts. I hope it warms up soon.
Gerry
July 7, 2009
Miss Sadie, the Cowboy and I just got back from our morning constitutional and they were comfortable in their fur coats. (I was wearing tasteful baggy pajamas under my sweatshirt. No mittens.) We had a lovely, summery weekend but this morning we’re back to late spring. The Weather Widget says 52°F. and overcast, and I would not dispute it. My theory is that the ice cap is melting and all that cold water is running right down on us.
p.j. grath
July 8, 2009
Great post and great comments. I’ve got such a big smile on my face I’m going to be laughing out loud in a second. Long live silly parades and word families!
Gerry
July 8, 2009
Agreed as to both. Friends of the Boyne River often participates in the parades in Boyne City and Horton Bay. I have to say HB has the edge for sheer wackiness–and I mean that in a good way.