As Steve and I spend the next few months with one foot in California and the other stepping into our new life in North Carolina, I’m already beginning to miss the quirkiness of the Bay Area. This past Fourth of July weekend showcased some of the more unique aspects of life here.
We started the celebration early with a brisk walk to a pancake breakfast (sponsored by Boy and Girl Scouts) in a quaint town called Larkspur. Next to the coffee, gin fizzes were offered. At 8:00 in the morning! Steve and I walked along a lovely tree-lined bike path to the neighboring town of Corte Madera to watch their small parade. I was bundled up in my fleece jacket like all the other parade watchers, while Steve braved the cold in a T-shirt. One of the parade regulars, a group called San Francisco Cheer, did pyramids and jumps as they sashayed down the street. They are gay cheerleaders. They made me laugh as I tried to picture them in parades in North Carolina.
After our annual cook-out, we walked down to the edge of the bay to see three different firework displays. Some years, we could only hear them as the fog obscured our vision, but this year the line of fog was above the fireworks. We bundled ourselves and our granddaughter Lucy in blankets, winter coats, hats, and mittens. Again I laughed as I envisioned the rest of the country sweltering in a heat wave. I’m sure the extreme heat is uncomfortable, but after all, it is summer, and isn’t summer supposed to be hot? Next year, in Morganton, we’ll celebrate the Fourth at a Red, White, and Bluegrass Festival. It will be a radically different experience. As much as I’m looking forward to it, I’m sure I’ll also miss my cold Bay Area summer holidays.