on the boats and on the planes... they're coming to america

No better time exists in Boston than the 4th of July. The birthplace of the Revolution sure knows how to entertain the patriotic. I can't believe this is my third 4th in the city! Each year I'm worried the current events won't live up to the fun I've had historically, but I haven't been disappointed yet! Both '07 and '08 were stacked with out of town visitors--this year was the locals living it up.

After a dreadfully rainy June, the skies parted for the most blissful 4th of July on record. It was a cool 75 with clear skies and everyone was ready to get outside. On the 3rd we went to the free outdoor dress rehearsal of the Boston Pops and NEIL DIAMOND. That's right, that ironic pop culture icon singing his classics. We arrived plenty early and kept ourselves entertained on the lawn playing connect four, guitars, electronic scattegories, eating, and laughing. (This year, I'm most thankful for my lawn chair.) Neil didn't disappoint; we were definitely the most rambunctious of the 8,000 people in attendance; but that's pretty par for the course lately.

The morning of the 4th we saw the Red Sox play the Mariners. Is anything more American than eating a hot dog in Fenway park on the 4th of July?! We dropped into a party for a few minutes and then went to watch the fireworks on the Cambridge side of the Charles between the Longfellow and Mass. Ave bridges.

How awesome was having the holiday on a Saturday? It's the 13th of July, and I feel like I'm still recovering a bit from the 4th. But it's a happy recovering; I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Or in another 356 days.