So, did I ever report on my Fourth of July?
Some of us decided to go up to Tarrytown for some good old small-town charm…there was a festival up there that included:

INDEPENDENCE DAY 1856, 10am-5pm, Washington Irving's Sunnyside, 89 West Sunnyside Lane, Tarrytown. Plan for a full day of live entertainment including dramatic presentations, rousing speeches, period music, and traditional country dancing for everyone. Play "Town Ball" (19th-century baseball) with our costumed guides. Enjoy house tours and ice cream making demonstrations throughout the day. Bring a picnic or buy food in the Courtyard Café.

I’ll tell you though, the first view off the train was not promising:

Luckily, a cab took us to a much more desirable location:

So we had the pleasure of seeing people dressed in period costumes…we were warned against the evils of alcohol and invited to sing a long to My Country Tis of Thee and Yankee Doodle Dandy (sidebar: do you know all the verses to that song? There are so many! And we didn’t even sing the “stuck a feather in his hat and called it macaroni” verse I knew!)…it was a riot. We toured Washington Irving’s home. I think one of my favorite moments was sitting on the lawn after the tour…the country dancing had just ended and the crowd cleared….Karen, Mary, Cassie and I just sat on the grass and listened to the band play a few cool down songs. It was so peaceful. We were under a tree and the scent of fresh grass and dew permeated the air. I love sitting on lawns, it always takes me back to my childhood. It’s rather unfortunate that the train goes by so often…the tracks are extremely close and it’s very loud.

This tree was around during the Revolutionary War, which I thought was kind of cool:

We met up with Paul and his group at some little spot called “Hastings on the Hudson” he found on one of his Sunday evening drives up there. How he found it I don’t know, but I’m glad he did. Behind an amiable little restaurant and it’s wonderfully landscaped patio is a quaint little spot of grass next to the water. I hesitate to call it a park, but that’s basically what it is…there’s a little play area and a few spots for barbequing. We sat on blankets and enjoyed a few snacks, commenting on how drinking out of glass bottles always makes one feel a bit rebellious. We had some of the kids take some group shots…the kid with my camera had a little too much fun I think:
Proof that we weren't being all that rebellious (it was Stewart's Root Beer):

It was hilarious because Hannah, this little yet no-so at the same time girl came up and, without any inhibition, asked us for some pizza. There wasn’t any left in the large box and Paul told her so…to which she replied “no, some of that pizza” and pointed to Sam, who had an entire piece in his had. He quickly answered that she could have some of his crust. Hannah sent him the meanest look, I though she was going to charge him (and, I’m not really sure who would have come out victorious: Sam or Hannah…ha!)…it was hilarious. Before leaving she made sure to whip around and tell us “that was mean”…haha. It started to rain so we left. Now, did I go watch the fireworks like every other American? Nope. Waiting out in the rain hoping it would clear just didn’t appeal to me. I went to get a massage and finished the evening with Patsy’s and a movie over at Cassie’s apartment…and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. God Bless America.