So after the Piedy July 4th party last night, we came home and Le Marquis came over for a bit. We were all tired and thinking about going to bed.

We knew that there would be faaarworks across the bay at the Bay Mills Indian Community and so we were sorta waiting for that to start. And we are in the Great Not-so-white North so fireworks don’t start until something like 10:00 PM because the sun doesn’t set until almost then at this time of year.

We didn’t know if we could last until the fireworks started but in the end, we went down to the beach to watch whatever happened. Bay Mills did their usual thing but it’s a long way across the bay so it was hard to see. But! Our lifelong next door beach neighbors, the Piedmonts, put on a beautiful fireworks display and we watched it last night from the beach/bench until we were ready to turn in.

The first Piedmont July 4th party (that I remember) happened when I was about seven. I vaguely remember that party. I mean, I was probably running around like crazy with my cousins and the younger Piedmont gals. I think somebody grilled hot dogs and hamburgs (as my dad called them) on an old-fashioned grill. After dark, the older Piedmont brothers made a huge faaaaaar on the beach and us little kids made s’mores while they shot Roman candles off over the lake. I didn’t have crushes on any of those older boys but I greatly admired them. They were soooo cool.

Those cool guys are STILL cool but it is probably their sons and grandsons who are doing the fireworks these days. Much more spectacular fireworks than the Roman candles of our youth. I saw one of these guys being helped up off the beach by one of his children. I remember when he and his brothers helped my grandma Margaret get down to the beach. They had a reputation for being a bit wild (didn’t we all) but they were so kind and respectful to her. Mrs. Finlayson can we help you? Etc. Much later they helped my mother (also Mrs. Finlayson) get to the party one of the years I wasn’t there to help her. I learned a lot from that.

I’m off the rails here but what I’m trying to say is that my family and the Piedmonts have been beach neighbors my entire life and I loved the fireworks last night. I posted a few pics on facebook today and one of my best Piedmont friends Brigid commented that some folks were worried that their fireworks would be too loud. No No No No.

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