Happy Fourth of July

Earlier this week Tim came to see us for a couple of days. It was good to see him again. He left around noon on Wednesday to visit some friends who live south of Dallas/Ft. Worth, and to spend the Fourth with them.

Dan and I considered driving to Katy to see Chris, Kelsey and the grands today (technically yesterday, since it's now after midnight!), but came to the conclusion that we shouldn't try to fit another event onto our already-too-full summer calendar. Instead we stayed home and had a nice dinner of grilled brats, potato salad, baked beans and watermelon. Then, this evening, we went to the All American Family Fun Fest at Miller Park, to take in the outdoor concert and the fireworks.

The opening act was country singer Jenna McDaniel. Then came the main performance, the Sloppy Joe Band, which I really enjoyed. They are a fun group that does classic rock, blues and RandB hits from the 60s, 70s and 80s. The entertainment ran right up until 9:30, when the firework show started. For me, it's not REALLY Fourth of July unless I get to see fireworks, so this was the perfect end to the day.

Swans at Miller Park pond

The midway at dusk

(Photography notes to self: Fireworks shots taken at F8, 1.3 seconds, ISO 100 with Pan. FZ200)