Another Roaring Fourth!

"You really love the Fourth of July, dont you!" exclaimed Daisy. She was meeting Ruby for the Timber Carnival preliminaries. Ruby was wearing her blue jeans, red shirt with stars and stripes, blue star socks and red shoes with white stripes. It was topped off with star earrings, a red hat with stars and stripes, and of course her Fourth of July Sunglasses. "Yes, I most certainly do!" she replied.

They found a spot on the bleachers and were glancing around at the crowd. "Look who's here!" said Daisy. Ruby looked, but did not recognize anyone. "Its your nephew!" she said. Ruby then saw him. His 4th of July cowboy hat had thrown her off initially. Olo, Mereyann, Baby Rube and Bramble Rose were all seated together... all wearing their fourth of July colors! Baby Rube was waving a tiny flag, and Bramblerose had a huge bag of candy. They had obtained these at the parade they had just come from watching. Ruby and Daisy joined them for a while. At 12:30 they had to leave, the Hardbottles had a barbecue to go to as the next step in the fourth of July celebration process.

Ruby went home to get her baked beans and then headed to Pearl and Stu Bracegirdle's home. Her parents were there, and so were Mereyann's family. It was a large and happy group with lots and lots of food.

There was time after the BBQ for a stroll through the Fourth of July Flea Market and then a quick trip home for a nap. Ruby had made arrangements for her and Daisy to have room on the her family's blanket to watch the evenings fireworks display.

When Ruby and Daisy arrived at the lake bank, acitivity had reached a fever pitch. The music was loud, and the crowd was huge, as usual. They launced a search for the Hardbottle blanket, working themselves through the thick crowd like salmon swimming up stream. Ruby attemtped to call Olo on her cell phone. The first time there was no answer.. the second time there was, but it was impossible to hear. Ruby and Daisy finally grew weary of searching and found a place to just fit their chairs. They had a wonderful view!

Ruby, brought flashing pins and things that glow in the dark which she intended to share with the entire blanket of folks. She and Daisy split them between each other and and made themselves very, very sparkly. Ruby's Fourth of July Sunglasses had Sparkle buttons too, so she turned those on.

"The Fireworks always put a magical end to the celebration." said Ruby. She watched smiled and clapped at the colorful explosions.