More 4th of July

Corky and I drove down to Long Beach this afternoon because it was too hot to walk at my house and I had a couple things to do there before his parents return tomorrow.  It was the perfect temperature with just a slight breeze and the neighborhood was celebrating with patio parties and cookouts and boating and lots of decorations.  Hanging swags of bunting on the fences that face the water is a popular thing to do.  And I am always a sucker for a red umbrella with the sun shining through.

Remember the "canning buttons" post?  These people like to hang aprons on their palm trees.

We drove back to Placentia and went to visit the block party in Carol and Dick's neighborhood.  There are three or four parties within in a couple blocks - one with a 'bounce house', one with a sign "bike parade", two with barriers to traffic going down the street.  The neighbors on the Bednar's street have been doing this on the 4th for over 25 years.  When there were children at home they had volleyball and baseball and other games, but now mostly it is just the parents sitting around visiting, catching up with the news and .... eating!  I guess I only took pictures of desserts - wonder why?

This is a giant Mrs. Fields' chocolate chip cookie covered with icing.  It takes a super-sized pizza cutter!  It was very good and there is one family with three college students home for the summer.  Guess who took home the leftover cookie?

The trifle was also delicious.  Full of strawberries and blueberries in a bed of rich custard and whipped cream.   I lusted after the entire bowl, but settled for a large serving spoonful. 

 M-m-m-m.

Corky is back to not having his picture taken.  I did five shots and just as I pressed the shutter he turned his head away. 

When I finally was quick enough he looks so bored and disgusted.  He had a red, white and blue neckerchief, a red, white and blue bow under his chin and a flag attached to his stroller.  He could have been in a parade. 

We were back home a little before eight, just in time for evening pills.  Then Corky curled up in his bed and went to sleep, snoring, of course.  When his mommy called at 10:30 I woke him up so he could go out to do his business.  Then he went back to sleep and is again snoring away.  It was an exhausting 4th of July!