Modern Vespa

There... It had to be said!

Happy 4th of July to my fellow Americans.

237 years young!

So I ran a 5k this morning (2nd best time ever!) and then played tuba for the community band's ice cream social. Do other places have stuff like that going on?

Happy Independance day and many happy returns.

Thanks for beating us!!!

Happy independence day. It really does mean something. Really.

It wasn't that hard.

All our celebrations were rained out, but the fireworks have been rescheduled for Saturday. Yes, it does mean something. Anyone can be an American, and although we have, do, and will make egregious mistakes, we are still the shining beacon of opportunity, freedom and liberty that we set out to become two hundred thirty seven years ago. Lets hope we never give up trying to be better than we are and building hope for a brighter future.

It's funny as an Englishmen-we invented so many things then get beaten at our own game:

Football (soccer) Invented by the English and ever since 1966, "Thanks for beating us!"

Rugby (League and Union) - I think we have won the world cup once in modern history and then "Thanks for beating us!"

Tennis - (Cannot remember the last time we won wimbledon!) "Thanks for beating us!"

Badminton (Tudor English invention but probably stolen from the French!) - "Thanks for beating us!"

Snooker (Billiards invented by the British in India) - but who cares about snooker!"

Golf (Well the Scots invented that for something to do after making whiskey all day!)

Table tennis (invented by James Gibb in 1890) and "Thanks for beating us!"

Tiddlywinks (invented by Joseph Assheton Fincher in 1889) - same as snooker!

Darts (probably invented in Tudor England, although axe throwing was probably the vikings) Good excuse to get drunk really!

America (Yes, technically we invented it! then - "Thanks for beating us!"

Sometimes it sucks to be English!

Happy 4th of July!

I'm at my mother-in-laws, once again successfully avoiding fireworks! (crowds, noise, hot/cold, bugs and drunks.)

Dern proud to be A'mercan, though. It's a heck of a place to live.

Try being Scottish Fatboy.

I like that. Well, except for the rain. We had awesome weather in Wisconsin, back home to our parade. Bit too long...I mean, how many antique tractors could they get in there anyway?

I have to say, from being a smart-assed kid during Vietnam to now, I'm suddenly almost tearful when the vets parade by, thinking of what many of them have experienced and the price we've paid for these wars.

Finished off the night deciding to light all of the various flotsam and jetsam of leftover fireworks from past years. Turned out to be a dozen sparklers, and what I thought were firecrackers were only just whistlers.

I vowed after the Viet Nam homecoming that I would never let a chance go by without thanking active duty military or veterans for their service and sacrifice. With that in mind.....

To our active duty military and our veterans Thanks you for allowing us to be able to celebrate 237 years of freedom. Thank you for your service and your sacrifice.

Happy Birthday America!!!!!!

Actually although I am English born, my mother was scottish and my father's family tree traces back to the same scottish clan on my mothers side-I think that makes me a bit inbred hill billy!!!

Throw in the fact that my second wife is scottish and I wore a full kilt and regalia at both my weddings and I guess I am scottish by default. In fact most of my scottish friends do not have the scottish ancestry that I do so there!

But I adore bourbon and think whiskey is the fucking pits (both Irish and scottish)! Incidentally Bundy Rum that they drink here in Queensland tastes worse than whiskey too. Jim or Jack anyday for me...

Dear Jimmy,

Thank you, brother. May you have a happy and fun Independence Day as well!

Mr. F

When I first arrived in New Amsterdam - sorry, I mean New York - in 1977, someone said to me, "Do you celebrate Forth of July in England?"

I replied (with my tongue firmly placed in my cheek), "Yes. We call it Thanksgiving Day".

With around 40% of the USA dependent on Government assistance it's hardly Independence Day.