Happy Fourth

My wish came true! Rusty has footage of me waving my tiny American flag and singing my festive Independence Day song, which goes like this (to the tune of the Washington Post March): "I have a flag, I have a flag, I have a flag flag flag. I have a flag and I wave it like thiiiiiis. I have a flag I have a flag I have a flag flag flaggy flag flag a flaggy flag I have a flag!"

Now those are words to make tears well up in your eyes, as you remember the men and women who fought and died for their freedom. So that I could sit on the curb on Central Street in Alameda with a really excellent carne asada burrito in one hand, and an American flag in the other. It was a wonderful parade. I had told Violet earlier than there were going to be animals, whereupon she worried "They bite me? They lick me?" I quickly revised that to "cats and dogs," although there were actually no cats. There were horses, however, including one miniature pony and a crazy piebald horse with one blue-white eye. There were also fire trucks, high school marching bands, and local businesspeople aboard floats with live music. Excellent!

I do have one criticism, however. Why is it that I never hear patriotic American music during parades anymore? Today, instead of hearing "America the Beautiful" (which always makes me cry) or "This Land is Your Land," I got "Sweet Home Alabama," "California Dreamin'" and selections from "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" (soon to come from the Alameda Light Opera Company!). What the hell? Years ago I had a similar experience at the Chinese New Year Parade in SF, where legions of schoolchildren paraded by using their traditional Chinese instrument to play "Eye of the Tiger!" Appropriate music is important, people. We listened to my CD of marching band songs all the way to Alameda and back, in order to get in the proper mood. I want brass in my parade! I want dudes with piccolos and tri-cornered hats!

I tell you one thing, holidays are sure more fun with the Lil Missus around. She was so happy today, bopping around next to Scarlett (Rusty's kid, also age 2), both of them loaded down with stickers and bead necklaces and little parade doodads. One of them always likes the other one more. Today it was Violet's turn to worship Scarlett more, even though at home when I told her we were going to Scarlett's house she huffed "No play my toys." She kept grabbing Scarlett's hand, and looking her lovingly in the eyes, and trying to hug her around the neck and knocking her over.

At one point I took them both by the hand and into the 99 cent store to cool off a bit. Violet was wearing red-white-and-blue-striped shorts, and a red t-shirt, scarlett had on a white dress. They both looked so festive. And if you want to appreciate the coolness of everyday objects, take a couple of two-year-olds to a 99 cent store. Practically every object I handed to them had them agog. Whoa, paper plates with faces on them! Flowers made of PLASTIC! Fuzzy rainbow dusters, far out! They took the dusters and swept them all over the store, giggling. Everything felt perfect. I was smiling, they were smiling. I felt like Super Mom.

One last complaint. Our American Flag is kind of ugly. I like the colors, but, well...the World's Flags Given Letter Grades gives us only a C, sniffing that our flag is "too busy" and has "too many stars." Americans, I think we're ready for a new flag. Let's take a look at what Turkey and Japan have done. Exemplary. Any inspiration here?