Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 6:00 a.m. in "The City." Another Coast Guard Festival drew to a close last night. As always, the festival was a sight to behold, especially the parade and the fireworks. I've chosen to add a few pictures from each activity. Mary was kind enough to take pictures of the fireworks, because I didn't have the energy to go out and take them myself. She used good old fashioned ingenuity to take them out the window of her office. 

I had over 80 pictures of the parade and fireworks from which to choose, so I selected some that I thought best represented what the annual parade and festival was all about.  

The USCG has a drill team. They held a young woman "captive" at bayonet point with a thrilling show of skill.

What would a Coast Guard parade be without a larger than life Coast Guardsman?

In spite of those commercials, this fine example of a 1950s Buick does in fact, look like a Buick, complete with portholes.

Now that was/is a Jeep.

Representatives of Ottawa County's finest.

Not to be left out, there was also a larger than life Coast Guard woman.

You can't have a CG parade without the Scottsville Clown Band, making their 65th appearance.

Not a Coast Guard Cutter, but certainly military.

The USCG Pipe Band.

The Coast Guard Festival™ fireworks show is more spectacular than that on 4th of July.

Nice work by Mary on the camera.

Like always, without specialized equipment, fireworks are hard to record, but Mary did a great job.

So that's it for another year. We salute the United States Coast Guard, the organizers of the annual Coast Guard Festival™, and all of the people who make this annual event a terrific experience for all who come to visit our little city from all across the country. Last night, the usual parade of cars and pedestrians took awhile to get out of town. 

I did get in some time with the girls and my music yesterday. I also found time to start a new novel. STWD and I went for the morning safari before the crowds descended on "The City." Sugar, in spite of being swaddled in her Thundershrt™, still felt more comfortable in her hide- e-hole during the fireworks. She eventually came out. She should be good for another year.

In sports, the boys in blue handled the Brewers for their third win in a row, 4 - 2. They will be going for the series sweep today at 2:10 p.m. The Tigers fell to the Orioles 2 - 6. Without Miggy and with limited pitching, they are in free fall. My beloved Red Sox easily handled the Tampa Bay Rays, 11 - 7.  It looks as though they will be getting a new president and CEO, as Larry Lucchino steps down to make way for a new man. The Caps dropped another one to the Ft. Wayne TinCaps, 3 - 4.

The NWS is still predicting scattered T-storms for later today. I'll await the forecast from STWD. 

I have to get to work on my highlighting assignment. Mary assures me that I'll still have time to read for pleasure too. It's up to me how I budget my time. I also plan to play with the girls again, and do some indoor chores. 

The sun will rise today at 6:36 a.m. and set at 9:05 p.m. Ciao.