Friday Five: Fourth of July

Sally, one of our British RevGalBlogPals, says:
I have to admit that I am chuckling to myself a little; how strange it seems for me a Brit to be posting the Friday Five on 4th July! I realise that most of our revgals will be celebrating in some way today, but I hope that you can make a little room for Friday Five! From my short stay in Texas my memories of the celebrations are of fireworks and picnics, one year we went in to central Houston to watch the fireworks and hear the Symphony Orchestra play, we were welcomed and included, and that meant a lot!

So let's have a bit of fun:

1. Barbeque's or picnics ( or are they essentially the same thing?)
Not to me -- barbecues are usually at home or someone's home, and picnics are at a park or similar place. But, today we actually ate at an old-school drive-in with picnic tables, real cherry cokes, and deep-fried cheese curds! (Something you can't get in Maine.)

2. The park/ the lake/ the beach or staying at home simply being?
Fourth of July for the last 32 years has been the day after Family Camp. Family camp is great, but a little taxing for the introverts in the family, so coming back to the city and relaxing is a good way to spend it.

3. Fireworks- love 'em or hate 'em?
I love the institutional kind, of which I caught a bit of the Charles River ones on tv. Not at all happy about individuals shooting them off, nor the newly relaxed laws in Minnesota.

4. Parades- have you ever taken part- share a memory...
I don't believe I've ever been in one except at the end of basic training -- I missed my chance last year when our Memorial Day parade was honoring women veterans.

5. Time for a musical interlude- if you could sum up holidays in a piece of music what would it be?
I like the medleys of songs like Yankee Doodle and Battle Cry of Freedom, but oddly or not, the piece that says "Fourth of July Fireworks" to me is Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.