Happy Independence Day!

National holidays are perhaps the loneliest times for an expat.  It's weird to know an important holiday is happening at home while where you are is just another regular day.  Today is the 4th of July and I totally forgot until I was dropping off my kid at school.  Then I thought, "July 4th, the biggest anticlimax since...Thanksgiving!"

Today was also the last full day of school until September.  I spent the morning getting some work done and planning all the things I need to buy in the US next week.  M and I went to the playground and also fed the ducks.

Usually I make a 4th of July dinner, either salmon or some variation on a barbeque, but not tonight.

I look forward to celebrating next week in the U.S.!

M working on his sandcastle masterpiece.
 I suppose it's a July 4th activity of sorts.

Does anyone know what this bird is? It's definitely a water bird
(webbed feet) and looks like it is wearing brown/red eyeliner.
Whomever he his, he enjoyed our bread and veg scraps.