Thanks all.
I spent the holiday nursing a bad cold by ignoring it and doing yard work. A far cry from our Canada parties of old where we would have 20 or more tents in our backyard, a different mini sport activity every year, a live band on our deck (always a young budding group who would play for beer and BBQ) and a campfire as we watched the fireworks across the bay.

Last night, I watched the fireworks from my bed. My head never left the pillow but I still had a great view.

Gotta get better as we are hosting a 'relatively smaller' party for my best friends fortieth birthday on Saturday, plus another buddy's birthday whose BD is actually on Canada day. Die germs Die!!!!

Sorry to hear you aren't feeling better.

What time do you want all of us there next year?

Next year July first is on a Friday and we are slowly reinstating our old Canada Day Parties. We are considering this year a warm up year.

So get there early on Friday for the best tent location! Seriously...

The only reason we stopped having them was because they started getting big name bands in for a festival in town. We didn't feel we could compete with the likes of Nickelback, Three Days Grace, The Tragically Hip, Collective Soul and the like. For some reason, they refuse to play for beer and BBQ.

This year they succumbed to the complaints of those living in the neighborhood and they changed it to a more 'family' oriented affair. Earlier start times and "Great Big Sea" and "Bachman Turner" as headliners. I'm sure it will be a quieter crowd but they are not getting good ticket sales either.