Vancouver / Portland 7/4/15

It's the 4th of July and we spent it with Ron & Paula at their boat house.    Arrived around 3:30, it was extremely warm, so we immediately put on our swimsuits and dove into the river.   It was refreshing to say the least....72 degrees, but you get used to it rather quickly.    

Paula and I floated around on floats for about 1/2 hr, while Bobby and Ron visited and snacked on  the TX caviar.   It was delicious!

At about 6, we decide to float from boat house #1 down to their house (#25), river was moving fairly quickly, so only took us about 15 min.   Jim their neighbor joined us, tons of fun!

Around 7, they fixed dinner.   Steak & salads, yummy.   Cleaned up the dishes and then Ron, Paula, and myself went for another float from house boat #1, it was slack tide, so we had to work to get back to their house.   When we got their, their friends John & Diane, along with their two daughters had just arrived.   They are joining us for fireworks.

All the house boat owners pitched in for fireworks, as one of the owners has a barge that they shoot them off in front of the houses.   They hauled out the barge around 9.   While waiting for 10 PM, I served the zucchini cake, it was a big hit!

Ron & Paula on their house boat

Fireworks show started at 9:45, great little show.   During intermission at 10, we decided we'd head home as getting back might take us hours if we get caught in the Fort Vancouver Fireworks show.   Thankfully we did as traffic was getting heavy but at the Fort we could see a grass fire and smoke was heavy.    Might have closed hwy 14, if it got any worse.  We could see the grass on fire, but knew fire department was already there, so should get under control fairly quickly.    While traveling down hwy 14, we saw another grass fire, this one was on opposite side of the hwy, but had the off ramp closed.   The air was thick with smoke, hopefully no homes will be lost tonight.