Independence day always has me feeling nostalgic.  Growing up we lived in this quaint little commuter town on the outskirts of Manhattan.  July 4th was quite the town event being held at the local park, which is really an old estate that was donated to the town once upon a time.  It is a rather exclusive event and you have to show proof of town residency to score a parking ticket.  Families would show up with lunch and dinner and plop themselves down somewhere on the several-acre open lawn and settle in for the long haul.  A big brass band would play music from the 40s and families would mingle from picnic blanket to picnic blanket showing off their recently cape cod-acquired tans. … Read the rest