On this week's thread we are going to try and celebrate these 2 national holidays by staying independant (see what I did there) of drugs and alcohol. Over the next few days many of you will be confronted with booze, fireworks and driving - not the safest combination one can think of so do post here if you want to get through this sober.
I thought perhaps that if you are from either Canada or the USA then you might say a few words about either where you live or some place that you really like. Equally, those of us not from North America could mention somewhere there that you would really like to visit or perhaps you already have.
For me I loved going to New York but thanks to the novelist James Lee Burke I have always harboured a desire to visit New Orleans with its amazing people,food, music,history and architecture. I know this would be quite a dangerous destination for an alcoholic but it is also fitting because James Lee Burke's most famous character is a recovering alcoholic.
Lastly since it is my country that you gained independence from I must advise you that there will be no Downton Abbey or reading of articles about Kate Middleton this weekend
Together we can do this, we really can.