I can see the hills above Vancouver, Washington from my bedroom window. I saw hundreds of fireworks going off over there... and there were just as many going off here.
In Washington, one can legally purchase mortars and other fireworks that go high into the air.
Of course, once they go up, all the little pieces come down, sometimes causing injuries or fires.
I always count myself lucky that no one is shooting guns into the air in my neighborhood. Actually, I don't know that. It's just that so far, no bullets have dropped from the sky on me or mine.
Anyway. Fireworks that fly are illegal in Oregon.
It's not legal to buy them and transport them across state lines... a person buying fireworks in Washington is breaking the law when they drive over the border into Oregon. Not that the law is enforced.
I don't really care all that much unless it's affecting me. Last night, people were out blowing things up until 2 AM. Makes it difficult to sleep.
Inconsiderate dickheads.
During the fireworks shows that started at 10, it sounded like a war zone here. We've had poor air quality/circulation for a few days, and after everyone finished, there was so much smoke in the air it looked like the area was on fire. Just amazing.
I'm really starting to hate living in the city. It's always so noisy here. We're going to move in the next five years or so, I think. Waiting for the kids to move out so the move we make won't affect them much.
Picking out a small town somewhere more East... if we stay in Oregon. Oh gosh, there I go again, off on a tangent.
Okay, I'm back.
Last year, Lyssa and I were invited to go to a potluck at the home of one of our troop members/fellow homeschooling families, so we weren't home.
Eric stayed home. He's just not a social kind of guy. Cletus had a friend over, and they were setting off illegal fireworks. Out in the street. Aimed over our house. When the big chunks started hitting the roof, Eric got a little pissed off. He went across the street and told them off. We have Arbor Vitae along the back edge of our property line. The roof over the patio (ancient and dry.. sort of like me this morning) touches the trees and is, of course, attached to the house.
Idiots.
Yesterday evening, the Cletus-clone that has moved in with Daisy Dolly was outside with one of the Cletus-spawn, setting off fireworks. These were of the legal variety, but they were between the van and the house on dry grass.
Those Clampetts. No matter what else one says about them, it's quite evident that they're no relation to Albert Einstein.
One would think setting fireworks off in the street would be a little more intelligent, but then one would have to consider exactly who we're talking about here. :)
Alyssa took our little bag of fireworks out to set off, and little Cletus trotted over to watch. Followed by Jethro (the replacement Cletus) and a few minutes later, by Daisy Dolly.
We all chatted on a superficial level while Lyssa lit stuff on fire and the spawn watched. As others in the neighborhood were setting off stuff that flew, the little guy kept commenting, in a righteous tone, "Those are illegal!"
Spawn noticed some leaves on our roof and said, "Is that the stuff that fell on your roof when we had fireworks before?"
Evidently, last year made an impression on him.
Their house is up for sale.
I'm thinking that next year, we won't be spending the 4th with them.
How was your 4th? Are you feeling like a curmudgeon this morning, or is it just me?
Off to the showers. I'll feel better.
Well since we moved into town, we didn't do any fireworks. Usually we try to blow about two paychecks worth, but we lived in the sticks with no close neighbors and the ones who were close did about 10 paychecks worth, lol. We like our fireworks down here.
ReplyDeleteI find that when I am not participating in the fireworks, it's more annoying that other people are.
Kind of like being amongst the drunks when you're sober, which is where I always seem to be since I stopped drinking. *SIGH*
Happy day after the 4th. I guess I'm a little "dry" this morning as well, or rather afternoon, but I just woke up.
We were in Nashville for the 4th, where the headline news was that a family in an apartment complex decided to light a charcoal grill on their wooden deck in the 30 year old building which had 30 year old wood on the deck, which had done 30 years worth of drying out ... okay, you can see where this is going.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, they're homeless now, so maybe I could tip them off that a house is for sale in your neighborhood. They seem like the sort of Cletus-the-third types that the house seems to attract.
I can't believe you got a Cletus clone to replace Cletus.
ReplyDeleteYou might want to stay away from my blog, though. ;) Our neighborhood is WAY into the fourth. But, the people setting off the fireworks know what they're doing and we always finish before 11.
Did the shower help.
Amy - Foil Hat
I'm okay with fireworks, when people know wtf they're doing and aren't endangering me or mine.
ReplyDeleteEndangering themselves? I don't care too much, but I usually add the wish that if they're going to take themselves out, they do it BEFORE they've reproduced.
Hmph.