The Fourth of July

My neighborhood goes crazy with fireworks on the Fourth of July. And on the 3rd, and the 5th, and pretty much the whole entire week before and week after the 4th of July. I HATE HATE HATE IT. I much prefer the professional fireworks that are set off by all of the local towns and cities in our area. I thought, judging by the amount of fireworks set off, that I was alone in my torment each year until I found this on this wonderful blog. Fourth of July Fuddy-Duddies unite! I just want to know - whatever happened to simply having a patriotic BBQ and going to see the fireworks?? It was so much more relaxing back then. I just got over having to hold my poor frightened children and rock them to sleep every July 4th. (They think it's cool now that they are over the age of 5.) Now I have to go through it all over again and deal with a dog scaredy-dog and irritated cats at the same time. It's just not fun for the rest of us. And why oh why do they have to keep lighting them off at 1 AM??

Ok, preggy-rant over........