Fourth of July

[IrishIroamed]

Happy 4th ladies! Have a great day and protect the furkids from the loud noises.

[Shirlv]

Morning All,
It will be a stay at home day for me. I listened to Whitney Houston sing The Star Spangled Banner and got chills. That is my July 4th celebration. God Bless America.

[Rufflesgurl]

Good morning to you all. Happy 4th of July. We are so fortunate to live in this beautiful country. Go USA!!

Linda

[Colliemom]

Happy 4th to everyone from us in the U.P. Quiet day today. Not sure if will be gong anyplace or not. Manistique is not doing 4th till Saturday and that’s leave day. And found out there’s a powwow this weekend, gonna miss that too Fireworks are prohibited in MI State Parks, so any booms and bangs will be from people around the lake here. But it’s a beautiful day here, sunny, not a cloud in the sky and nice breeze. Perfect I spent yesterday bus touring Grand Island, off the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Was interesting. It’s a quiet, remote Island over there. Used by day and overnight hikers, bicyclists etc. but just a short ferry ride from the mainland. There are a few forest campgrounds, couple rustic lodges, some historic buildings, a visitor center with info and basic supplies, otherwise that’s it. Very peaceful. Good place to get away from it all. But some beautiful views of Munising Bay and Lake Superior. Have a wonderful day, whatever you do.

[havingfunnow]

Drew and I are going to stay in and avoid the bang-bangs tonight. Poor dog has had a rough week! We even skipped class last night because he was in no state to concentrate.

If people have to explode their dratted firecrackers, I wish they would confine the explosions to one day! On my own, I love a really good fireworks display -- all that explosive colour spread across the sky! -- but bangs for a week are not fun at all.

Growl over!

[Cudedog]

If people have to explode their dratted firecrackers, I wish they would confine the explosions to one day! On my own, I love a really good fireworks display -- all that explosive colour spread across the sky! -- but bangs for a week are not fun at all.

Growl over!

I agree with your statement 100%, thanks for the post.

I used to love fireworks, and there is a local town that has a "lake" (more like a large pond) right in the middle of town. There is an island in the middle, and the city used to shoot off fireworks from there. People would come from miles around to watch the display, which was sponsored by local businesses and free to watch. I even had my favorite "spot" on the edge of the lake (there is a concrete sidewalk that completely surrounds the lake) and I would go an take my kids every year, and we would always watch from this same spot. My kid's friends knew where we would be, and as teenagers they would come by to sit with use to watch.

One year, for some reason (not even a "gut" feeling) I just wasn't in the mood to go. I asked my kids, who also loved fireworks as I did, if they wanted to go (I would have taken them) but they said they weren't in the mood either, so we just stayed home.

Shortly after dark - about the time the fireworks would be starting - the phone started ringing off the hook from my kid's worried friends, all asking if we were "ok". After about the third or fourth phone call, my daughter finally asked why everyone was calling in such a panic. It turns out that one of the fireworks misfired, and sent one of the big exploding aerial mortars into the crowd. Right at the exact same spot where we had always sat for years. A young girl about my daughter's age at the time (2004) that was sitting there had part of her leg blown off. Local news article from 2004:

https://www.appeal-democrat.com/new-information-furthers-probe-of-fireworks-mishap/article_13affa47-e697-59bb-9730-d870210c8132.html

It could so very easily have been me, and my daughter. To this day I am extremely thankful and feel blessed that it was not, at the same time my heart goes out to the family and the young girl.

I never cared too much for fireworks after that, and have never attended another fireworks display since that time.

Where I live now, neighbors all around start with the fireworks a couple days before, and a couple days after, the 4th. My sweet
big Joe loses his mind at the "big booms" and tries to climb on the table, get behind the tv, or just get out the door when they start. I generally try to be gone with Joe on the 4th to a remote spot with no fireworks, but am unable to get away this year. I will just have to keep him crated for the tonight's duration, I think.

Anne

[gypsyrose1126]

Hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July.

[BarbaraRose]

Just woke up to more than fireworks! An earthquake! Luckily it was pretty far away so I didn't really realize what was happening. Just heard a lot of creaking noises under the house but didn't really feel anything. It was a 6.6 between Bakersfield and Las Vegas. 6.6 is no sissy earthquake tho, so am glad it was that far away!

Feeling lazy today, otherwise. Just hanging out in bed with Lola. Will see if I can get something accomplished later before or after the pizza party at 3. Being a holiday, I guess it is OK to be lazy! Did my fireworks thing last night so don't need to do that again. They are broadcasting the valley fireworks on the local TV network tonight so I will watch that instead.

I hope you all have a fun day and keep your pups comfortable and happy!

[BarbaraRose]

The earthquake (downgraded to a 6.4) was felt fairly strong in Las Vegas too so am wondering if Carol and Bill felt it out there? One of my neighbors said she felt it rocking and rolling in her house, but maybe because I was in bed, was why I didn't feel anything. Poor Lola! I chased her off the bed because I thought she was coughing up a furball! She was swallowing a lot which is what she does when she is nervous or upset so maybe she noticed it. I just thought she was about to hurl!

[JudyJB]

I'm at Emigrant lake, and so far, no booms or bangs, although I don't know about tonight.

When I was growing up and when my kids were young, we used to watch the fireworks at Port Austin harbor at the tip of Michigan's Thumb. They would block off access to the island on the other side of the river from the town park and shoot firecrackers towards the lake. It was a volunteer thing with the town businesses chipping in to buy the fireworks and the local people shooting them off. One year, at dusk, we could see all the fireworks in a huge cardboard shipping carton--about 4' tall and maybe 5' by 5' wide. The designated volunteer firefighters were taking rockets out and getting things set up.

Well, one of the first rockets went up into the air and dropped back down into the storage box, lighting all the fireworks stored there. It resulted in a huge fireball with rockets going off in all directions. I can vividly remember men crawling away from the fire, while the ambulance drivers who were on the opposite side of the river with all the people watching, ran to their vehicles to drive around to the other side. Luckily, there was no one hurt, but it was the quickest fireworks display the town ever had--before or after!

Anyway, sunny and warm, but high is supposed to be only 87, not the predicted 91. Nice breeze is helping.

[Acadianmom]

Barbie, the kittens are only 5 weeks old so probably too young to give them anything. I think kittens have to be 12 weeks to put flea stuff om them. It's probably the mother cat that needs to be wormed but I don't want to give her anything until I ask the vet. I think there is a wire cage I made at the barn where the kittens can go in and the big cats can't. I will start putting them some kitten chow too.

I went and ate lunch at Cracker Barrel with my son and his girlfriend. Found some $7 black jeans at TJ Maxx. I am going to make Capris out of them. I could have bought some that were already capris but they had no front pockets. I am not buying anymore pants without pockets. I bought a mini waffle maker at Target. Another toy to play with. Will have to figure out the amount of mix to make one mini waffle.

There are several places in the area that are having fireworks but they involve crowds, traffic and little parking. I think I will just watch fireworks on TV. I like to go to the lake for the 4th but since I have been camping the last 2 weekends and Hank still has to be doctored twice a day, I'll just stay home. The CBS channel on Direct is off. I guess they are in a dispute again. This goes on every few years because the station wants more money. I can get over the air TV if I think I really need CBS.

Martha

[IrishIroamed]

... I bought a mini waffle maker at Target. Another toy to play with. Will have to figure out the amount of mix to make one mini waffle....

Martha

Martha~ When I make waffles I make a full recipe, then freeze the extra. Alot better than frozen ones. Then I toast or nuke one when I have a taste for it. Depends on if I want it soft or crisp.

[OregonLuvr]

Good afternoon. Getting ready to go over to the BBQ at the clubhouse. My neighbor that just turned 100 a couple months ago is giving a July 4th talk. I like his talks as he doesn't talk too long LOL but he is interesting he used to be Vice President of Pape Construction.

It is warm out right now but we have a nice breeze so it is doable. Getting a bit hotter each day. Think it will be warm while I am camping. Only going for 3 days so should be fun.

Cheryl I also freeze my leftover waffles. I like to put them in the toaster then let it cool off quite a bit then fill it with ice cream....so good, ice cream sandwich.

I dont really get too excited over fireworks. I think it was because we had fireworks every night when we lived across from Disneyland and I got so I never even noticed. After the last boom I had 5 minutes to get my butt home or I was in trouble LOL

[Acadianmom]

I dont really get too excited over fireworks. I think it was because we had fireworks every night when we lived across from Disneyland and I got so I never even noticed. After the last boom I had 5 minutes to get my butt home or I was in trouble

We were at Epcot Center when lighting struck the barge in the lake with the fireworks. I have had too many close calls with lightening. My sister is always talking about us going to Disney World without kids. I think that ship has sailed. lol

Martha

[BarbaraRose]

When I lived on the lake back in MN, they did fireworks off a large barge on the lake (still do). One time one of the fireworks went off right on the deck of the barge and all you could see was the silhouettes of the men diving off the sides of the barge as sparks were flying! They all got back on and finished up the display and no one was hurt but it was kind of entertaining!

I could hear lots of amateur fireworks going off all around outside the resort tonight but couldn't get a good view of any of them so I just watched some on TV. Was a good break from all the news all day long of the earthquake. Went to the clubhouse earlier for their pizza party. That was good and I met a couple who just moved in this week. They seem very nice. Also sat with my new friend Cindy who lives right next door to her parents and she helps look after her dad who has dementia.

Lola's diarrhea has returned so will need to get more meds. Will go back to the first vet I think. What he gave me seemed to work until I ran out and his prices weren't out of control like the other place. All that food I bought for Lola and she refuses to touch it! The food I got from the vet in Vista, she loved, so will try to get a prescription for that again. Not sure what I will do with all the cans of the stuff I have now.

My new handyman is coming by tomorrow morning to work on some things around here. Mostly electrical stuff and a couple other things on my list. I also have to get ahold of someone at the San Diego court house about the jury duty next week. I filled out a form on-line to get out of it due to not living there anymore but never heard anything so not sure if anyone actually read it. I don't want to get arrested for not showing up for jury duty! Hopefully, I can talk to a real live person tomorrow instead of getting the run-around with the recording!

I found a nice little trailer on CL that I am going to try to see this weekend. There are a lot of scams on CL but I am learning what to look for and what to avoid. I can pretty well tell now which ones are scams. One ad sounded pretty good but when I looked up the make and model of the trailer on-line, it didn't match the photos at all. Suspicious!