It's a relief to knows the 4th is over and now I can hope the fireworks will go away...eventually. Actually, I'm grateful the association prez for our rural neighborhood took a stand and urged people not to use the louder and more incendiary kind. We've been in a drought and houses have caught fire from fireworks in the past here...and also he mentioned what harm can come to frightened pets left outside, many run away and can't find their way back or run into streets to be run over. He even mentioned veterans (like DH) whose minds associate those sounds with wartime. Well, actually, this is such a violent country that you don't even have to be a veteran to have that...plenty of people have been through traumatic experiences connected to gunfire, bombs and such in the US. Then it rained yesterday...normally a blessing during drought. But many figured fireworks were okay after that. I know, I should celebrate the 4th of July, but it's hard for me to feel that way with the extreme fireworks use here.