Independence Day brings fun

Independence Day will be over by the time you read this. Most of the fireworks will have already given their all. There are always a few that will not go boom until a couple of weeks from now.

The pets can safely do whatever they do all day instead of panicking every time there is a loud noise. I confess that I hate all the racket and welcome the day when the neighborhood is quiet again.

When I was young we lived in a place that didn’t allow private citizens to have fireworks. Every year I am surprised that all kinds of exploding things are as close as the next corner. Anyone has access to them.

A very long time ago I was given a piece of metal that was on fire. I was told it was called a sparkler and told to wave it around. Were the grown-ups crazy? This thing was on fire! I was a little kid and was convinced that the sparkler was going to set the entire world on fire and that we were all going to die. Thankfully, that didn’t happen.

For a couple of years after we moved to the country we would visit with friends back in Dayton on the holiday. The show was easily seen from their backyard. We were close enough that some of the burning embers landed on their roof and had to be hosed down. This happened more than once.

Years later we didn’t bother with fireworks or sparklers. The Fourth of July was just another day. It was only after I got married that we once again watched as color filled the night sky.

I have always considered all the pyrotechnics to be dangerous. There were 11 deaths attributed to fireworks last year. That is fewer deaths that have occurred in some of the mass shootings that seem to happen on a daily basis these days. On the other hand, there were more than 100,000 injuries. Please be careful that you do not become one of these statistics.

I may not like all the noise associated with Independence Day, but I do enjoy the local parade. It is always entertaining. I like the fact that anybody who wants to can be in the parade. From convertibles bearing the fair queen and her court, people running for office, the marching band, fire trucks from all around demonstrating that their sirens still work, and any number of other participants, all are welcome. Almost all of them toss candy at the children who line the streets.Yes, I said “at” not “to”.

A few of them pass out bottled water, freezer pops or other goodies. The smallest kids seem to get the most candy. I wonder if they actually eat any of it.

I am always pleasantly amazed at how quickly any leftovers are cleaned up. It seems that half the town comes out for the parade and as soon as it is over, the streets and sidewalks are as clean as they are any other day.

There are other activities throughout the day. We all celebrate Independence Day in our own ways. I hope your day was a good one.