Dear neighbors:

[Texasgal]

Dear Neighbors-
Happy 4th of July! I am so glad that you love your country so much that you feel the need to shoot off fireworks at all hours of the night without regard to your neighbors or dry conditions. Feel free to celebrate for days! No need to have any respect for the law, animals or threat of fire. No, no...please...knock yourself out! Make sure to hit wooded areas behind my house and two dozen other houses on the street. Yeah, have a good fourth.

Signed your happy neighbor-
TG

[SoutherDem]

1. Good one. I agree totally.

[thecrow]

2. It is starting here

and will go on well beyond midnight.
My dog's most hated, fearful day of the year.

[RebelOne]

11. I thought it would be starting here, but I have not heard a boom or bang.

Though it is still early and I am sure some dimwit will set something off soon.

[xtraxritical]

45. True patriots one and all!

[Raine]

3. Yeah thanks neighbors for making me a captive who can't go out to a

professional show or go anywhere I might like to. Instead I'm stuck here to make sure my house doesn't catch fire and my pets don't freak out because you shoot off illegal fireworks. I guess all that's important though is that you have a good time!

[Texasgal]

4. Annoying isn't it?

Austin puts on a lovely show every year, surrounding counties do too. Why shoot them off illegally in a neighborhood? It pisses me off.

I have no issue with people that want to shoot them, just do it legally ( out of city limits ) and not while we are in a severe drought!

Ugh.

[Tsiyu]

30. The across-the-road extravaganza has begun

This is the one day of the year I loathe those people. We had a terrible row about it the first year they moved here from Florida. They HAD to do a show for HOURS without warning anyone in the neighborhood. It was a bad scene.

Now, I just have to bite my tongue and let them do their thing. It's not worth fighting with the neighbors, and now I know they will do it so I prepare and make no plans. I have to do the same as you - rush home every fucking year so selfish people can have their fun. And there are fucking fireworks shows everywhere tonight. Everywhere. They could get with society and watch fireworks with their fellow Americans, but they are special and MUST have their own deal.

No, I left my friend's pool and got home before dark and now I am babysitting horses and just thankful it rained here today so maybe the whole neighborhood won't get burned out IN THE MIDDLE OF A GODDAMNED DROUGHT!

It really sucks.

[GoCubsGo]

5. Same shit, different assholes.

They've been going at it for two or three days in my neighborhood. This, despite exceptional drought condition and noise ordinances. But, the noise bothers me more than it does my cat, although she's not exactly pleased about it.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

8. A firework mortar went off really close to our house the other night.

Woke me up out of a dead sleep at 10:30. Scared the hell out of me. I really expected the house to be on fire, or gunfire to continue. I didn't know which. It took me an hour to get settled enough to go back to sleep.

[GoCubsGo]

12. The morons here are at it already.

It's not even dark yet. Generally, they don't bother me, as long as thy adhere to the noise ordinance, which prohibits loud noises after 10 PM. But, its like a tinderbox out there. I also don't like that they insist on detonating the things on days that are not July 4.

[calimary]

34. Same here. It's just starting to get dark here, still QUITE light outside. And yet

I've been hearing lots of booms in the area for a couple of hours now.

Keep your animals indoors. Maybe leave the TV on in the room they're in - to drown out the booms.

[calimary]

38. For keeping your pets mellow on 4th of July:

The 4th of July may be an uncomfortable time for your pets. This is the holiday that is the busiest for shelters across the country as many dogs run away during the fireworks shows. We all know that their hearing is much more intense than ours. Here are some tips to help your animals deal with the fireworks:
1. Play music and/or the television louder than normal to help cover the sound of the fireworks. Make sure the music or tv show is soothing or at the minimum has cont...inuous mellow sounds. There are some CDs that simulate running water, rainforests, etc.; these would be good.
2. Put them in a room that is the most interior of the house (no windows).
3. Closing curtains and blinds and/or covering windows if possible.
4. Aromatherapy works for animals also…have any lavender oil?
5. Take your dog(s) for a very long walk just before the sun goes down to make them tired.
6. Give them something very yummy inside a kong or similar toy to keep them occupied.
There is a NEW RESCUE facebook page that YOU can post animals looking for forever homes: http://www.facebook.com/BluesMoonRescueRelay

Good for any occasion, including Halloween.

MORE at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blues-Moon-Dog-Training/182708530629

[YellowRubberDuckie]

6. I'll just call the cops.

Fireworks are illegal within Oklahoma County and OKC city limits.

[Texasgal]

9. I can dial 311 until

my fingers burn up... but the Police are so busy with all the calls there is not enough manpower to get them all.

Guess my house needs to go up in flames before they can get to my neighborhood.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

26. 311? LOL

[Texasgal]

28. Yes. 311

is the non emergency number you call here in austin.

911 is for emergencies only.

[LAGC]

7. It's raining cats and dogs right now in northern Ohio.

Couldn't have asked for better weather to let loose the barrage.

[Texasgal]

10. Lucky you!

I wish we had some rain period! But what a lucky break for you!

[mtnester]

15. I see it on the radar heading for us in Central Ohio..pray it stays and does not dissipate

no matter what happened Friday as far as that terrible storm, there was VERY little rain with it...we are still bone bone bone dry

Looks like it will come through here if it holds together right about fireworks time

[Curmudgeoness]

21. I was hoping for that storm too

and it looks like it is on the way----not soon enough. However, when I thought about it, I realized that these morons have already spent thousands of dollars on the arsenal, and they will not go to waste....so I suppose they might as well shoot their wad tonight.

[flvegan]

13. Now, now, hush. Lest you be called some sort of nanny-stater

(or whatever the meme is these days).

Respect for the law is for...nevermind.

Putting others' concerns over your need "to blow shit up and shit, cuz FUCK YEAH, AMERICA!!!!!" regardless of the law, safety, people and animals is so un-liberal you should be shamed from this site.

KA-BOOOM!! Unga bunga fire make boom!

Fucking idiots.

[frogmarch]

14. Home fireworks are legal here in Nebraska.

Forest and prairie fires are all around us, and the air smells of smoke and the smoky haze turns the sun red at times. But go ahead, you idiots, set off those firecrackers! Have fun on the 4th, even though it's dryer here than it has been in years and most of you don't have a clue as to what Independence Day is really all about anyway.

[malaise]

16. Serious question

Why curse the fact that the flag is made in China while buying Chinese fireworks?

[LAGC]

17. Well, the Chinese did invent gunpowder...

Not sure about the flag though.

[malaise]

18. LOL

[LynneSin]

19. I've got a neighbor right now using them and this is in the city

btw fireworks are illegal in Delaware unless done by a professional

[Carolina]

20. I totally agree

The yahoos in my neighborhood are have a blasting time. My dogs are fretful and pacing and my water bill is going to be sky high because I have the sprinklers running everywhere to avoid fire.

Fireworks should be banned.

[mrs_p]

22. The only positive about living in a state on fire.

Letting off fireworks is banned this year. My dog is having the best fourth of her life!

[Curmudgeoness]

23. Every year, I think that these idiots

could all pool the money that they spend and have the most awesome professional display instead of fifty pissant displays. But ask them to give their money to the municipality to do that, and they would be outraged.

I hate the 4th of July! And this is the only reason. I am so glad to see that I am not the only one, because sometimes I feel like the crablady who hates everything when I complain and everyone else is shooting them off or standing around watching them.

Luckily, my cat is unfazed. Good kitty.

[joanbarnes]

27. Neighbor got busted Monday night.

[Curmudgeoness]

46. You are so lucky. Where I live, in a small city,

they actually refuse to do anything about fireworks. I had a talk with our police chief once about it, and he said they don't even try. He said the cops here call it "night in Baghdad".

[joanbarnes]

24. Here too, I always say it would be more exciting to just light money on fire.

[October]

25. Oh, I know! My poor dog is in a panic.

It's just that awful M80 noise or whatever... nothing even to SEE. But, oh, our neighbor is a volunteer fireman, so he does this every year. Hate it.

Our other dog isn't bothered by it -- but I have to say, it even startles ME!

[RKP5637]

29. There's some guy down across the way setting off fireworks from his

balcony. Like WTF, it's all wood, the houses here also have wood roofs and there are woods. Absolutely brainless, and additionally, no fireworks are allowed in this county.

And it's so dry here other counties have banned them. I figure a cop on patrol will probably hear them and pay him a visit. Then he'll bitch about his rights and probably blame it on Obama.

[kestrel91316]

31. I'm just thrilled that we haven't had gunfire yet.

Though I might be a bit premature in my excitement - it's only a tad after 7 PM.

[npk]

32. Sadly the useless police in my city could careless

Fireworks are illegal in my state and city, but the people that live around me shoot them off on most holidays. They (the police) could careless. They never shut them down or make any arrests. You can call 911 and they just tell you that they are too busy to enforce the law.

[cpwm17]

33. This is the worst day of the year

I hear them going off right now. I bought some alcohol which is a big help. I haven't had alcohol in a long time.

[mzteris]

35. don't forget to scare the crap

out of my pets while you're at it.

[Peter1x9]

37. We are officially in moderate drought here (SE Wisconsin).

Apparently my entire neighborhood doesn't care. It's been so dry here that everyone's lawns look like the hills in a California summer (completely dessicated and lifeless light-tan straw).
They were launching bottle rockets, and two different houses were even launching industrial-size mortar fireworks. I even found a charred piece of a launched firework in my back yard. WTF people, I'd prefer to not be flame-broiled on the 4th. lol

[Unca Jim]

39. OK, I have to say it...

Were none of you ever kids who loved fireworks?

This is the one time of year kids get to enjoy them.

I agree it gets annoying, but frankly you sound like the people who bitch about kids coming around at Halloween ruining your precious routines and impinging on your privacy.

Sometimes other people having fun and doing something you don't like annoys you. It's OK to accept that and move on.

Happy Fourth all!

[Tsiyu]

43. Okay I have to say it

What parts of DROUGHT and "free professional fireworks shows all over the state" don't compute?

Of course kids love fireworks.

Of course my own set off fireworks from time to time.

But usually we weren't too lazy to pack the kids up and go see a professional show with other people. We didn't subject the neighbors to hours of explosions in the middle of a bunch of farms with livestock. And I never let the kids shoot them off in a DROUGHT.

Amateurs shooting off mortars and bottle rockets in the middle of a DROUGHT is not wise, no matter how much kids might like to see their neighbors' houses burn down. I watched a dozen fireworks explode over my property - DRY WOODS - just now, and I will be up all night checking to see nothing catches fire. And I gotta work in the morning. Yay me.

Common sense is all this thread is about. Kids can enjoy fireworks without endangering the community.

[proud2BlibKansan]

40. And thanks for leaving your dog outside!

So her barking blends right in with the fireworks.

[Auntie Bush]

41. feel free to scare the shit out of my dog. It's 11:05 and she's stil panting, trembling and drooing.

She's shaking under my laptop as I type. Yes, please feel free to scare all the animals who probably think their getting shot at. Enough is enough already!

[slackmaster]

42. Thank you for sharing, Ms. Buzzkill

[xfundy]

44. The fireworks in this neighborhood are held in the cul-de-sac right outside.

They scared my mother nearly to death for the last four years, as she was in bed with advanced Alzheimer's. I always went in and held her hand, stroked her cheek or massaged her gently on the parts without bedsores, brought her some juice, and turned up the tv extra loud to try to lessen the impact of the literally house-shaking noise. I used to put in "The Incredible Mr. Limpet," as she seemed to recognize comfort in that part of history, when everything seemed so simple, or maybe it was the animation. Whatever. It's still a wonderful film.

I don't blame the neighbors, as it's their right to celebrate by mimicking the sound, light and fury of war implements, bombs, rockets, etc. But most of them have expressed a love for war in other ways, ie, repug "thinking." It sickens me. The twelve year old next door wants to join the military, and doing so used to mean serving the nation, not the corporations.

Just my two cents.