A very unusual 4th of July

[HuskiesHowls]

Its been extremely quiet here in my small, red town in Iowa. Fireworks have been legal for several years, and last year, some people here were setting off some type of fireworks all day long. There were bottle rockets, firecracker strings, aerial displays, a little of everything. Even the farmers got into the displays, for about 3 nights running.

I'm very aware of this, as I've had dogs for years, and they've always been sensitive to this. Right now I have one dog that last year was absolutely panicked all day long, even with a prescription for doggie downers. This year, I got a stronger prescription, preparing for another weekend of a panicked dog.

This year, there are even fewer fireworks going off than when they were not legal, and had to be smuggled in. No farmers have had displays, no bottle rockets all over the place, no strings of firecrackers set off, not even small ones. I think I've heard 5 firecrackers going off all day.

I wonder, is it because people don't have the extra funds this year to buy fireworks, or are they subdued because they have realized that the passage of the Big Ugly Billionaire Bail-Out happened and we're all getting screwed.

[rsdsharp]

1. The jackass who lives one street over made up for it.

He started last night at about 8 PM, and continued until well after midnight. He must have fired off thousands of dollars worth of stuff.

When we bought this house 22 years ago, when fireworks were still illegal, he’d start in June and just keep going. The second year I got a little toasted in mid August, went out on the deck and screamed:

“Enough! That was six weeks ago!”

[llmart]

2. Our small town has an ordinance which specifically states when you can set them off.

However, I highly doubt they ever enforce it since it's run entirely by Repugs.

On another note, our supervisor comes by sometime during the night or very early on and puts a small plastic flag, probably made in China on everyone's property. He attaches his business card to it. I am so tempted to email him and tell him my property is private property and why was he trespassing on it? Needless to say I pulled the thing out immediately and tossed it in the garbage.

[HuskiesHowls]

3. One family a couple blocks over were firing stuff all day last year

this year, nothing.

I don't think they want the attention this year: they're hispanic.