Rita is so afraid of thunder and fireworks and I feel bad for her. I understand that fireworks are fun and part of the celebration but some of them sound like explosions going off and they shake the house. Fun for some seems rude to others.
Last night I was thinking . . if people want to particpate in that kind of behavior, maybe they should live out in the country but then I thought . . if people want peace and quiet, maybe they’re the ones who should be living out in the country. Hopefully, we only deal with this type noise on July 4 and New Year’s Eve.
I’ve never been much of a fan of fireworks. Seems kinda crazy to spend a lot of money on something like that but I’m sure those folks would think it was equally crazy to spend money on embroidery floss. Chad was probably about 7 or 8 and, because we had always lived around neighbors, we kept the fireworks to a minimum. One year at July 4 or New Years, Vince was visiting and he and Chad went to buy fireworks. I discussed it with Vince before they left and thought he understood my dislike for disturbing others. That evening they went out to shoot off the fireworks and it was quite noisy and I had at least one unhappy neighbor.
Last night when Vince was complaining about the noise, I said . . remember when you and Chad disrupted my neighborhood? Vince said “Ours weren’t that loud!” I told him . . Not so loud to you may seem like a huge explosion to someone else. Even for us, if Rita didn’t bark from dark til midnight, the noise here wouldn’t be so aggravating. It isn’t anyone else’s problem that my dog is afraid of noises.
When we lived in Kentucky, we were out in the country and the few neighbors we did have never did much as far as loud explosions. In MO, we lived in the city limits so no fireworks were allowed. In Texas, because of wildfire danger and responsible neighbors, we rarely heard more than an occasional firecracker. Here . . these people must save all year for this!
Oh, well . . it should all end in a day or two.
montanaclarks says
I despise fireworks. If you live out in the country, go ahead and shoot your fireworks. But if you have neighbors, don’t! It’s always a huge issue in our closest small town–people claim it’s their right and others say their animals are terrified. One moron had the audacity to say on FB, “go somewhere else, rent a house, take your dogs with you, it’s my right.” What happened to manners?? In just the blink of an eye our Montana could go up in flames–that’s how hot and dry we are right now. And people still claim it’s their right to shoot fireworks. Our county just entered Stage II fire restrictions–no fireworks or open fires–yet the town of Big Timber is exempt. GRRRR
Judy Laquidara says
It seems according to that guy’s way of thinking there’s NOTHING that isn’t his right. It’s like the people who drive around on noisy motorcycles and cars that are loud enough to wake the dead. Is that their right? When do others have the “right” to go to live peacefully in their own home without the house shaking fireworks til midnight? There’s a fine line but I kinda feel like you have the right to do anything you want to do so long as it doesn’t disturb anyone else. In Louisiana now, they’re dealing with people who have the “right” to let the weeds grow past the roof on properties that still haven’t been repaired (because they paid for their property and they own it and can do whatever they please) yet homeowners next to them are dealing with critters living in the mess and their property values going down because of it.
You’re right – manners seem to be a think of the past for too many and all it takes is one to screw up life for many.
Christina Coats says
I too loathe fireworks my wee dogs hate them also. Unfortunately we here in England don’t have them restricted to a particular day. Yes we expect them on November 5th Bonfire night, but now it’s any occasion idiots feel they have the right to be obnoxious. Weddings, parties , NewYear etcetera and the list goes on. The only law we have is no one under 16 can buy any fireworks, but that doesn’t stop them . England playing tonight , we know if they win it will mean fireworks. Have given my dogs , doggie calms and don’t laugh if we dress them in their sweatshirts they lie calm down and sleep like babies!. It will be my husband and I growling about them. I’m putting my headphones on and stitch away.
Judy Laquidara says
Here, as far as I know, they’re only readily available around holidays such as the 4th of July and New Years. They don’t really bother me til they rattle our windows but I feel bad for Rita and for those with small children that need to be in bed before midnight.
Sara Fridley says
I actually LOVE fireworks. As a kid it was such a thrill to take a blanket and bug spray over to the edge of town where the fire department shot off a big display for the whole town. When our children were young my husband would do a little (pretty tame) fireworks in the backyard. A couple of neighbors would join us with their lawn chairs, and gradually it became a much bigger display followed by ice cream with everyone young and old. It was such a low key fun gathering of neighbors. The only neighbor that ever complained was actually one of my (former) sisters-in-law, but she complained about everything. We no longer live in that small town, but have a couple of neighbors here who set off a small fireworks display and the city does a big one over the lake. I still enjoy them all.
That said – I definitely understand how annoying it all must be for those folks who do not enjoy it. And I always feel bad for the pets that find it scary. One of the daughter’s dogs was terrified of the noise, poor thing. So hopefully the noise will be limited for everyone who doesn’t enjoy it.
Cinda Moulds says
I do live in the country and I don’t want to put up with fireworks. Your house dogs aren’t the only animals that are startled by loud explosions. Some country folks have outside dogs, or cattle, or horses, etc.
Being a thoughtful human goes a long way, even to those of us in the country.
Judy Laquidara says
Yes. You’re right. Where we lived out in Texas, there were so few hours. We were four miles from the corner and only the third house. Everyone should be respectful of others but we don’t seem to have much of that any more.
Vicky says
I’m one who enjoys the fireworks. We live in the country and usually attend a nearby fireworks show along the James River. However, this is the 2nd year cancelled. So my daughter and her family and friends bring their fireworks here to set them off. We’ve had great rainfall the last couple days.
Judy Laquidara says
It’s one thing to be doing them in the country but where there are houses almost close enough to touch for as far as the eye can see, it just seems a bit rude to have window rattling fireworks going off til at least midnight for a week or so before the 4th.
Dottie Newkirk says
Growing up, we always went to the city fireworks displays. Love them
As our kids were growing up and we were moving all over the country, we went to the various city sponsored fireworks.
Every year the kids would buy whatever fireworks (none of the BIG ones were available) they could afford. and they would have small firecrackers that they could shoot off at the house (usually on the driveway), but, they were always done at dusk and were done in usually less than 15 minutes.
In the past 15 years or so, it seems that more and more people feel that it is DEFINITELY their right to do whatever/whenever they want with absolutely NO consideration for others. One of my mother’s favorite sayings was YOUR RIGHTS stop at the end of your nose. After that you’re in someone else’s space.
Hope you don’t have TOO many boomers the rest of this weekend.
Judy Laquidara says
Yes, it’s 10:40 p.m. and they’re still going strong out there. We set off a few but we were done by 9 p.m. and ours were not the crazy, window shaking loud ones.
Pamela Crane says
I dislike fireworks because dogs aren’t the only ones who are bothered by them. I just saw a horse had to be put down because it was frightened by the fireworks and took off. It ended up stuck in a ditch, had hypothermia and could not be saved after it was rescued from that. I live near a dairy farmer who’s cows are frightened by the fireworks. Where I am they shoot them off frequently. A wedding venue opened nearby and we had fireworks land in our yard. I think they are beautiful to watch but not worth the harm they do. If it were just one or two days a year that would be more understandable. It seems to be every weekend all weekend where I live. Another thing, where I am used to be all rural-farms. Now it is a mixture of housing developments and farms.