Boom!

Last night, I had to ride out the 'BOOMS' with the wide-eyed Gracie Dog who was in 'altered states' upon hearing the very first whistling 'crackle'!! I live less than a mile from the city's fireworks launchpad also known as The Lake. The initial 'pop' ...grew into a 'bang' ...followed by a pattern of :

Boom! Light!..10 seconds...Boom! Light!..10 seconds...etc.

Thousands of people enjoy the traditional Syracuse Symphony Fourth of July 'Concert and Fireworks Display'. Grace did not share the joy. She was in constant motion and could not be consoled in any way. Back and forth between Mom's bed and mine, at one point she was above my head on the pillow and I think I was wearing her as a hat!! She would want to go out, and within 5 seconds there would be a boom which would send her into waist high jumps at the back door...to come back in! What next?

The finale!!!!!!!!!!This consists of a gazillion fireworks all set off within seconds causing simultaneous rapid fire rounds of sound and light. While I was staring out of the skylights while resting comfortably on my bed, I figured Grace was praying for the end. The deafening sound resembled the evening news report of wartime activity in Afghanistan. Perspective is everything. It reminded me of a 4th of July in 1971 when the sound of these booms had our friends who were Vietnam Vets crouched under the dining room table probably having some serious flashbacks that none of us could possibly imagine. God bless them all.

Meanwhile, back in 2010, and the finale is finally over. The dog is now stretched out on the floor, and not responding to her name. I'm thinking...'OMG...she's probably had a heart attack!!'

I touch her, and she moves, and joins me in bed...and not as my hat, this time. Aaahhh! Life has returned to normal for us. And just when you thought it was safe to come out of the woods...

The neighbor whose backyard is on the other side of my bedroom window...has fireworks.

And they are really, really colorful....

and TOO DAMN CLOSE...for the dog who has already been through many levels of fireworks hell.

Ya know, I wasn't born yesterday, and so when I think, "Whew! Glad that's all behind us...I know better than that ! Because tonight through my bedroom window, I am sure...we will get to experience the joy of...the other half of my neighbor's encore of sound and light!!! Boohoo!!."

Well, I guess that means there'll also be an encore of me sporting that 'poodle hat' that I treasure dearly.
Hot diggeddy, dog diggedly, "Boom" what you do to me[Grace]!
Fabricated thunder and lightning...what a concept!!