Happy 4th July!

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Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 8:51 pm

Happy 4th my fellow Americans! Nothing like alcohol and gun powder to celebrate a fine tradition. We don't need no stinking tea party... the keggers right on my block!

Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 9:53 pm

Happy 4th of July @ all, especially any American military personnel, active, retired or otherwise. Have a humble evening. Cool

Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 10:50 pm

Huh, apparently were staying home this year so no fireworks Sad

Oh well I always end up burning my thumb anyway Laughing

Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 10:53 pm

Thank you for the fine greetings Eight. Most of us have let bygones be bygones...

The 4th is a good time to spend with family and friends, including friends on Eater! (I think it is still the 4th in Eater time zone.)

Yeee Haw! Wink

Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 10:59 pm

Dumb riddle:

Q: Does England have the Fourth of July?

A: Of course they do. They also have July 5th, July 6th, etc...

My neighbors have been setting off fireworks in their bad yard. Something that causes smoke and loud bangs, anyway.

Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 12:40 am

Ha! Funk that last post I made. I went out an got a couple of boxes of fireworks for the kids. I'll let them have at it in the backyard and the neighbors will just have to adapt. If they don't like it they can bite me Very Happy

Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 1:35 am

My poor kitties are so stressed. Although fireworks are illegal in this city, about half of the 8 million people who live here seem to own some. And it sounds as if we are in Abeche with the Prof's lads!!! My kitties think the city is being attacked and they are freaking out.

I'm also taking care of a friend's cat. It is at her apt - home alone right now, and I imagine that it is scared to death. I'm tempted to bring it here for right now, but I'm afraid my cats would get angry.

Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 3:04 am

Happy 4th everyone! Cool

We were invited to several cookouts, but we stayed home to put our house back together. Wink

Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 4:14 am

I blew up my chunk of freedom. Cool

Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 5:21 am

Ya know here in the South I prefer the 4th to New Year's Eve. On the 4th there are organized fireworks displays; some done to music even. But on New Year's Eve everyone is in their backyard shooting off their rifles. Lots of stray bullets! Totally scary.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 41

My town just passed an ordinance requiring permits for folks wanting fireworks, so we didn't mess with any this year, and just watched the official ones.

My two and a half years old thought it was really neat that 'lightening' could do that. Laughing

I'm not that sussed by the ordinance- civilians running around with pyrotechnics (especially inebriated in-laws) tend to make me nervous.

Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 7:27 am

Ex. wrote:

Happy 4th of July @ all, especially any American military personnel, active, retired or otherwise. Have a humble evening. Cool

Thanks Ex. Welcome back. Very Happy

Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 8:10 am

Usually we go to my uncles house a couple of towns over where the safe n sane fireworks are sold and are legal to set off but not this year. There is usually a block party and since the safe n sane fireworks are legal they aren't good enough. Everyone goes to Nevada and gets the big ones that shoot up in the air.

Not this year though but we had fireworks in the backyard. Kids had fun, the baby (cat) didn't like them, and I burnt my thumb of course Laughing

I don't think it would be the 4th without fireworks. Also my 12 years old is old enough to light them off himself (with me hovering over him like a mother hen) so I didn't want to let him down.

Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 5:28 pm

It's been a Fourth that I will never forget. I was a pyromaniac in a past life. I worked as a chemist and would mix up my own lifting charges and press stars, paper and glue them together. I used to enjoy shaping and pouring rocket motors and working out delay trains. This fourth I could have been in Washington D.C. to see the fireworks display there but chose to call the airline on the 3rd so I could fly out and be with my cats. My cats were in hiding somewhere because of the idiots that can't use a freaking calender. On the day of the fourth, I went to my parent's place in a marina for a BBQ but ended up leaving before the professional display went off. Last night I drove up my driveway and was invited to a neighbor's pool party. Just to be nice I walking into their backyard. Someone had built a little wooden raft and pushed it out with some "safe and sane" firework on it. I had my back to it when it started up and someone told me not to turn around. Good advice. I was able to see all these grinning faces staring at a white flickering light source. I saw a bunch of idiots basically staring at an electric arc welder. A moment later I heard "We should go in and nuke them." so I excused myself, went home to take down my flag and called it a night. I've learned that things are different when both of your children are thousands of miles away serving their country and I really have to sell this place and move out.

Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 5:46 pm

<hug> I'm sorry you had a rubbish time, Connie. I hope your kids are safe, and that they're back with you for next year's celebrations.

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 2628

Sounds like July 4th is like the UKs Nov 5th

Connie -hugs

Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 12:01 am

happy independence day. Too early to say if it was a good move Wink

November 5th is Fireworks Night around here, it celebrates the foiling of a plot to blow the shit out of the houses of Parliament; ie King James 1st. it was discovered at the last minute with Guy Fawkes a catholic, holding a fizzing taper in his hand ready to light the powder trail to god knows how many pounds of gunpowder. There's a theory it was a setup to discredit catholics, this may be the case as it's a bit bloody convenient otherwise - renting a room under the house of Parlament, easy, buy a shitload of gunpowder, sign here sir, do come back. Then, oh look, they're caught in the act. off to the tower for torture and a grisly death. We've celebrated this hideous conspiracy every year thereafter by burning Mr Fawkes in effigy, firing off explosives and drinking lots of beer which is, of course, slightly too warm. All good fun.

Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 12:20 am

Renting a cellar in Parliament was not as hard as you might have thought. One account I read said that the King rented out the cellars to make a few extra quid. Bet he wished he'd just cut down on his spending instead. Smile

Edit to add, I shall be taking down my 4th July avatar later today, but I really like the pic so I thought I'd post it here so that I can find it again next year. Besides, it shows the fireworks better, and I love fireworks. Smile

Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 11:26 pm

Would a sincere apology and some really nice food packages get us back into the British Empire?
We really are quite incapable of governing ourselves. That's been demonstrated sufficiently.

Before answering, think about this:

Oregon razor clams
Tyler, Texas BBQ
Maine lobsters
Conch fritters
Key lime pie

That's just for starters. There are many more tasty local treats, ALL OF 'EM SUPERIOR IN EVERY WAY TO JELLIED EELS AND BUBBLE & SQUEAK!

We don't have any decent clotted cream, however.

Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 12:58 am

sheboppe wrote:

Thanks Ex. Welcome back. Very Happy

My thoughts too. (Both what Ex. said, and welcome back.)

Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 6:50 am

@ Jellyroll: absolutely! I'll have a word with Betty next time I'm round at Buck House. Laughing

In the meantime, any chance of some samples, especially the lobster? Very Happy

Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:47 am

I hope everyone had a great 4Th. I could not get onto the computer this weekend so I'm a little late.
Hey jellyRoll you forgot the Wisconsin extra sharp Chedder cheese.
I'll wrap some up. so you can Include it.
Welcome back Ex.

Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 12:11 am

Hope this doesn't qualify as a necro, but I've been quite busy lately

Eight wrote:

.......you traitorous bunch of colonial upstarts. Laughing

As I'm always fond of saying to my British friends, "See, if you people could have behaved yourselves, this would all still be yours Very Happy

"

I actually had two ancestors that fought in the revolution (on the colonial side), but they weren't British colonists, they were German! Go figure Shocked