What happened to the 4th of July?

I really don't know when it started, but I no longer enjoy the 4th of July. Don't get me wrong, I love what we are celebrating, freedom (which I do understand is not free) and the awesomeness of this nation that will help any country, even when help is unappreciated by a small but vocal minority. We prayed for our president, our country, our men and women on duty protecting us and their families left at home.....I love our freedom and celebrate it, quietly.

I think my dislike of the celebration happened when I realized that fireworks were being sold as early as June 1st and my little redneck neighbors like to blow things up beginning June 2nd. Then there is the problem of heat. Since I moved to Tennessee from my frozen northern abode I have discovered that it's bloody HOT here on the 4th of July. Not just "wow it's hot today" but step outside and feel like you are in a shower because it's so hot you can't breath and you are SOAKED instantly hot. If you have been in Middle Tennessee on the 4th you know what I mean.

This year I tried to make it good for the kids. I went to the store, last minute, and decided on a cookout for supper. I got hamburgers, chicken legs and chips. Sodas were already at the house (and a fav for them all). While I was shopping I picked up water balloons. No sprinkler or pool at our house right now (that is a horrible nightmare of a post which will probably come later too) so water balloons it was to cool them off and get 3 teenage (or nearly so) boys OUT of my house for a few minutes (I need a bigger house at 1200 sq feet and too many boys!!). Got home, filled the balloons and sent them outside in the rain (LOL) with buckets of water balloons. (tangent warning...why is it that they FREAK and run from a water balloon in the rain??). So they had fun, ate food cooked in the steaming heat from the grill ( did I mention I am the family grill cook) and then, time for fireworks right? Well, again, being so darned HOT here and the fact that monkey boy can not get dehydrated (well, he can but he shouldn't) not to mention he FREAKS at loud noises, we forego the town fireworks (which are pretty lame anyway, sorry). I thought about driving into Nashville, but really, who wants to drive over 30 minutes to spend $20 on parking to walk several blocks if not miles to a cramped stadium to watch fireworks.....that MB will freak about anyway. So we forego the fireworks display for the simple joining of the rednecks at blowing them up in the front yard. I have a confession here...I stayed inside and shampooed my living room carpet while they did the fireworks thing. It saves on potential strokes or heart attacks. MB ran in crying b/c it was too loud, even with ear plugs.

SO my boys all had fun, as a child should, with the 4th of July. No watermelon seed spitting, they don't like watermelon. No parades, nobody does the good old fashioned parades here. There is a kid bike parade at the park, but again, heat and crowds are not good for us.

I feel like an old fuddy duddy when it comes to the 4th of July. *sigh* maybe I AM getting old.
But what REALLY tweaks me about the 4th of July is the neighbor who gets drunk and blows fireworks till 2:30 in the morning. I swear...if the 4th of July does not end soon here I'm gonna find the fool and blow a bottle rocket up his/her butt! I get up at 5:30, have a kid that freaks with fireworks...and it's the 6th now. Do you think you have been patriotic enough yet? I wish I had another year to warm to the idea of a grand 4th of July, but I have a sick feeling I will be reliving it again tonight. It's like the movie Groundhog Day..only louder and in the middle of the night. Maybe I'll take some Benedryl tonight.