I hate this time of year!
Why?
Well, I'm not a big fan of fireworks. I do love watching the big public displays, but I really hate the noise! I just do not like loud sounds and big bangs. I also do not like the fact that stupid children and equally stupid (mostly drunk) adults play with potentially lethal fireworks, putting themselves and others at risk.
Yeah, I know, I sound like a right MOG! But...
Last night I was at a party, an early Bonfire Night party (and barbeque!), and there were rather a lot of fireworks. And alcohol. I thought most of the fireworks were quite boring - lots of bangs, but not really much else. It seemed like some of the guys thought the same, because some bright (??) person decided to tape two rockets together, to see what would happen. All of a sudden it seemed to turn into some kind of competition, and all the guys tried crazier and crazier combinations - makeshift Catherine wheels with rockets strapped to them, three rockets of various sizes strapped together and lit at the same time, etc....
Of course, most of the time things didn't quite go as planned. One rocket would take off, and the second would take off whilst in mid-air, strapped to the first one, and get shot off at an angle, hitting the neighbours roof, where it went off with a massive bang. Another creation went off on an angle, heading straight for us, exploding by the wall of the house. It was pretty crazy.
Fortunately the worst thing that happened was that a girl got a spark from one of the fireworks in her eye. I don't think the neighbour's roof caught fire, (unlike my neighbour's house in Norway, New Years eve many years ago, because of drunk idiots playing with fireworks again!)....
I'm amazed that nobody in the neighbourhood called the police!
The other reason why I really don't like fireworks much, is that my dog is petrified of them, to the degree of having actual panic attacks! I can't go dancing tonight, because of this.
She was absolutely fine for the first couple of years I had her, but two years ago, someone set off fireworks on both sides of my flat. My windows were literally rattling, and I'm sure some fireworks exploded in my garden, and on the roof. My dog was shaking, hyperventilating, and hardly even responded when I tried to get her attention. I really thought she was about to have a heart attack!
This year I've got diazepam (valium) for her, the poor thing... Tomorrow night I shall sit at home with a very doped up pooch!
So, what do other people think? Have anyone had any nasty experiences with fireworks? Do you have pets who panic as much as my mutt? Or are you secretly a bit of a pyromaniac, and love it??
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