Our Fourth of July was bad. Of all the years I’ve spent on the planet, this was the most obnoxious fourth I’ve ever lived through. Renters across the street started at 8:30 am with a bounce house, 11 am with loud music, which they cut at 11:30. That was one thing to be thankful for. But by 6 pm, they were starting with the heavy duty noise making fire crackers. In the middle of the street, having those things go off sounded like it was right by the door. My poor sound-sensitive dogs were having anxiety attacks. What really sucked was their crowd of “friends” grew and grew and this went on non-stop until just after 11 pm.

I gave the dogs a half of a Valium because Rescue Remedy and Lavender weren’t working. But the half of Valium didn’t work either, so I gave them the other half. That didn’t work until after 11 pm when the noise stopped. I didn’t get sleep until after midnight. There were still others letting off fireworks in the vicinity, and the people across the street were still carrying on as they were clearing out. By morning, the sun came up, and the street was disgustingly dirty with all the trash from the fireworks and their partying. Of course, while those of us who work got up and did so, the Section 8 stayed in bed sleeping and so did her kids. I wanted to go over to the door and pound on it as I was driving off to work. When I came home, of course the street hadn’t been swept. Nor will it be. Something is so wrong with this picture.