More From an Evening at the Park

We didn't do anything special for the Fourth, except try to make sure we were inside before it got dark. This is the kind of place where every Tom, Dick, and Cletus buys hundreds of dollars worth of fireworks and with a little help from Budweiser, turns a backyard display into some sort of contact sport. We thought it wise to be off the streets before the celebrations got too out of hand.

Our neighbors kept the skies lit up until almost midnight. Sean didn't seem to mind the explosions, but the cats were on edge. I am always surprised by what does frighten Sean. The sounds of the low-flying helicopters don't phase him, but the dust buster scares the poop out of him. Thunderstorms don't rate a reaction, but my coffee grinder sends him over the edge. And if I even touch the vacuum cleaner, the tears start.