The Grinch

EveryWho Down in Who-ville Liked fireworks a lot...

But the Grinch,Who lived just north of Who-ville, Did NOT!

The Grinch hated fireworks! The whole fireworks season! Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason. It could be her head wasn't screwed on just right. It could be, perhaps, that her shoes were too tight. But I think that the most likely reason of all May have been that her heart was two sizes too small.



I realize that it's sort of un-American but that's me, the Grinch, and I hate fireworks. I'm fine with fireworks from a distance, it's being in the middle of them that I'm not a fan of. And my personal Who-ville turns into a war zone every July 4th. What's really crazy to me, even crazier than the thousands of dollars people explode into the sky every year, is that many of them just can't wait until night fall. Starting in the morning, there are fireworks going off. Really? Does that seem like eating turkey for breakfast on Thanksgiving to anyone else?

It's one more way (like it has to be hot before I want to swim and my hands are always cold) that I'm out of step with the rest of my family. So this year, we came up with a brilliant compromise. We had an enjoyable and delicious barbecue with our beloved Jorgensens (I promise to post Janet's recipe for onion dip when I get it from her...believe me, you'll love me forever) then I carefully threaded my way through the explosions and went home and Adam and the kids stayed to watch the fireworks. I shut all of the windows...the house was filling up with smoke...and watched a movie and tried not to succumb to the fear that my house was going to be blown up with the rest of the world.

It was a good system.

Also, I think there is a value to all of the volatile celebrating. It makes me appreciate in a whole new way that I don't normally live in a war zone. I'm grateful for my peaceful civilized little neighborhood that only once a year turns into a loud and unsettling place.

I'll take it.