3BookConcierge
It'll be a (relatively) quiet 4th around our house. Our major city fireworks celebration was cancelled due to lack of staff (!)
4Carol420
>3 BookConcierge: That's too bad, Tessa. I would think there would be people that maybe would want to volunteer to help out unless it's something they need to be licensed for or if it's a union job.
5aspirit
>3 BookConcierge: That's not the reason one wants to hear. I hope the situation in your city improves this season.
There's a nearby church that's holding a fireworks show tonight. I don't know where but suspect it'll be in the public land across from my house. We'll find out if a bunch of vehicles fill up the street.
It's strange not having to worry about calming our dog this evening. She passed away right before the pandemic started. I guess I have myself to worry about. The sound of fireworks in my home is always too much like bombs and gunshot for comfort.
Holidays always bring my mood down. I feel as if the celebrants create problems for everyone else.
Um, well,... at least the weather is nice here today? I'm grateful to not be in an extreme weather event this weekend. I wish our federal government was doing more for the people who are, though....
(ETA an acknowledgment that there's been a better response than what's been seen in years. Ex. 2 and ex. 3)
There's a nearby church that's holding a fireworks show tonight. I don't know where but suspect it'll be in the public land across from my house. We'll find out if a bunch of vehicles fill up the street.
It's strange not having to worry about calming our dog this evening. She passed away right before the pandemic started. I guess I have myself to worry about. The sound of fireworks in my home is always too much like bombs and gunshot for comfort.
Holidays always bring my mood down. I feel as if the celebrants create problems for everyone else.
Um, well,... at least the weather is nice here today? I'm grateful to not be in an extreme weather event this weekend. I wish our federal government was doing more for the people who are, though....
(ETA an acknowledgment that there's been a better response than what's been seen in years. Ex. 2 and ex. 3)
6aspirit
The fireworks weren't held across the street. (Yay!) We went outside to watch one of the shows nearby, though. Turns out, we were surrounded by fireworks, and one show we could see clearly from a sidewalk. The problem with that is I forgot to grab a mask. We stayed away from other people; unfortunately, heavy cloud cover trapped in the smoke, which we could both see and smell, like a fertilizer plant burning. It's taken me a couple of days to put the clues together, but I think the toxic smoke made me sicker. I've been feeling like old crud.
We have a tropical storm, possibly a hurricane to-be, headed this way. I'm a little grateful for the thunderstorms we're getting today, because it feels as if it's clearing out the air from the past weekend.
I'm less excited about the high potential for tornadoes through this week. On a good note, my Kindle has been restocked with ebooks. Sitting in a storm shelter is more comfortable with books.
We have a tropical storm, possibly a hurricane to-be, headed this way. I'm a little grateful for the thunderstorms we're getting today, because it feels as if it's clearing out the air from the past weekend.
I'm less excited about the high potential for tornadoes through this week. On a good note, my Kindle has been restocked with ebooks. Sitting in a storm shelter is more comfortable with books.
7LibraryCin
>4 Carol420: I know it's different in Canada and the US.
My dad used to be a volunteer firefighter and he was trained and had a certificate that "allowed" him to do fireworks shows at the local regional "park" (i.e. campground) every year. (He did this for decades, and finally got someone else to get his certification in order to take over just a few years ago!)
But he definitely needed certification to set those off. He could have a few guys helping him out (I think most of them, most years, were also volunteer firefighters, actually), but there had to be one person ultimately responsible and that person had to have his training/certificate.
They always had a firetruck up there (they were set off from a hill) with them, as well, just in case...
Again, I imagine it is different in the States, though.
My dad used to be a volunteer firefighter and he was trained and had a certificate that "allowed" him to do fireworks shows at the local regional "park" (i.e. campground) every year. (He did this for decades, and finally got someone else to get his certification in order to take over just a few years ago!)
But he definitely needed certification to set those off. He could have a few guys helping him out (I think most of them, most years, were also volunteer firefighters, actually), but there had to be one person ultimately responsible and that person had to have his training/certificate.
They always had a firetruck up there (they were set off from a hill) with them, as well, just in case...
Again, I imagine it is different in the States, though.
8Carol420
>7 LibraryCin: One person has to be certified here also. When we were in Florida my husband, who was a detective with the Tampa Police Department, had certification and he and his friend who was a retired fireman/paramedic would often do some fireworks displays for smaller cities around. It became such a big headache..(insurance the main one) … that they finally told the city they would have to find another means if they wanted it to continue. I said "volunteer" because they didn't take any pay for this. Bet your Dad had fun.
9LibraryCin
>8 Carol420: Dad loved doing it for a long time! But the last few years he did it, he was a bit tired of it and really did want to pass it on.
ETA: And from what I know from Dad about how dangerous they are (see also the young NHL player who was just killed by stray fireworks), I just shake my head at random people who set them off. Drives me nuts!
ETA: And from what I know from Dad about how dangerous they are (see also the young NHL player who was just killed by stray fireworks), I just shake my head at random people who set them off. Drives me nuts!
10Carol420
>9 LibraryCin: Someone in our neighborhood saw fit to set off BIG ones until 3:00a.m. I don't mind people celebrating but lets be reasonable.
11threadnsong
Hi everyone! I wanted to chat to catch my LT friends up on fireworks and 4th of July and off-site vacations and playing music for a neighborhood fund-raising event.
The event came first - it was at the end of June while the weather was still relatively dry and cool (early in the day). I was so very happy to see neighbors come by, make donations, and mingle with one another. We are in a highly vaccinated area and the event was outside so most folks felt comfortable talking at a distance with masks off. But if they wore masks, no one was shamed, either. Oh, and I earned some $$ which helped me spend money with the vendors! Creating a set list (like a real performer does) and practicing took up most of the end of June.
Then there was planning a going-away-from-home vacation, with friends (also vaccinated, several of whom are health-care professionals so I could trust them) and their pets and households and a feeling of welcome. I cannot remember the last time I was sitting at a kitchen table chatting with the cook, or watching emotions play across someone's face like they talk about in books (!), or hearing the rise and fall of a voice. And sleeping in a bed not my own?! Oh my!
But we had also travelled to an unvaccinated area of the state, and like I've read in aspirit's postings, it's an uncomfortable place to be. I wore my mask while shopping in stores just to feel safe. An amazing event occurred in one store, full of outdoors-y items (not REI or a chain, just a privately owned store): there was an entire table of books dedicated to African-American authors, events both modern and historical, fiction and non-fiction books. The other cool part was that all sales from this table went to the BLM movement in the area that seeks to re-claim the stories of African-Americans in the Appalachian region. Well, duh! Talk about a silenced society.
And a trans woman was helping me in the store, again, small "red" town, and I was so very glad to talk with her, talk about my mask and its artist, and just listen for a bit to her current life and plans.
Oh, and fireworks! We saw fireworks near an open field, where people parked and brought picnics and there were plenty of First Responders and oooohs and aaahs. They are loud and can be frightening, but the colors and the sense of celebration.
Oh, and a (possibly juvenile) Red Tailed Hawk just perched on a wire before flying off. S/he has been driving the blue jays crazy today!
Anyway, thanks for providing this space and letting me catch up and say hi to everyone here. I'm still reading, I promise! They're just very, very, very big books (and I cannot lie!). Happy July, everyone!
The event came first - it was at the end of June while the weather was still relatively dry and cool (early in the day). I was so very happy to see neighbors come by, make donations, and mingle with one another. We are in a highly vaccinated area and the event was outside so most folks felt comfortable talking at a distance with masks off. But if they wore masks, no one was shamed, either. Oh, and I earned some $$ which helped me spend money with the vendors! Creating a set list (like a real performer does) and practicing took up most of the end of June.
Then there was planning a going-away-from-home vacation, with friends (also vaccinated, several of whom are health-care professionals so I could trust them) and their pets and households and a feeling of welcome. I cannot remember the last time I was sitting at a kitchen table chatting with the cook, or watching emotions play across someone's face like they talk about in books (!), or hearing the rise and fall of a voice. And sleeping in a bed not my own?! Oh my!
But we had also travelled to an unvaccinated area of the state, and like I've read in aspirit's postings, it's an uncomfortable place to be. I wore my mask while shopping in stores just to feel safe. An amazing event occurred in one store, full of outdoors-y items (not REI or a chain, just a privately owned store): there was an entire table of books dedicated to African-American authors, events both modern and historical, fiction and non-fiction books. The other cool part was that all sales from this table went to the BLM movement in the area that seeks to re-claim the stories of African-Americans in the Appalachian region. Well, duh! Talk about a silenced society.
And a trans woman was helping me in the store, again, small "red" town, and I was so very glad to talk with her, talk about my mask and its artist, and just listen for a bit to her current life and plans.
Oh, and fireworks! We saw fireworks near an open field, where people parked and brought picnics and there were plenty of First Responders and oooohs and aaahs. They are loud and can be frightening, but the colors and the sense of celebration.
Oh, and a (possibly juvenile) Red Tailed Hawk just perched on a wire before flying off. S/he has been driving the blue jays crazy today!
Anyway, thanks for providing this space and letting me catch up and say hi to everyone here. I'm still reading, I promise! They're just very, very, very big books (and I cannot lie!). Happy July, everyone!
12LibraryCin
>11 threadnsong: Sounds like you had a nice June!
there was an entire table of books dedicated to African-American authors, events both modern and historical, fiction and non-fiction books. The other cool part was that all sales from this table went to the BLM movement
That is pretty cool!
As is this:
And a trans woman was helping me in the store, again, small "red" town, and I was so very glad to talk with her, talk about my mask and its artist, and just listen for a bit to her current life and plans.
there was an entire table of books dedicated to African-American authors, events both modern and historical, fiction and non-fiction books. The other cool part was that all sales from this table went to the BLM movement
That is pretty cool!
As is this:
And a trans woman was helping me in the store, again, small "red" town, and I was so very glad to talk with her, talk about my mask and its artist, and just listen for a bit to her current life and plans.
13Carol420
>11 threadnsong: Oh Threadsong...I think that was the most uplifting, heart warming, post that I have read in 2 years!!! What a wonderful time you must have had and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing it with us.
14threadnsong
>12 LibraryCin: and >13 Carol420: Oh wow! Thank you both for your kind wishes. I was a bit nervous that it was less a post and more a biography, but it's been a long time since I've been on-line and I was just so overjoyed with all the terrific events that I figured I'd take some time to share.
And this group has kept me sane and reading and connected, too. Thank you for keeping this group going.
And this group has kept me sane and reading and connected, too. Thank you for keeping this group going.
15Carol420
>14 threadnsong: You are very welcome. Thank you for being a valuable part of it. A group isn't a group without good and conscientious people.
