Wild Blue

Wild Blue has almost all the colors for the Fourth of July! Count the white background, and we look patriotic. Actually, I always dread this week, because Cassie is terrified of fireworks. Two years ago she got physically ill from the stress from one of our neighbors' two-hour extravaganzas. Last year I dreaded it so much that I got sick from the stress of trying to keep her away from the noise. We wound up having a good time anyway, walking around Davidson, NC, and visiting Ben and Jerry's while the neighbors had their blast. Got to come up with a plan quick for Friday (and Saturday).

Cassie didn't use to be such a jellyfish about noise, until 2003 when we took a terrifying hit from lightning. It struck a tree, jumped to the barn and set it on fire, then traveled through the wiring to the house and knocked everything out here. It was so loud I could feel it in my dental work! We had to get out of the house until the fire department got here since there was electrical smoke (from a blown switch, it turned out). It was sort of funny: the volunteer FD got here fast and were checking the attic and house, and one of them asked if we had a crawlspace. I told him it was around back, so he went to check it and came tearing back yelling, "The barn's on fire!" Fortunately there was no occupant at the time. The guys got it under control so the damage wasn't too bad, but Cassie was really traumatized (me, too!). I'm supposed to reassure her now that storms are OK: not easy to do when I want to curl up in a fetal position in a dark place and suck my thumb until it goes away. Two jellyfish, here.

For the record (anyone listening out there?), fireworks are illegal in NC!!! Yeah, I know, there aren't enough cops to arrest everyone - but there's a stiff fine if you do get caught. Something to think about.