Monday's Question of the Day - June 29, 2015

Good Monday TCSers!  It's almost the end of June already!!  Summer is flying by and I'm already seeing back-to-school things here.     I'm personally looking forward to the 4th of July; Independence Day here in the US!  

Fireworks: Yea or Nay?

Mooch and Noodles have never been bothered by fireworks.  Even when we lived before buying our house.  We were in town and a mile or two from where they have a local display of them every year.  Now we are pretty much in the country; so some neighbors will set some off but it's not as loud.  Since we have kids; going to see the fireworks is a must.  DH doesn't like dealing with the traffic afterward; but you can't just disappoint your kids like that!    I enjoy the show too though!  We park in the parking lot of an old mall/business center and bring a few camp chairs.  Lots of people park there to watch and some street car vendors will come around; although we've never bothered with snacks or goodies  there.  

When I was a kid our town had a really nice display every August.  I used to think they were for my cousin's birthday because they always happened around her birthday!     That display was always nicer than their 4th of July display!  We would walk from her house up the street to a grassy hill.  We'd spread out blankets hours before sunset and play and have a picnic while we waited for it to get dark.  Those were good times! 

Obviously, there are no 4th July fireworks displays round here, but there's a fantastic display at the castle opposite our house every bonfire night, and another at the pub up the road. We get to see one from the windows at the front of the house, and the other from the windows at the back of the house! There are usually fireworks at new years too.

It's always great to see them...and so much better because we get to stay in the warm while we watch :lol3:

Our old lab, Brandy, was terrified of fireworks, and used to try to bury herself in my top! Our current animals don't seem too fussed.. Leah (lab) gets a little worried if they're going on after her bedtime , but there aren't any major reactions. Shadow's never bothered, and nor did his late brother. No idea how Asha will react...we haven't has her long enough to find out yet. :cross: that she'll be relaxed about them too.

When we first got Casper, he was terrified of thunderstorms and fireworks.  We have a park nearby that usually sets them off on July 4th and he'd be making a bee line to under the bed.

However, since we got Cocoa that's changed.  She isn't bothered by loud noises at all.  I think, he saw her acting so nonchalant and it gave him some of her courage.  Now, she's been here about 2-1/2 years and Casper doesn't run away from booms of any kind.  

I'm sure his getting older has something to do about it too - perhaps his hearing isn't as sharp. On the other hand, if we whisper the words "chicken", "kibble", "dins" or "foods" in the smallest voice possible - that he hears.  So, I'm not totally convinced he doesn't hear those noises. 

I enjoy fireworks, but not in the cul de sac in front of my house.  I don't like having to worry about them starting my house on fire or having to pick up the "leftovers" from my lawn the next day (or next time I mow).

Swanie isn't bothered by them.  Cindy wasn't either. I think Cricket might be because loud noises bug her, but I guess we'll see.  The past couple years they haven't shot off the fireworks in the neighborhood and the people who had the pit fire (or whatever it is) have moved.  So hopefully it will be reasonably quiet here.

We don't have 4th of July celebrations over here either, but summer is firework season in Japan. Most towns and cities organise big displays in the summer, everyone gets all dressed up in their yukata and hapi (Kind of brightly coloured summer PJ type things) and goes out to watch them. I love it! There's always a great atmosphere, trucks selling amazing food and lots and lots of beer.



I thought the cats would be scared, but the noise doesn't bother them at all. Some of the would even sit by the windows to watch the display.

Funny creatures.

Don't celebrate 4th of July - But Canada Day! Which is coming up July 1st.

I really like fireworks, don't do them myself or anything, but a couple of neighbours enjoy doing the small versions. Since I live in the country they aren't bothersome, I'm far away enough so none of my large animals are effected amongst other things yet close enough to enjoy. So far they have always been responsible too. The kitties don't blink an eye at them. 


 

As for the big guns, my mom and I go to the waterfront at night every year to watch them. Always a great view and show! 
 

NAY on fireworks - too loud it feels like being in a war zone. Freaks outs the animals, too. 

I was really surprised to find fireworks here on Halloween. I'd never heard of fireworks being popular on that holiday.

We don't mind fireworks in the neighborhood and, often, we'll go out to sit on the deck and watch the neighbors. During periods of drought, I worry a little about the house, but overall, we're fine with them. So are the cats.

I've never heard of them for Halloween either.  I suppose they are fun for any sort of festive occasion.  

They are illegal here; but people get them and set them off anyway.  Like Pam; I am more concerned about that in periods of drought.  

When i was a kid our family spent a few 4th of July's at our family's camp in the Adirondack mountains.  We'd go into town for their firework display.  Now THAT was loud!  They shot them off over the lake and people would be sitting on the shore line.  Those and thunderstorms echo a lot up in the mountains.  I used to wonder about the animals in the woods; but I suppose they get used to the thunderstorms, so maybe the fireworks weren't as bad to them as I thought. 

Ok, I'm going to be kind of a party pooper here 

I like fireworks.  I do.  So pretty to watch.  We try to watch them on the 4th.  The city has them.  We have access to the base that's across the water from the city.  It's so nice, not crowded, costs us nothing to park etc.  Weather permitting I'm hoping to see them this year. 

 But IMHO they do NOT belong in a neighborhood.  Like mine, where the houses are crammed close together and there's woods behind us.  Just too many things could go wrong.  Like stupid people who decide to have too much to drink, then set the things off.  Or let their small children near them.  Etc, etc.  

Those things are far better left to the professionals.  

Sneakymom --- meet another party pooper! Fireworks are ok done professionally, but I do not like them in our neighborhood. Too much of a chance of fire or damage. The cats don't like them either. So don't feel bad --- I'm just another party pooper!

YAY! I love them!! There's no such thing as too many!! 

 I love the big, bright ones. The ones that just make noise can stay in the box. 

The animals hate them though except for Sophie. She doesn't care. She's the smallest and bravest one.   

Yay but not in the neighborhood.

I will explain my reasoning for not wanting them in my neighborhood.  I have a next door neighbor who is- clueless.  He frustrates me (and everyone else around us) so much.  

Last year his 19 year old useless son had firecrackers.  He was (get this) throwing them OUT of his bedroom window.  Onto the grass.  It hadn't rained for several weeks, and all I could think about was that dry grass being set on fire.  

And stupid people like that are the reason I don't like anyone but professionals handling fireworks. 

Cheryl

I do sympathise sneakymom . Some years I've found the dead bits of fireworks that have landed in my horse's field. So scary to think of what might be...we make sure they're stabled on the obvious nights, but fireworks are increasingly used for all kinds of celebrations round here...its getting less and less predictable

If people want to use them privately, a good dose of common sense is required, as is thought to basic safety precautions :nod:

I'm not into fireworks. I'm afraid they bore me. We have them around the country on the day of independence. I don't bother going to see. The cats are pretty relaxed. No running away and hiding. We can't buy fireworks in the shops. If somebody is having a party and they want fireworks they have to get permission from the municipality.

I've always been terrified of them.  They look lovely from a serious distance - like over a mile or something, but that's about it for me.  There are loads of firework displays and private party use here and loads of noise but I don't mind the noise so much and thankfully Mouse is fine with bangs from fireworks, thunder and anything else he's heard so far so not been bothered by any big firework displays.

I like fireworks but don't buy them any more as I have grown out of the fun stage of lighting them. Plus you have to pick them up the next day. I love our city's big firework display on the night of the 3rrd and I just watch our neighbors light them the night of the 4th. They don't bother my pets, thankfully.

i like to watch fireworks, though not up close to where they're being set off. in New York state the only legal firework type items are certain 'sparkler devices', everything else requires a permit. however, people still set off fireworks on their own.

when the cats and i lived in the city of rochester, there were way too many loud fireworks being set off nearby. both cats found that very upsetting and were scared. but now that we live out in a rural area, in a hamlet, snick isn't upset by occasional fireworks that aren't as loud and/or aren't as near to us. this will be the first 4th of july after our jaspurr joined snick and me, so i'll be keeping a close eye on jaspurr to see how he does and i'll stay close to him so i can comfort/calm him as needed.

i don't like fireworks being set off illegally. i don't even really like the sparkler devices being legal. i've just heard too many news stories about children and adults being injured from setting off fireworks. and being a homeowner, i would much prefer that my house and property don't catch fire from them either.

something that i've started doing in the last few years is to watch fireworks online, from doing an internet search. last new year's, i watched a couple youtube videos of compilations of fireworks from around the world.  those were incredibly beautiful, with each country's fireworks display being different than the others.

Nay. Too loud, too scary. Actually it's against bylaw here. Too many wildfires burning already (actually the town is currently covered in hazy smoke. The whole area smells like burning all the way across the prairies)

Of course that doesn't stop people from doing it.