Freedom and living free

Fourth of July eve…I can hear fire works going off all over town. The Beasts are cringing and covering their ears—there is no logical explanation for fireworks in canine language.

Which leads to the reason I’ve missed the festivities for the past few years. Instead, I’ve lain on the family room floor, arms and body shielding The Beasts from the terrible noise our neighborhood fireworks display emits. Ironically, the cats seem unaffected—proof that felines truly belong on a pedestal…except Neo, who belongs in his own plane of existence…definitely not the same altitude as a pedestal.

We have big plans tomorrow, the fourth of July. M has a friend spending the night whose parents are picking her up at 8 a.m. This is an unreasonable hour after a sleep over—even the most naïve sleep-over participant knows that staying up late and sleeping in are crucial to the sleep-over experience. However, we’re not the parents enforcing the 8 a.m. pick-up, so we come out cool no matter what our actions.

Once M’s friend leaves at the crack of dawn, we’re planning a lazy day of relaxing, games, barbecuing with neighbors and, of course, launching all manner of fireworks. As before mentioned, I won’t be witnessing those fireworks. Instead, I’ll be comforting The Beasts whose terrified cringing will provide amusement for our cats as they perform feline cleaning rituals atop their pedestals…except Neo who will be determining how to climb and conquer the nearest pedestal…

Happy 4th! Enjoy, stay safe and remember to wear ear plugs. Freedom doesn’t come free…honor those who make it possible…they place on the line everything we take for granted…