Happy 250th Birthday to The United States of America on this July 4th. Having friends over for a BBQ last night brought back memories of my family's big Fourth of July party we hosted for many years until it ran its course, people died, people moved away, etc.. It was always a fun time, a good mix of people, and a lot of work and preparation. For a long time, July 4 felt like our summertime Christmas, the big holiday we look forward to, wait for, and prepare, then feel a slight letdown when it is over. However, the older I get, the more I am starting to despise July 4. Over the years, illegal fireworks get worse and worse depite law enforcement saying they will have zero tolerance, will levy heavy fines, and such. Yet, the neighborhood still sounds like a war zone every year, making our poor cat nervous (as well as his parents, as I found a few mortar shells in the back yard when mowing after July 4 last year, a fire just waiting to happen). I c...