Sunday, November 04, 2007

Bonfire Weekend

Whatever happened to Bonfire Night. When exactly did it expand to encompass the entire weekend before (and probably after) November 5th?

Last night it sounded like we were in a war zone. Why do fireworks have to make noises like nuclear bombs? I can see the point of the pretty sparkly ones but why must they be so ear-shattering.

When I got home from work yesterday, Bubba was very agitated as the fireworks had already started (it was 17.45pm). He wouldn't go out in the garden and he spent the entire evening on the sofa, as close to me as he could get. I couldn't go to bed until most of the noise had stopped, which meant a very late night indeed. (I draw the line at a dog in the bed which was my other option!) Poor dog.

I'm a firm believer that the sale of fireworks to the general public should be banned. I think they are too dangerous for use in gardens. I have no problem with properly organised and licenced displays but the kind of fireworks that were going off all around our house last night were not the kind that I would have liked my children anywhere near, and which I would never dream of touching. These were not the little catherine wheels and small rockets my dad used to set off on Guy Fawkes Night when I was a child. These things are huge. I think it's a job for the experts. Children get maimed and killed at home firework parties every year, not to mention the thousands of traumatised pets and wildlife.

If only properly licenced displays were allowed then people would be safer. I would be able to plan to be with my dog while the display was on, instead of having to stay in and reassure him almost every night for two weeks.

I'm guessing there will be more of the same tonight and Monday and probably through to next weekend too. Then we'll just have the fireworks for Eid, Dhiwali, Christmas and New Year to contend with. Wonderful.

Can you tell I'm feeling grumpy and miserable this morning?

2 comments:

Leigh Russell said...

Hi Pat
I agree with all you say about fireworks. We enjoyed a lovely display by one of our neighbours all evening, but it was still going on at 1.30 in the morning! Public displays would be safer and far more community spirited too.
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Anonymous said...

I used to hate it when my girls were babies/toddlers. They could not sleep and were frightened.
It does not bother me as much now, as they are older and the rest of the world (ie, road) does not seem to mind. But I could do without it. I prefer it to Halloween, though, a far more disruptive influence on one's domestic life, and a far more malign influence. (Give me history any day compared with the ghoulish horrors of Halloween -- which barely existed as a "festival" when I was growing up.)