Fireworks

I've been trying to think of something interesting, witty and clever to post, but my mind draws a blank. So I decided to just start writing an update on our family.



So far this summer has been good. We are living without air conditioning, which has been tough on a few days. We have a tiny window AC unit in our living room but it's not big enough to make much of a dent in the humidity.



We've gone to Buffalo Park a few times, to the sandy-bottomed pool for swimming. They divert the river water and filter and treat it, so it's great for swimming. The kids have so much fun (so do I!) and it's great exercise. We try to go on weekdays when it is not so busy. Justin starts grinning the moment he gets into the water and his smile is plastered on his face until we leave!



Two nights ago, on the 3rd, I was working on the computer a little after 10:00. The kids and Kyle were all asleep, and I planned to head to bed myself. I started to hear noises outside our window, and realized that someone was shooting off fireworks. Not a big deal, I thought, after all it is almost the fourth. However, in Minnesota any fireworks that leave the ground and explode are illegal. So, I checked outside and realized that our neighbors were deliberately shooting their fireworks AT our house and vehicles! They were exploding right under the windows - which woke up the kids - and I figured it would wake up Kyle next. This did not make me happy, considering he has to wake up in the middle of the night to go to work! So, over an hour later I decided to call the police. Enough was enough, and it was obvious they were trying to hit our windows and cars with their bottle rockets and other fireworks. One of them was the spinning kind, and it went right underneath Kyle's car. Real smart. I have no idea why they decided to aim at our house (and our duplex neighbor's) considering I have not even met them yet. They just moved in across the street a few months ago and other than waving at them a few times, I have not been introduced.



Anyway, the police showed up and he watched them himself for awhile, then walked up and arrested the teenage girl who was in possession of the lighter! I figured he would just give them a warning and take their fireworks away. I walked outside to speak to the officer myself and tell him what had been going on (later I realized this was a mistake - I should have stayed inside so they did not know I had called the police) and the girl let loose with profanity towards me, the policeman, and anyone else within earshot. The officer was not pleased with her language and I heard him tell her she was "going to juvvie" - little did I know this was not the first time this girl has been in trouble.



Afterwards I talked to the policeman, thanked him, and told him they were aiming right at our house and car, it had gone on over an hour, and that I would have tolerated a few fireworks if they had kept them in the vicinity of their own yard. (After all, it is Independence Day!) He said what they were doing was illegal and they were really out of line. Yikes, I felt sorry for him having to deal with the disrespect of that girl and her foul mouth. I almost ran home to get some soap for him to use...



Now I am a little concerned for retaliation on the part of this girl and her family. I guess if we have flat tires some morning I'll know who to thank! Hopefully this girl will go to a place where she can truly get some help and turn her life around. It's obvious she has some serious issues.

Other than that we are all well, we've been enjoying the sunshine and warmth and I'm trying to store some of it up to use this winter, lol!