Any stories or memories from Fourth of July Past? About This Page:

[catsaway]

I was wondering if any one had a good memory or bad of fourth of July.

I remember when we were kids my brother set our palm tree on fire. It was a huge palm tree and the fire cracker landed up in the center of the palms. We were shocked and we were un supervised. Thank God my sister thought quickly and grabbed the hose and put the fire out. We were more afraid of getting in trouble about the palm tree then afraid of burning down the neighborhood.

[LilMarcieMouse]

<font color="blue"> 2 years ago I won a gold fish and he's still swimming.

When I was little my dad would shoot off fire works and he would let one chase him. It was fun to watch. </font>

[luvnwdwgal]

In 1969 when I was almost 7 years old, we had some terrible storms hit our town and the heavy rain caused the reservoir to overflow and the water flowed all the way into town and washed out just about every store at the bottom of the hill. That same night we also had tornado warnings and I remember having to go next door to the neighbors to use their basement cause ours was only a crawlspace. The next day I walked into town with my Mom and there were helicopters everywhere and it was just total destruction.

[Teresa]

When I was a kid, my grandparents would drive us to down-town INdy, and we would watch the fire-works get shot off of the tallest building in town. One year, a firework mis-fired and caught some cars on the street on fire!

[clio]

cindy, I remember those July 4th storms in 1969. I was older than you-out though - about 17. We didn't have any flooding. All the big trees on the street were knocked down and we didn't have any electric power for a few days. We used camping lanterns for light at night. A tornada had hit in the next town. The street I live on now once had huge trees on either side, but that storm knocked them all down.
Clio

[snoozy]

Growing up in LA we use to have these huge block parties for the forth of July. They were great. Every family would make something to eat and everyone would pull money together to buy the best fireworks. But that was back in the 60's it was a lot different then. It would probably be considered a riot now a days. I'm glad I moved to Northern California. I love visiting LA but sure don't want to live there again. Happy 4th to everyone. Hug a veteran.

[graygables]

In 1976 (bicentennial year), we spent the summer camping across Great Britain! It was very interesting learning about the "Bicentennial of the American *Rebellion*" We were in a cathedral on the 4th with a bunch of local schoolchildren and they were so fascinated by me and I by them, comparing notes on the revolution/rebellion. There was a priest who came and listened in, too. It was a lot of fun and certainly an interesting way to spend the summer!

[simbarel]

July 1, 1996 I had just moved back to Portland after being at school for 5 years, and I had no life here. My dad and stepmother invited me to go on a 4th of July Booze Cruise and I eagerly accepted the invitation (can we say LONELY???) and then I waited around ALL DAY LONG for their call, and nothing. Even my own parents ditched me for the holiday. It was a sad, humbling experience.

8 years later I'm much happier and better connected and got myself invited on a private boat to watch the fireworks!!!! I am excited beyond belief, this has been my dream for 7 years, to spend 4th of July on Casco Bay. My only regret is that DH is in Milwaukee, but it's one of his very good friend's boat and my brother and DSiL will be there. Can't Wait!

[vsonnier]

Ok, I have this story - be warned...its TERRIBLE. If you have a problem with cruelty to animals then don't read this. Also, please keep in mind that I am about as big of an animal lover as it gets...I would never purposefully hurt an animal...but this story is so funny that I just have to share.

Anyway, two 4th of Julys ago I went out with DH and a couple of friends on their boat. We went down the bayou to watch the fireworks then after that was finished we decided we would go gator spotting. We had a bunch of fireworks in the boat with us because we planned to shoot them off later in the night. Well, we pulled up to this inlet near one of the chemical plants and saw a big alligator just resting in the water. DH had been telling me all week about how M-60's are waterproof and they will actually expload under water. I of course didn't believe him and for some reason we chose that moment to test it. One of our friends lit an M-60 and chunked it in the water....before we knew what happened the alligator snapped onto it.

There was a moment of complete silence and shock when everyone realized what happened and stood there with their mouths gaping open watching smoke actually pour out of the side of the gators mouth. Then...well...lets just say that M-60's really are waterproof. The alligator lived and swam off but I imagine he couldn't eat for quite a while.

We all felt TERRIBLE afterwords but at the same time it was hillarious...

We are going out on the boat again this fourth of July, but I promise all of you that I wont be blowing up any more alligators!

[momsgoofy2004]

vsonnier,
Thanks for a good chuckle! I can see that gator now...what a vision.

I guess I have a few memories of the 4th myself...some good and some bad.
When I was 12 and going into junior high I was staying with my cousins in St. Louis (where fireworks are legal unlike here) and my cousin, Marty, taught me how to jump his BMX bike off of ramps and blow up his sister's Barbies with firecrackers. Okay, I was a bit of a tomboy. But it was fun!
The 4th always brings back a memory of growing up...and first love shall we say...I guess I wanted to know if the Brady Bunch kid was right and you do see rockets when you first kiss.
About 10 years ago, I took my son to his paternal grandparents for the 4th...his dad and I had just separated a couple months before...and my soon to be ex- MIL was being her usual jittery June Cleaver "now, now boys" self, when a bottle rocket whizzed right between she and I. She jumped like it had hit her, swearing that it did go through her hair. I know it didn't because I was on the other side and her hair had been teased and set and sprayed with a gallon of hair spray at the salon and if the bottle rocket hit her hair it would have stuck and caught fire. Okay, maybe I sound cruel, but realize it was hilarious watching this grown woman who is so passive jumping up and down screaming at her husband and son that they tried to kill her with that thing...they are illegal and now you know why, etc. What is ironic is that last week she called to see if my son wanted to come over when his uncle and aunt visit for the 4th and did my son have any fireworks...duh! they are illegal so he'd better not have any at his age-12.

Laura ºoº

[DopeyGirl]

The only 4th of July that was even close to out of the ordinary or weird that I can remember is last year!!!



We lived in Brunswick, Maine at the time and every year Cook's Lobster House (the one in the old Visa commercial) put on a little fireworks show near the restaurant on Bailey Island. We went out on July 4th, only to find out that they had to postpone the show due to heavy fog that came in off the Atlantic . . . next night, same thing . . . FINALLY, July 6th we had our fireworks and as we were getting ready to leave the fog started to roll in. (2 years before that, we got caught in a major downpour as the show ended and had to wait in the car until the ambluance got by us -- the guy shooting off the fireworks burned his hand or blew it off or something . . . .)



Not sure what we are doing tonight . . . seems like we already have a new 4th of July memory as all 3 of us are sitting around scratching since it seems we've got a mosquito in the house somewhere and it made a meal out of us last night!!! We're all covered in pink calamine lotion!!!

[buckysmom]

Sarah, I can relate-in 1992 I was in Officer Indotrination School (aka "fork and knife school") and we were all excited about wearing our bright and shiny whites for the fireworks..which were cancelled Ah well, fast forward to my favorite 4th (1996), when my aviator boyfriend had just returned from a short deployment and I was so happy to see him and we oh so creatively saw Independence Day. I'm not a big action movie fan, but being back together after 6 weeks was pure joy

[Queen of Everything]

My most memorable 4th was the year that my family and I lived in the UK.(ironic huh?) It was 1976. My dad was an exchange teacher. He traded teacher positions with a man from Holsworthy, Devon. It was about 1 month before we were due to go back to the US. A friend of my parents thought it was funny that America was celebrating it's 200th birthday. (that's about 5 minutes British time) He set up a red,white, and blue display in our front yard complete with a hand drawing of "uncle Sam". I have a picture somewhere of my brother and sister and I standing beside it.

Amy

[minemoz1]

Well, 10 years ago at a friends' July 4th party, I met my DH. My friends were trying to set me up with another one of their friends (nice guy, but kind of a loser. No job, lived with mom etc). I was talking to him when DH came over and joined us. DH and I started ganging up on him about getting a job so he left and DH sat down next to me. We talked into 2am and have been together ever since.

[Kaylor]

We were always able to view the town fireworks by simply walking across the street with our lawn chairs to an empty grassy area. It was a very popular area to view from and we always counted ourselves lucky to live where we did. One year as we crossed back to the house, I saw a couple of girls who had had waaaaaay too much to drink stagger into the dark between the house next door and ours. Well as I followed them I realized they were doing a nature call! I turned and ran for the hose and came back with it on full force in time to catch them both. LOLLLLLL