I know, I’m a day late with that but my with for your well being is still valid. I trust all of you Made it through the day safely and still have all your fingers. It was an incredible noisy night for me and Max. He’s terrified of fireworks which makes me wonder what his childhood was like. Not good, I presume.

Yesterday strated off with the two of us wandering down to the courthouse for a walk. We almost made a complete trip before some idiot lit off a firecracker which signaled the end of this walk for Max.

He lurched ahead and drag me quickly back to the truck, his safe place. It hurst my heart to see him get so afraid when he hears the explosions. I believe he has PTSD caused by how things were for him when he was little.

Back at the truck, he calmed down and we returned to home base. We spent the day alone because Saturday is a work day for Lydia and we didn’t expect her return until late in the evening. She works 12-hour shifts, 7 to 7 and since yesterday was big on fireworks, she and my future grandson-in-law planned a trip to the beach after her shift ended. They wanted to catch the thrill of fireworks on the beach. She didn’t say which one.

The area where we normally walk was roped off to keep vehicles off the path and opened up parking space for hundreds of vehicles.

The were a couple miles of rope draped around the area with little flags flying from it. Quite festive.

Later in the morning I returned to the Courthouse Square to participate in the flag raising ceremony that officially opens the day’s festivities. I’m sure Max would have enjoyed the moment, but I didn’t want to cause him any trauma so left him home. I did this with other members of the American Legion Post 42 in St. Helens. We usually raise the flag, too, but this time the local National Guard unit did that honor.

After opening ceremonies many of us disengaged from the crowds and proceeded to our assigned bells in town to ring them 13 times at 2 pm. It’s a tradition. My bell is located behind the old Courthouse near the public docks on the river. It’s the bell that was removed from the Warrior Rock warning structure on Sauvie Island that was replaced by newer technology many years ago.

The bells we ring are scattered all over town in churches, the fire department, and the courthouse. There are six or seven locations and it’s a glorious sound when we get to work. It’s comforting to know that other people my age can still count to 13. Makes me proud.

After fulfilling my duty, I bid my friends adieu and returned home so Max wouldn’t be alone when the noise started. We watched a little TV, ate, and visited a bit until the first explosion sent him in search of a quiet place. He spent most of this time under my bed. The noise went on long after I went to bed. I refrained from looking outside throughout the assault, and never tuned the TV to a fireworks channel so I can safely say I did not view even one airburst during these r festivities. That’s a first for me. I usually take a peek just to say I did it, but that didn’t seem important to me since I was alone. Had Diane been with me, we would have looked together.

I think Lydia returned home around midnight but I didn’t hear her come in. She’s very stealthy. I was happy to know she was safely home.