It's THAT weekend again :-(

My dogs do okay with the fireworks, but I sometimes don't. During the actual holiday, where you're outside watching the fireworks, and expecting the explosions it's okay, actually quite fun. The weeks leading up to the fourth though, when you're in bed sleeping, or almost asleep sometimes those rumbling heavy deep explosions, especially when associated with a bright flash can startle me in a flashback sort of way. Having more than once had sudden loud explosions result in my taking flying lessons, and ending up having to roll over to rescuer/body recovery for those not as fortunate as I was. It isn't necessarily PTSD, just a logical learned response to what sounds so much like the military weapons I was on the receiving end more than once during 22 years of military service. The celebrations on the 4th are fine, but I could really do without the weeks on end stuff, illegal in both size, and date that are so common around here.